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If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Association/Carnegie-Mellon + University" within the 60 days following each + date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) + your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, +scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty +free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution +you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg +Association / Carnegie-Mellon University". + +*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +Scanned by Charles Keller with OmniPage Professional OCR software + + + + + +THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS +by +WILLIAM T. TILDEN, 2D + + + +To +R. D. K. +AND +M. W. J. +MY "BUDDIES" +W. T. T. 2D + + + +INTRODUCTION + +Tennis is at once an art and a science. The game as played by +such men as Norman E. Brookes, the late Anthony Wilding, William +M. Johnston, and R. N. Williams is art. Yet like all true art, it +has its basis in scientific methods that must be learned and +learned thoroughly for a foundation before the artistic structure +of a great tennis game can be constructed. + +Every player who helps to attain a high degree of efficiency +should have a clearly defined method of development and adhere to +it. He should be certain that it is based on sound principles +and, once assured of that, follow it, even though his progress +seems slow and discouraging. + +I began tennis wrong. My strokes were wrong and my viewpoint +clouded. I had no early training such as many of our American +boys have at the present time. No one told me the importance of +the fundamentals of the game, such as keeping the eye on the ball +or correct body position and footwork. I was given a racquet and +allowed to hit the ball. Naturally, like all beginners, I +acquired many very serious faults. I worried along with moderate +success until I had been graduated from school, beating some +fairly good players, but losing some matches to men below my +class. The year following my graduation the new Captain of my +Alma Mater's team asked me if I would aid him in developing the +squad for next year. Well, "Fools rush in where angels fear to +tread," so I said Yes. + +At that point my tennis education began. + +The youngsters comprising our tennis squad all knew me well and +felt at perfect liberty to ask me as many questions as they could +think up. I was besieged with requests to explain why Jones +missed a forehand drive down the side-line, or Smith couldn't +serve well, or Brown failed to hit the ball at all. Frankly, I +did not know, but I answered them something at the moment and +said to myself it was time I learned some fundamentals of tennis. +So I began to study the reasons why certain shots are missed and +others made. Why certain balls are hit so much faster though with +less effort than others, and why some players are great while +most are only good. I am still studying, but my results to date +have resulted in a definite system to be learned, and it is this +which I hope to explain to you in my book. + +Tennis has a language all its own. The idioms of the game should +be learned, as all books on the game are written in tennis +parlance. The technical terms and their counterpart in slang need +to be understood to thoroughly grasp the idea in any written +tennis account. + +I do not believe in using a great deal of space carefully +defining each blade of grass on a court, or each rule of the +game. It gets nowhere. I do advocate teaching the terms of the +game. + + +1. THE COURT. + +The Baseline=The back line. + +The Service-line=The back line of the service court, extending +from side-line to side-line at a point 21 feet from the net. + +The Alleys=The space on each side of the court between the side +service-line and the outside sideline of a doubles court. They +are used only when playing doubles and are not marked on a single +court. + +The Net=The barrier that stretches across the court in the exact +centre. It is 3 feet high at the centre and 3 feet 6 inches high +at the posts which stand 3 feet outside the sidelines. + +2. STROKES (Two General Classes). + +A. Ground strokes=All shots hit from the baselines off the bounce +of the ball. + +B. Volleys=Shots hit while the ball is in flight through the air, +previous to its bound. + +The Service=The method of putting the ball in play. + +The Drive=A ground stroke hit with a flat racquet face and +carrying top spin. + +The