Tennis | Christmas gift brings Jones scholarship

By: Jeff Westfall

Posted: 2/22/08

On Christmas Eve, Syracuse sophomore tennis player Chelsea Jones sat nervously waiting for the package that never came. Her coach Luke Jensen had told her to expect a gift that day, and to open it at 3 p.m.

But it never came. Instead of a team poster with her name circled and labeled "The newest scholarship player for SU tennis," which would arrive later, Jones received a simple e-mail from Jensen, stripped of the frills and style intended for the announcement. But the message was no less special. It was vindication.

The e-mail told her she had turned her walk-on status into a scholarship for the 2007-08 tennis season.

Armed with a newfound confidence and a powerful forehand, Jones is proving that the scholarship is deservedly hers. After finishing the 2007 season with an 8-34 record, Jones has already eclipsed her win total from last year and is off to a decent 13-7 start in the 2008 season.

The Orange is 6-4 on the year coming off a weekend when it gained two Big East wins improving its conference record to 4-0. Jones has won her last four matches and looks to carry that momentum into this weekend against DePaul and Marquette, teams both Jensen and his players admit are the toughest Big East opponents Syracuse has faced to date.

Teammate Ashley Spicer said the mental toughness she has seen in Jones this season, along with her strong forehand, are the catalysts for her rolling win total.

"Her forehand is so strong," Spicer said. "She has two hands on both sides, and she can deceive whether she is going down the line or crosscourt with that forehand, and she hits the crap out of it. It's a bullet."

Jones uses a two-handed grip for both her forehand and backhanded groundstrokes. Jensen compares her grip stylistically to that of former professional tennis player Monica Seles. Such a technique allows her to generate more power behind her shot and is more forgiving if she is late to the ball or has a poor weight transfer. The two-handed backhand is also an important facet of Jones' game because it allows her to generate topspin or her shots and disguise the placement of her balls better.

"My forehand is probably the strongest part of my game," Jones said. "The part that has gotten a lot stronger is my mental game you know going in, and having the attitude that I am going to win. Saying if this girl is better than me she is going to have to work for it."

The combination of strong groundstrokes and confidence led Jones to dominating wins against Seton Hall on Saturday and an additional two wins Sunday against Connecticut. Since buying into Jensen's serve and volley system, Jones' game and fitness have made massive strides. The rapid turnaround has been apparent to her teammates as well as her head coach, who spoke of the forte in Jones' game.

"She has two hands on both sides," Jensen said. "Both of her groundstrokes are strong. I look at her forehand as a weapon, but her backhand can hit the garbage out of the ball too. So for any opponent trying to pick on the backhand, it is kind of a toss up. You kind of pick your poison of what you want to get beat with."

Last year Jones didn't start against Marquette and earned two forfeit wins to DePaul because the Blue Demons did not have enough active players. But a lot can change in a year. This season Jones is 15 pounds lighter, has a recognizable and newfound confidence and is racking up the wins behind a powerful forehand and backhand combination for the Orange.

"I've definitely seen her game improve; she plays with much more confidence now and a more aggressive a style," Spicer said. "Before it would seem like she would get scared on the court. Right now she's just loving every point and eating up pressure situations, and it's nice to see that; I'm proud of her."

jwestfal@syr.edu