Clarke looks to break down tennis barriers
British No4 is taking big steps despite not fitting the normal stereotypes, writes Charlie Eccleshare
Jay Clarke shuffles in his seat when asked if he, a mixedrace lad from humble origins, can inspire others.
“For me, it doesn’t matter what race someone is as long as they want to pick up a tennis racket,” the British No 4 says at the CURC tennis club in Derby where he started playing as a two-year-old.
Clarke’s hope is that one day the stereotype of British tennis belonging to white, middle-class communities from the home counties will be upended. The reality, though, is that so far there have been few families like the Clarkes for young black, Asian and minority ethnic British players to look up to.
Families, rather than individuals, is an important distinction because Jay, 20 and ranked 166, is far from a one-man band. When we meet at his childhood club – ahead of Wimbledon, where he will face America’s Noah Rubin in the first round on Tuesday – he is flanked by his brother and coach Curtis, 24, and sister Yaz, 28, also a coach who helps manage Jay’s affairs. Both are former players: eldest sister Simone, 31, reached county level.
As children, they would spend days at the club playing Frisbee and cricket as well as tennis. Their father Earol – a retired social worker – would be there as often as possible. It is an inspiring image which the Lawn Tennis Association would love to see recreated across the country as it tries to bring tennis to a more diverse audience.
How then can young people of all backgrounds be encouraged to pick up a racket and be convinced that tennis is for life, not just for Wimbledon?
“Grabbing people’s attention earlier is something other sports do really well,” says Yaz, one of only about 30 female level-five coaches in the country. “Hopefully, the LTA can do that really well with these free weekends [the LTA’s Big Tennis
Weekends, which are held at more than 1,000 venues nationwide].”
Sport England data shows that fewer than eight per cent of five-to-16year-olds play tennis once or more a week – fewer than in sports such as netball, basketball and dodgeball.
For the Clarkes, having each other meant they always had someone to hit with.
Jay explains that having his siblings around is just as important now as it was growing up given the cut-throat, lonely life of a top-flight tennis player. When not travelling the world – a recent 10-week trip took in America, China, Thailand and Kazakhstan – the trio live together at the family home in Derby.
He stresses that tennis is affordable until going down the professional route. Costs suddenly escalate.
Jay was helped in his formative years by a wealthy family friend. As well as being part of the LTA’s Pro Scholarship Programme, which provides up to £70,000 in annual funding and helps with coaching, Jay is supported by Morecroft, a local electrical firm and the MStart trust – a sporting charity set up by the Derby County owner, Mel Morris.
Jay’s challenge is to make the transition from successful junior to competing on the ATP Tour. He has made great improvements – winning two second-tier Challenger titles and halving his ranking in two years – but he has far loftier ambitions.
Jay is keen to emulate his contemporaries, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Frances Tiafoe, who have both gone deep at a grand slam. Guidance from Dan Evans and Andy Murray is important, and he has already been called up to the British Davis Cup squad.
Captain Leon Smith told The Sunday
Telegraph: “Jay’s work ethic is absolutely fantastic, both in training and in competition. He didn’t blink at anything you asked him to do. That attitude will stand him in good stead.”
Roger Federer will almost certainly be Jay’s second-round opponent should he get past Rubin.
A Centre Court date with the greatest player of all time would be some journey from the uneven courts of Derby.