ESPN: Grass will be a welcome sight for Americans

For American tennis players, the emerald lawns of the All England Club beckon. After a spring of grinding on hostile clay courts in picturesque European cities — the American men, you may remember, went a horrific 0-for-9 in the first round at Roland Garros — they finally have arrived at Wimbledon’s greener pastures.

Analyst Mary Carillo has always been a proponent of clay, the surface that reveals an athlete’s every flaw.

“Clay teaches you how to manage a court, how to finish a point, not just whale away from the baseline and hope it ends at some point,” said Carillo, laughing. “Grass is more shock and awe. It works better for American sensibilities. You know, ‘Let me just hit something hard, and if it comes back, I’ll hit it harder.’”

Indeed, the fastest serves on record for men and women belong to Americans Andy Roddick (155 mph) and Venus Williams (128 mph, at this year’s French Open).

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