Chop=An undercut ground stroke is the general definition of a +chop. The slice and chop are so closely related that, except in +stroke analysis, they may be called chop. + +Stop Volley=Blocking a hall short in its flight. + +Half Volley or Trap Shot=A pick up. + +The Smash=Hitting on the full any overhead ball. + +The Lob=Hitting the ball in a high parabola. + +3. TWIST ON THE BALL. + +Top Spin=The ball spins towards the ground and in the direction +of its flight. + +Chop, Cut, or Drag=The ball spins upwards from the ground and +against the line of flight. This is slightly deviated in the +slice, but all these terms are used to designate the +under-struck, back-spinning ball. + +Reverse Twist=A ball that carries a rotary spin that curves one +way and bounces the opposite. + +Break=A spin which causes the ball to bounce at an angle to its +line of flight. + +4. LET=A service that touches the net in its flight yet falls in +court, or any illegal or irregular point that does not count. + +5. FAULT=An illegal service. + +6. OUT=Any shot hit outside legal boundaries of the court. + +7. GOOD=Any shot that strikes in a legal manner prescribed by +rules of the game. + +8. FOOTFAULT=An illegal service delivery due to incorrect +position of the server's feet. + +9. SERVER=Player delivering service. + +10. RECEIVER or STRIKER=Player returning service. + + W. T. T. WIMBLEDON, July 1920 + + + +PREFACE TO NEW EDITION + +The season of 1921 was so epoch-making in the game of tennis, +combining as it did the greatest number of Davis Cup matches that +have ever been held in one year, the invasion of France and +England by an American team, the first appearance in America of +Mlle. Suzanne Lenglen and her unfortunate collapse, and finally +the rise to prominence of Japan as a leading factor in the tennis +world that I have incorporated a record of the season's +outstanding features and some sidelights and personality sketches +on the new stars in the new addition of this book. + +The importance of women's tennis has grown so tremendously in the +past few years that I have also added a review of the game and +its progress in America. Not only has Mlle. Lenglen placed her +mark indelibly on the pages of tennis history but 1921 served to +raise Mrs. Molla Bjurstedt Mallory to the position in the world +that she rightly deserves, that of the greatest match winner of +all women. The past season brought the return to American courts +of Mrs. May Sutton Bundy and Miss Mary Browne, in itself an event +of sufficient importance to set the year apart as one of highest +value. + +The outstanding performances of the two juniors, Vincent Richards +and Arnold Jones, must be regarded as worthy of permanent +recognition and among the outstanding features of a noteworthy +year. Thus it is with a sense of recording history- making facts +that I turn to the events of 1921. +WILLIAM T. TILDEN 2D +GERMANTOWN, + PHILADELPHIA + + + +CONTENTS + +INTRODUCTION PREFACE TO NEW EDITION + +PART I: TENNIS TECHNIQUE--STROKES AND FUNDAMENTALS OF THE GAME + +CHAPTER +I FOR NOVICES ONLY +II THE DRIVE +III SERVICE +IV THE VOLLEY AND OVERHEAD SMASH +V CHOP, HALF VOLLEY, AND COURT POSITION + +PART II: THE LAWS OF TENNIS PSYCHOLOGY +VI GENERAL TENNIS PSYCHOLOGY +VII THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MATCH PLAY +VIII THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PHYSICAL FITNESS +IX THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SINGLES AND DOUBLES + +PART III: MODERN TENNIS AND ITS FUTURE +X THE GROWTH OF THE MODERN GAME +XI THE PROBABLE FUTURE OF THE GAME + +PART IV: SOME SIDELIGHTS ON FAMOUS PLAYERS INTRODUCTORY +XII AMERICA +XIII BRITISH ISLES +XIV FRANCE AND JAPAN +XV SPAIN AND THE CONTINENT +XVI THE COLONIES +XVII FAMOUS WOMEN PLAYERS + + + +THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS + +PART I: TENNIS TECHNIQUE--STROKES AND FUNDAMENTALS OF THE GAME + +CHAPTER I. FOR NOVICES ONLY + +I trust this initial effort of mine in the world of letters will +find a place among both novices and experts in the tennis world. +I am striving to interest the student of the game by a somewhat +prolonged discussion of match play, which I trust will shed a new +light on the game. + +May I turn to the novice at my opening and speak of certain +matters which are second nature to the skilled player? + +The best tennis equipment is not too good for the beginner who +seeks really to succeed. It is a saving in the end, as good +quality material so far outlasts poor. + +Always dress in tennis