LOS ANGELES — During coverage of the 2005 French Open, tennis commentator Mary Carillo famously shared an essay in which she pointed out the similarities between winning on clay and winning at life. The piece was called "I want my kids to be clay courters."
"I want them to live their lives as though they were playing them out on clay," said Carillo, who won the 1977 mixed doubles title at Roland Garros with John McEnroe. ''To know that the ground will shift under their feet, that it pays to be flexible and patient; that lateral thinking is often rewarded, so try to look around the corners of your problems; that small things are hard to do … but everything, everything counts."
Because of the properties of clay, speed and power alone won't guarantee victory. The ball travels slower. The bounce is more unpredictable. You need a lot of mental stamina and guile to make it through. The same is true in life.
