Sam Querrey was 17 years old when he first set foot on the red clay.
He had never even practiced on the surface, and now he was playing in the junior tournament at the 2005 French Open. He didn't know what to expect, but knew he would have to figure it out fast on the most famous clay courts in the world.
Chris Eubanks was even older. He was 22 when he first played a competitive match on the red clay. He had surprised himself by making the qualifying draw at Roland Garros in 2018 -- and was left without much time for preparation.
"I knew it was going to be a tough ask, I'll put it that way," Eubanks told ESPN this month. "But I was excited and knew I was a decent enough player that I could maybe handle some discomfort, and I thought I could figure out the movement. I remember thinking, 'If it's warm and the ball is flying, maybe I have a chance.' But it was a cool Parisian morning, and I was on and off the court in a little over an hour."