Australians traditionally don’t pay much attention to clay court tennis, although this attitude changed somewhat in 2019, when Queensland’s Ash Barty won the French Open on the red clay of Roland Garros. The magic of clay had also eluded Paul McNamee until he played in Paris as an 18-year-old. He says, of that experience: “My life changed forever.”
Welcome to the Dance is his ode to clay court tennis, what he describes as his “soul food”. It describes his journey as he sought to unravel the complexities of clay – from that first experience, a lesson learnt at the hands of 41-year-old Bolivian Pancho Gorostiaga, to the day he triumphed over John McEnroe on the centre court of Roland Garros at the 1980 French Open.
Welcome to the Dance is not just McNamee’s journey to understanding the nuances of clay, but it shows how to appreciate this holistic surface, to love its personality. Understanding clay is the gateway to improving your tennis, no matter what level you may be, or on what court you play.
