Two or three hours on court for tour events and four or five hours for five-set Grand Slam matches makes tennis an endurance sport as much as one of tactics, shots and guile.

The fitness aspect has become more important since players began to add muscle, Serena Williams and Rafa Nadal the finest examples in tennis of players who have exploited their imposing physiques to dominate world tennis. On clay especially, to love and to endure five hours of 25-stroke points takes a certain kind of creature.

Ireland's Jenny Claffey knows a lot about physical fitness as she launches her professional career. But with firmly stated ambitions of reaching the top 100 in the world and playing in Grand Slam events, hers is a challenge to reach a level of fitness the sport demands.

“I decided after a few years that tennis is where I want to be, playing and competing,” she says. “I saved up a little bit of money this year to give it a go and chase my dream.”

Doubles player

Seen more as a doubles player, which Martina Hingis has recently popularised by winning Wimbledon, Claffey has twice been picked for Ireland in the Federation Cup but is embracing singles in the professional game. That requires even more physical preparation as she heads for tournaments in North Africa at Futures level, a long way below the lawns at SW19.

“I’ve focused hugely on that aspect as tennis is a lot more physical than it used to be,” she says. “The balls are being hit a lot harder, you need to be quick around the court, need power, strength and agility. I have a very good strength and conditioning coach, Jake Nalepa. He’s taking care of everything and has designed everything specific for tennis.

“Doubles is about being at the net and communicating with your partner. You are relying on the other person. In singles, it’s all really you.

“If I was training for doubles and singles, it would be two very different things. Doubles is touch and feel at the net, volleys and so on. Serve and return is really, really important. In singles, it is all those things and more. It’s just more physical, whereas doubles you have half the court to cover.”

Now 24 years old, the Elm Park Dublin player’s goals are simple. From ground zero she has given herself a five-year plan and intends to play for the next 10 years.

She hopes to be in the top 500 at the end of this year and within the next three years to be the first Irish woman after Lesley O'Halloran in 1989 to play at Wimbledon. She wants to compete in all the Grand Slams and to be inside the top 100 in the world.

Qualification

A tennis living means getting inside the top 100, where players can easily earn €300,000 a year. To make the qualification events for the four Grand Slams they need to be inside the top 150 or 200 in the world.

“My goal is top 500 this year and hopefully by the end of next year I’ll be in the top 200,” she says. “So in three years time that will platform me to play and qualify for the Grand Slams.

“All I have ever dreamed off is playing at Wimbledon. As a kid I had this poster that said ‘Wimbledon is my dream. I’ll play it soon and win.’” That sticks in my mind.

"As well as that I've seen the impact Katie Taylor has had on women's sport. I would like to be a role model in women's sport in Ireland. It's challenging. I set these goals because I believe in my abilities and what I can achieve. If I can stay injury-free and get financial backing I believe in myself and know I can get there."

Ireland has not had any women players in modern times who have achieved what Claffey is hoping for.

But the first step, as always, is belief. And she has taken it.