NEWPORT BEACH — The shot-making will come.
On Friday afternoon at The Tennis Club Newport Beach, Iain Russell was more concerned with the footwork.
"It's like ballet," Russell told kids at a free junior tennis clinic regarding springing your legs to go for a shot. "You just float."
Russell and Tennis Club pro John Craig put on the clinic, which ran all afternoon for about 25 young players seperated into groups. There was a smattering of local high school players participating, like Newport Harbor incoming junior Ryan Burns and a Sage Hill contingent featuring graduate Dominique Moore, incoming senior Olivia Simon and incoming junior Cali Goldberg.
More interesting, though, may be what Russell and Craig are planning for down the road.
Craig plans to open the new Edge Tennis Academy at The Tennis Club next month. The academy will feature year-round programs for juniors ages 8-18 and feature instruction from Russell, a former ATP World Tour competitior who was the original teacher and coach of French Open champion Michael Chang.