Luke Jensen Interview on NBCSports.com
4/13/2009 11:44:03 AM | Tennis
Syracuse women's tennis coach, Luke Jensen, took the time to talk about his team, the program and his career with NBCSports.com's Harry Cicma before shipping off to the BIG EAST Tournament in Tampa, Fla. Competition starts on Thursday, April 16 and concludes on Sunday, April 19.
The Orange finished its most successful season (15-5, 9-2) since dual play took precedence in the BIG EAST and have high aspirations for the conference tournament.
[Harry] CICMA: How has the experience been as a Division I Head Coach?
[Head coach Luke] JENSEN: I love coaching at Syracuse University. This new challenge in my tennis life has me as focused and motivated on developing my players as I was focused on winning Grand Slams when I was a player. I still do many charity events, my Jensen-Schmidt Tennis Academy for children with down syndrome, Wilson-Jensen Brothers Tour events and work for ESPN through the year. But I have found working with kids who want to take their game to the pros through the college path way while earning a life degree in the classroom motivates me to be my very best every day!
CICMA: What are the biggest challenges of being a Head Coach?
JENSEN: I only recruit Americans because I want to be part of bringing American tennis back to dominate the world rankings like the USA did when I played in the 80's and 90's.
My #1 challenge is finding American kids that will work as hard as I need them to work. A level of dedication that proved to be my biggest weapon in my game on the way to the top.
There are many thoughts on HOW to bring American tennis back but my fellow tour greats and ESPN experts ALL agree that American kids are out worked, out of shape and are not coachable. To find American kids that want to listen and do it the Jensen way that produced four Jensen's to be ATP and WTA pros from Michigan where the nearest indoor court was over an hour away is hard to find.
American kids want to do it their way because they have a blue-chip or five-star rating but NONE of those players have EVER won a GRAND SLAM. I have! I'm not saying it is the only way. I'm saying it is the way I made it but no matter what way you want to do it, players will have to pay the price and put in the work. American kids have not paid that price in a long time.
CICMA: As a French Open doubles champion (with your brother Murphy), how has that top professional experience helped you guide your team on and off the court?
JENSEN: Being a 1993 French Champ helps a ton! I draw on my experiences ALL the time to improve my team. My approach I used to make it is in everything I do with my team: Attitude, Fitness and Tactics. Syracuse University Tennis is for the players that want to take tennis beyond college to the pros.....I have a blue print that I used, my brother used and my sisters all used to be tour players. The mental toughness and approach it takes to be a pro is still the same. The question is are American kids today willing to pay that price.
My ability to call up and talk to former tour greats and fellow ESPN talent ALL the time is a MASSIVE advantage. To be able to be working sideline at all the grand slams for ESPN is HUGE! I am able to be in the locker room, players lounge practice court, and most of all, the sidelines for all those great matches. It keeps me on the cutting edge of where the global game of tennis is moving. Sitting on the side line of the Federed-Nadal Wimbledon final was an amazing experience. I bring all those experiences back to my team at Syracuse University. I tell recruits all the time, 'Do you want your next coach to be working and playing at Wimbledon or the teaching summer camp?'
The problem is 1993! The kids I am recruiting now were born when I won that French so they have no idea about the long haired rock-and-roll tennis Jensen Brothers. These kids see some bald guy that looks like his brother on the tennis channel. The recruits ask me more about Murphy's Guide than The Newhouse School, our #1 communications school in the nation. But no matter if it is 1893,1993 or 2093 the mental toughness and approach it takes to be a pro is still the same. The question is are American kids today willing to pay that price.
CICMA: What are your goals with Syracuse University women's tennis?
JENSEN: I view my program like pre-med, pre-law or any other classroom on campus. I look at what I am doing as a pre-pro tour. Players that dedicate the discipline and work ethic that I had as a player will go on and play pro tennis. The keyword is development and not improvement. Players will improve in college or pro circuit events because the competition is better. I focus on development of the complete player. The first step is the mental approach to winning. Then the fitness, tactics and commitment to the ultimate goal is next. The ultimate goal is winning a Grand Slam and along the way winning BIG EAST titles and NCAA titles is part of our mind set every time we take the court.
CICMA: What are your individual goals as a head coach, five to 10 years down the road?
JENSEN: My goals at Syracuse University are as big as my goals were as a player. To be #1, to be the best and to win SLAMS! I had so many people tell me I could not win a slam and I did it. I had so many people tell me I could not serve with my left and right hand and I do it at over 130 mph with each arm. So many people told me I could not win a Slam with my brother Murphy and WE did it. Champions are not born, they are MADE with hours, days, months and YEARS of dedicated hard work. I have already won at Syracuse because I have great kids that want to have a true impact on the planet through the game of tennis like Arthur Ashe and Billie Jean King.
I want to look back and see that my devotion to my players made them prepared to be champions in the classroom, on the tennis court and in the world they will face after their time at Syracuse University.
CICMA: Being in upstate New York has it's challenges pertaining to tennis, of course - the cold winters being the biggest. How are you about to overcome those obstacles?
JENSEN: THE COLD! Make no mistake it is really REALLY cold at Syracuse and it snows a TON! I'm not going to tell any recruit anything but how tough you have to be to be at Syracuse during the winter. But I am not looking for kids who want a sun tan. I want kids who want to win a Grand Slam. The weather keeps the pretenders away and the weather doesn't matter to the kids who want to work with a Grand Slam Champion who is on ESPN at the majors staying up to date with the top players of the game. If a kid is going to base their college choice on where they can best develop to be a pro over the next four years based on the weather, then there is no way they could handle my program. The tons of snow keeps the wimps away. Syracuse is nothing compared to bombs falling in Serbia, the cold of Russia and the poverty in South America and those places DOMINATE the world of tennis. I'm not sure where this 'CAN'T' mentality came from in the US, but its not at Syracuse University.
CICMA: Do you ever get out on the courts and play sets or doubles with your players?
JENSEN: ALL THE TIME! I get right in the drills and we play tons of sets! They need to see a big ball that is something in the women's game that only comes from Venus [Williams], Serena [Williams] and Maria [Sharapova]. So when my players compete, everything seems slow. ALL the top WTA pros have guys to hit with to hit against the power. When I was a pro, I would hit with [Chris] Evert, [Martina] Navratilova, [Stefi] Graf, [Gabriela] Sabatini and [Justine] Henin. The list is long. It grooved me in as a player and it helped them return lefty and righty serves while hitting a hard ball I would hit them.
CICMA: You've played a big part in Advanta World Team Tennis with Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss. How do you like that team event format?
JENSEN: It is the very very best team format for tennis on the planet. CO-Gender and every great aspect of the game is covered. Tennis on Campus uses it and Club Tennis has become massive over the last five years! The way budgets are going with varsity sports I could see this WTT format as the future format of college tennis, in the Olympics and odd years for the Davis and Fed Cup.
CICMA: What's new in the life of Luke Jensen? Are you still looking to play ATP doubles or announce on Television?
JENSEN: My life is my obsession with bringing American Tennis back through Syracuse University. My ATP Tour days are done. I never retired because I don't believe in quitting anything. The pro game just passed me by and I play legend events at the Slams. I have moved on to my next mountain to climb in the game. Bringing American Tennis BACK!
