The good book says God made man from clay, a substance which Luis Bruguera believes also goes into the making of a good tennis player – well at least if he or she has a good grounding on the surface. Bruguera, whose son Sergi won two French Open titles in 1993 and 1994, is a man with a mission. The former Davis Cup captain of Spain, who runs a tennis academy back home in Barcelona, is in search of the first Chinese man who can break into the world’s top 100. And he hopes a Hong Kong-based academy can fast-forward that process. “But this academy must have clay courts. For it is on this surface that you can best teach a youngster what is the most important aspect of the game – how to think,” said Bruguera, who was in town this week talking to various people who could play a role in the dream. While Li Na is making waves on the women’s professional circuit having won a grand slam title, the highest-ranked mainland male player on the ATP rankings is Wu Di (234) followed by Zhang Ze (259). Roger Federer said last month in Shanghai that it “would be amazing” and good for world tennis if a male Chinese player could break into the top 100. Bruguera, 65, is amazed too, but in a different way. He was in China nine years ago at the invitation of the Chinese Tennis Federation and at the time saw “five or six” youngsters who had the potential to go all the way. “What happened? I don’t know. It is amazing that today these players are nowhere. I was in Guangdong nine years ago for two weeks and was impressed with what I saw. But there have been no results. I hope I can help in this process to uncover a star from China, or even Hong Kong,” said the Spaniard. Bruguera is a firm advocate of the Spanish system where mind matters more than a power game. Having all the shots in the book is of no use, he says, if one cannot think how to win a point and have a feel for the game. “It’s all about being able to control your mind, control your body, control your racquet and control the ball,” says Bruguera. “In tennis if your physical condition is not good, you cannot play at the top level. But at the same time you need the mental toughness and this is best learned on a clay surface where you cannot win a point as easily as on a hard court where power prevails. “In Spain, most youngsters learn the game on clay courts. In the United States it is mostly on hard courts. I cannot understand why Hong Kong cannot have a major tennis event Luis Bruguera They had clay courts but today they have mostly been changed to hard courts – because 80 per cent of tournaments worldwide are played on hard courts – and this has killed the development of the game in that country. The evidence is clear: today there are no Americans in the top 10.” Rafael Nadal is world number one, while Spanish compatriot David Ferrer is ranked third. Spain has eight players in the top 50 and 14 in the top 100. The days of Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Michael Chang and, going back even further, John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors, are long gone. Today there are only six Americans in the top 100, with John Isner, ranked 14th, the top player. “Parents all over the world rush to send their children to the United States on tennis scholarships but is that a good thing for the development of their game? I want to try and convince people in Hong Kong, and China, that it is possible to become a top professional by staying here. I hope my academy can point the way forward,” Bruguera said. It was during his tenure as a director in the Spanish Tennis Federation that the game was introduced as a sport in school curriculums. He was also instrumental in setting up four national training centres around the country and the rewards are being reaped now. Spain have won three of the past six Davis Cup finals. Three years ago, Bruguera was appointed chief executive of the Turkish Tennis Federation and he has transformed the game there by introducing Challenger and ITF tournaments. “Turkey has 104 such tournaments annually, more than one a week, and it is the highest number of international tournaments in the world hosted by any country. The local players don’t have to go anywhere to seek improvement. They can stay at home and develop. Competition is key to development of a player.” Bruguera regretted that Hong Kong had no major men’s international tournament and said it was crucial that all stakeholders came together to bring back an event. “I remember coming with my son Sergi – he now helps me with the academy – when he played in the Marlboro tournament. It was a good tournament. I cannot understand why a city like Hong Kong cannot have a major tennis event. The question must be asked: is there passion in this city for a tournament? All big things in life happen when someone wants it badly.” Bruguera will leave today after his initial foray to sound out the hunger for an academy in Hong Kong. If all goes well, he hopes to have it running by next year. “The short-term goal is to find three or four players who in a couple of years can break into the top 100 in the world. “But if my system is to really work, it will take longer with younger players, those in the under-16, under-14, under-12 categories. That is the long-term goal and I believe it can happen. Just imagine if we unearth the first Chinese from Hong Kong, or China, to break into the top 100. That would be great and I strongly believe it is possible.”