The Tennis Conversation: Jenson Brooksby, a piano man

Billy Joel may be a New York City icon, but the fans in Queens should start getting to know this piano man

- By Jenson Brooksby

What’s the story behind the name Jenson? Do you have a nickname?

Just JT. My middle name is Tyler, so that's a common one, too. My first name was supposed to be Tyler, but my dad used to race cars and he likes Formula One driver Jenson Button, so I was named after him. It’s an English name, and my dad is half English ancestry. Both my parents liked the name.

Did you have an instant connection to tennis?

I've played since I was four years old. I had a Nerf ball and hit it against the garage wall with a racquet from 7 to 8 in the morning, before school. I just loved playing. I played other sports when I was younger—soccer, basketball, some others. But I always enjoyed the individual aspect of tennis. I feel like I was also the best at it, so then I ended up sticking to it when I was 13.

In your own words, what kind of player is Jenson Brooksby?

Unique. My game is not based on weapons or weaknesses; I feel like I'm very solid all around. My movement's good. I move the ball around well. And I stay very disciplined and mentally focused throughout the point, I'd say.

Jenson Brooksby | Brooksby redshirted while injured at Baylor, but he never appeared in a match for the Bears. That hasn't stopped yhe 20-year-old from making an instant impact in the pros. In July, he finished runner-up in Newport.