King of the Kastles: Murphy Jensen Knows the Score When it Comes to Playing Tennis

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ONE OF THE BIGGEST names on the Washington Kastles' (Washingtonkastles.com) roster isn't actually playing for the tennis team. But Murphy Jensen, former French Open doubles champ and current Tennis Channel star, will be serving — as coach. Look for him at home games (starting July 7, at 11th and H streets NW) while he leads the likes of Serena Williams.

» EXPRESS: What's the strategy when you coach a team with such stars?
» KASTLES: I have to keep them motivated to win. Someone like Serena Williams, she has to feel like it's her first professional game. And I think the No. 1 thing is going to be creating a winning, fun, family atmosphere. For the average tennis player, that's the most important thing, too — having fun and finding people you enjoy playing with.

» EXPRESS: How do average players become better players?
» KASTLES: Find a coach, and ask what your coach's best move is. That's one they'll definitely teach well. And find a coach who has a similar style of play to yours.

» EXPRESS: Any drills you recommend?
» KASTLES: The most important thing is serving and returning a serve, and you don't even need a partner for that. A great way to work on a return is to serve against the wall. A lot of people do that, but not many play out the point against the wall.

» EXPRESS: What should be our game plan if we're trying to beat our buddy?
» KASTLES: You don't need to start at 100 percent — if you do, you'll burn out of gas. You also want to be warmed up and ready to go when you start. I like to jump rope for five minutes, stretch, warm up and be in a nice sweat. I'm a big fan of jump rope. It requires a combination of strength and quickness. In the warm-up, hit every kind of shot you're going to hit in the match.

» EXPRESS: Other than jumping rope, any cross-training you recommend?
» KASTLES: The longer the point is with someone who can run all day, the better a chance they have of winning it. So, being a marathoner would be great. Boxing is all about having fast eyes and feet, so that would also help. I do yoga because it's great for calming the mind, and I don't like to bring junk to the tennis court. That's a place that's sacred. Work on your breathing so it's in with the good and out with the bad.

Photo courtesy Washington Kastles