Tennis: No clay means poor pay for talented players

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Taking real encouragement from the results of its junior players on both sides of the Atlantic in recent weeks, Tennis New Zealand is now determined to give all players the opportunity to train and play on clay courts.

While almost all tennis in New Zealand is played on either hard or synthetic grass courts, clay is the most-used surface internationally at levels below the men's ATP and the women's WTA tours. Many of the crucial International Tennis Federation futures and satellite tournaments are played on clay, which gives players from Spain, France and South America a huge advantage as they chase points to get in to the Challenger tournaments which earn vital points.

"That puts our players at a huge disadvantage," said Tennis NZ chief executive Don Turner yesterday. "We are not alone in this. The Australians, too, are lamenting their lack of clay courts which in turn has led to poor results on that surface. At the French Open [played on clay] only Lleyton Hewitt, who got to the fourth round, did anything.

"The rest of their players went out in the first round."

Turner acknowledges the number of playable clay courts in New Zealand stands at "nought".

There are two clay courts at Auckland's tennis centre in Glen Innes (now Tennis NZ's base) but both are in a sorry state.

"We are very serious about getting some clay courts and the two we have here need to be developed, covered and floodlit," said Turner.

"We haven't priced it yet, but it appears we could be looking at about $50,000 a court which is about the same as putting down a Rebound Ace [hard] court.

"We were looking at sending Matthew Prentice and Lee Radovanovich, to futures and satellites in the US and China but we are now considering Europe as an alternative where there are seven, and sometimes eight, tournaments a week on clay for a period of 20 weeks.

"When you look at the top level, the grasscourt season lasts about three weeks. There are many more tournaments on clay or hard courts. We would like a network of clay courts in New Zealand and a series of tournaments for our top players."

Tennis courts need on-going maintenance and replacement.

"Clay needs watering, brushing and, from time to time, rolling," he said. "But that is something we must accept if we are to give our players the opportunities they need."