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Luke Jensen Shares Some Hard-to-believe ATP Memories
Greatest comeback:
“Actually here at the U.S. Open, I was playing Matt Mitchell, who was an NCAA champion for Stanford, was on the Tour. It was my first U.S. Open, it must’ve been 1984. If I remember correctly, I was down two sets to love and came back and won. I was down in other scenarios. I would say the biggest one – the French Open run my brother and I had in ’93 – we won matches, first and second round, 12-10 in the third. Our third round we were down 5-3 in the third. In the finals, we were down 3-love in the third. So those were…it wasn’t as dire as two sets to love down. I would say the U.S. Open main draw singles.”
Worst blown lead:
“I would say I never had a lead [smiles]. I would say ’96, I was in the finals of the mixed doubles at the Australian Open with Nicole Arendt. And I was having so much fun torturing – who was I playing? – Mark Woodforde and his partner, it used to be Savchenko, then she changed it to her married name. (Larisa Neiland?) Neiland! And I was hitting lefty kickers to her forehand and it was so comical to the point I would tell her where I was serving. There was no, Don’t, just catch the ball, you’re embarrassing yourself. I was a little over the top and we ended up losing 7-5 in the third. I think I lost my concentration because I was having too much fun in a final of a slam, telling my opponent where I was serving. So, I didn’t lose serve but I think it got away from me, my focus. But I would say that’s the one moment I wish I would have gotten back.”
"I was having too much fun in a slam final"
