Clay Court Season Warm-up Has Been Hot

The clay court season has just begun and Andy could not have started it in a better way. After having to withdraw from Monte Carlo with a wrist injury he suffered at the Nasdaq-100 Open, it was onto Texas, where Andy participated in an exhibition match against Mardy Fish, which he won, at River Oaks before heading to the US Clay Court Championships for the fifth straight year.

Houston had been very kind to Andy and the feeling was mutual. Andy won the tournament, his first ever on clay, back in 2001. In 2002, he repeated the feat, defeating none other than Pete Sampras to successfully defend his title. Since then, Andy has gone on to make the finals of the event, the only red clay event in the US, in both 2003 (l. Agassi) and 2004 (l. Haas). He was finally able to reclaim his “hometown” event this past weekend defeating a resurgent Sebastien Grosjean who had taken out Andre Agassi en route to the finals. Andy also defeated Jurgen Melzer on his way to the final. Melzer had taken out Tommy Haas, last years champion, in the quarterfinals. Therefore, Andy can feel proud that he was able to avenge the losses in the 2003 and 2004 finals.

What was more impressive, however, is that Andy did not drop a set in Houston this year. When asked about how he criticized his clay court game and volleying ability, he replied, “No, other people used to say that, not me.”

It appears that Andy’s confidence on the red stuff has improved from years’ past. He has taken the surface and its challenges very seriously this year and has practiced hard with coach Dean Goldfine in Austin to prepare himself for the European swing which for him begins next week in Rome, followed by Hamburg, and the biggest one of all: Roland Garros.

Andy worked with a track and field expert while he was injured between tournaments to improve his fitness, as in tracking down those tricky drop shots off of Melzer’s racquet, the same one that had troubled him in the past. Says, coach Goldfine, “He is in the best shape he has ever been in.” And in Houston it showed.

Dean has also tried to improve Andy’s confidence, telling him that his volleying is on par with other pros, and only needs to be implemented during matches more to give Andy the confidence to go for the shot. The same goes for the backhand. What else have they been busy with in preparation for the clay? Point construction. Dean believes that it is important to think of a game plan before you serve and construct the point in your head before you begin it, meaning have a game plan.

Most importantly, however, Dean is giving Andy the support he needs to feel confident. “I want him to know there is more to his game than a great serve and forehand.” Andy showed signs of his belief already, mixing it up during points in Houston. He also seemed more excited than usual, pumping his fists and yelling at himself when winning points.

The clay court season looks more promising now than ever before. Andy is looking good, Dean is always prepared with a game plan (as Andy says, he skips dinner to scout opponents, “something which I am not willing to do.”), and of course there is a great trainer in Doug Spreen who monitored the wrist injury until it was no longer a problem. In Houston, Doug assured me that Andy was 100 percent, and it showed.

AMS Rome will begin next Monday, May 2, 2005. Check back for the draw soon.