TENNIS / THOMAS BONK : Clay Court Specialists Go Front and Center

In the six weeks before the French Open, where the focus of the tennis world is directed toward red clay courts in the gray concrete fortress called Roland Garros, it’s time for a few players to make some important moves.

Until the French Open is over, the clay court specialists are expected to excel. Last year, 17-year-old Michael Chang defeated Ivan Lendl and Stefan Edberg on his way to the French Open championship, his first Grand Slam title.

With the clay court season in full swing, players other than Lendl, Edberg, Boris Becker and Andre Agassi have their chances to make an impact now and at the French Open. Here is a look at the clay specialists:

--Emilio Sanchez: The 24-year-old Spaniard beat Franco Davin in the final last Sunday in Lisbon, Portugal, for his second tournament title of the year, cracking the top 10 for the first time.

--Martin Jaite: He lost in the first round in Lisbon, but the 25-year-old Argentine is ranked No. 12 and has one tournament victory, at Guaruja, Brazil.

--Alberto Mancini: Long overdue is this 20-year-old Argentine, down to No. 17 in the rankings. Until last week’s tournament in Barcelona he had not won a match this year. Last year’s Italian Open champion, Mancini should have his game going shortly.

--Jim Courier: Last year, Courier was one match away from the French quarterfinals, but lost a two-set lead and fell to Andrei Chesnokov in the fourth round. This year, the 19-year-old Floridian has his ranking up to No. 15 and expects the French Open to be his big tournament.

--Horst Skoff: This may be the year that Skoff, 20, and ranked No. 19, emerges from the shadow of Austrian countryman Thomas Muster.

Becker pulled out of Barcelona because of tendinitis, but is expected to begin his charge for the French Open, which he has never won, next week in Monte Carlo, where he maintains a residence.

Pete’s progress: Pete Sampras, who pulled a leg muscle during the Lipton International Players Championship at Key Biscayne, Fla., last month, is taking it easy at his parents’ home in Rancho Palos Verdes and doesn’t expect to be able to play again until the BMW Open that begins April 30 in Munich.

Sampras, 18, said that although he feels no pain in the leg, he will probably pull out of a tournament in Hong Kong that begins April 23. Sampras, who won his first tournament in February at Philadelphia, is ranked No. 18 and plans to play in Munich, Hamburg and the Italian Open in Rome before the French Open.

The morning after he was injured, Sampras said he was unable to get out of bed. He was puzzled why such an injury would occur in a match after a complete warm-up and said he might cut back on his schedule.

“Maybe I’m playing too much,” he said. “In the next couple of years, I’ll probably lay off and not play as many tournaments.”

Sampras follows a rehabilitation program that includes weightlifting, a little running and some practice, but he also spends some time at the golf course.

“I’m getting kind of bored, actually,” Sampras said.

Shape of things to come: Dr. Lester Lee, the Huntington Beach physician working with Chang, said the 18-year-old French Open champion will probably be in as good condition going into the French Open as he was when he won it last year.

The problem is, according to Lee, that Chang’s conditioning wasn’t very good then.

“He’s a great, gifted child prodigy of a player, but his conditioning level is something else,” Lee said.

Lee and his group of trainers have not only worked with Chang on conditioning, but Lee has also altered Chang’s diet, steering him more toward protein and complex carbohydrates.

“Hopefully we won’t see any more cramps,” Lee said.

Age group champion: 33-year-old Martina Navratilova’s victory over 14-year-old Jennifer Capriati in the final of the Family Circle Cup last week was the 150th tournament championship for Navratilova, who had won seven titles before Capriati was born.

Capriati made her debut in the rankings at No. 25. Never has anyone so young been ranked so high.

Brother-sister act: For the first time, a brother and sister are ranked in the top 10 at the same time. Emilio Sanchez is ranked No. 10 among men and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario is ranked No. 5 among women on the Virginia Slims computer.

39 and holding: At least for this week. Jimmy Connors checks in at No. 39, his lowest computer ranking, and will drop even lower as he continues his inactivity. Connors, who will be 38 in five months, has played only one match this year, losing to No. 124 Markus Zoecke of West Germany, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7-1), Feb. 6 at Milan.

After being ranked No. 1 more consecutive weeks than any other player, 157, Connors is preparing for his NBC career as a commentator at next month’s French Open and Wimbledon in June.

McEnroe update: Meanwhile, 31-year-old John McEnroe hasn’t played in 53 days, since he lost to Richey Reneberg, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-3, in the second-round at Philadelphia, Feb. 21. McEnroe, whose computer ranking fell only one place to No. 6 in his absence, is scheduled to play next week in Nice.

Lendl update: Ivan Lendl, possibly the best player never to have won Wimbledon, has altered his schedule this year to try to avoid his annual fate of being unceremoniously dumped at the All England Club.

Not only is Lendl skipping the French Open to concentrate on Wimbledon, he’s also beginning his Wimbledon preparations a week early, playing an exhibition in Beckenham, England, June 4-10, the last week of the French Open.

Last year, McEnroe skipped the French Open, won at Beckenham and reached the Wimbledon semifinals. Although he lost to Edberg in straight sets, it was McEnroe’s best Wimbledon performance in five years.

In the nine Wimbledon Championships Lendl has played, he has lost twice in finals and four times in semifinals. Lendl led Becker by a set and two breaks in the semifinals last year and eventually lost in five sets.

“I have only one ambition left in my tennis life and that is coming in July,” Lendl told the Associated Press.

Tennis Notes

Jennifer Capriati’s entry into the Virginia Slims computer rankings at No. 25 is the highest for a first appearance under the current rules. Players must have played three tournaments before getting on the computer. Andrea Leand made her debut at No. 18 after playing six tournaments under the old ranking requirements. . . . Chris Evert has been named special adviser to the U.S. national tennis team and will lend her support at major tour events. Evert is a former national team member of the U.S. Tennis Assn.

David Wheaton, ranked No. 35, will conduct a free tennis clinic from 2-3 p.m. April 22 at the Whittier Narrows Tennis Center in South El Monte. For details, call (818) 575-4737. . . . The Volvo/Los Angeles tournament is looking for volunteer ushers for the July 28-Aug. 5 event at the Los Angeles Tennis Center at UCLA. For details, contact Arlene Barco of the Southern California Tennis Assn. at (213) 208-3838.

Wayne Bryan of Cabrillo Racquet Club said $3,880 was raised for the USC tennis team through the club’s pro-am event. . . . Linda Higgins of Yorba Linda and Jane Willens of Los Angeles were the big winners in the Southern California Senior Sectional invitational championships. Higgins won the women’s 30 singles, doubles with Helen Bates of Pasadena and mixed doubles with husband Billy. Willens joined Dee Williams-Horne of Pasadena in winning the women’s 40 singles, and Martin Erck of Santa Monica in winning the senior mixed doubles, and daughter Sara in winning the mother-daughter crown.