clothes when engaging in tennis. White is +the established colour. Soft shirt, white flannel trousers, heavy +white socks, and rubber-soled shoes form the accepted dress for +tennis. Do not appear on the courts in dark clothes, as they are +apt to be heavy and hinder your speed of movement, and also they +are a violation of the unwritten ethics of the game. + +The question of choosing a racquet is a much more serious matter. +I do not advocate forcing a certain racquet upon any player. All +the standard makes are excellent. It is in weight, balance, and +size of handle that the real value of a racquet frame depends, +while good stringing is, essential to obtain the best results. + +The average player should use a racquet that weighs between 13 +1/2 and 14 1/2 ounces inclusive. I think that the best results +may be obtained by a balance that is almost even or slightly +heavy on the head. Decide your handle from the individual choice. +Pick the one that fits comfortably in the hand. Do not use too +small a handle or too light a racquet, as it is apt to turn in +the hand. I recommend a handle of 5 1/4 to 5 3/8 inches at the +grip. Do not use a racquet you do not like merely because your +best friend advises it. It may suit him perfectly, but would not +do for you at all. Do not start children playing tennis with an +under-sized racquet. It weakens the wrist and does not aid the +child in learning strokes. Start a child, boy or girl, with a +full-sized racquet of at least 13 ounces. + +After you have acquired your racquet, make a firm resolve to use +good tennis balls, as a regular bounce is a great aid to +advancement, while a "dead" ball is no practice at all. + +If you really desire to succeed at the game and advance rapidly, +I strongly urge you to see all the good tennis you can. Study the +play of the leading players and strive to copy their strokes. +Read all the tennis instruction books you can find. They are a +great assistance. I shall be accused of "press- agitating" my own +book by this statement, but such was my belief long before I ever +thought of writing a book of my own. + +More tennis can be learned off the court, in the study of theory, +and in watching the best players in action, than can ever be +learned in actual play. I do not mean miss opportunities to play. +Far from it. Play whenever possible, but strive when playing to +put in practice the theories you have read or the strokes you +have watched. + +Never be discouraged at slow progress. The trick over some stroke +you have worked over for weeks unsuccessfully will suddenly come +to you when least expected. Tennis players are the product of +hard work. Very few are born geniuses at the game. + +Tennis is a game that pays you dividends all your life. A tennis +racquet is a letter of introduction in any town. The brotherhood +of the game is universal, for none but a good sportsman can +succeed in the game for any lengthy period. Tennis provides +relaxation, excitement, exercise, and pure enjoyment to the man +who is tied hard and fast to his business until late afternoon. +Age is not a drawback. Vincent Richards held the National Doubles +Championship of America at fifteen, while William A. Larned won +the singles at past forty. Men of sixty are seen daily on the +clubs' courts of England and America enjoying their game as +keenly as any boy. It is to this game, in great measure, that +they owe the physical fitness which enables them to play at their +advanced age. + +The tennis players of the world wrote a magnificent page in the +history of the World War. No branch of sport sent more men to the +colours from every country in the world than tennis, and these +men returned with glory or paid the supreme sacrifice on the +field of honour. + +I transgressed from my opening to show you that tennis is a game +worth playing and playing well. It deserves your best, and only +by learning it correctly can you give that best. + +If in my book I help you on your way to fame, I feel amply repaid +for all the time spent in analysing the strokes and tactics I set +before you in these pages. + + +I am going to commence my explanation by talking to the players +whose games are not yet formed. At least once every season I go +back to first principles to pull myself out of some rut into +which carelessness dropped me. + +From a long and, many times, sad experience over a period of some +ten years of tournament tennis, I believe the following order of +development produces the quickest and most lasting results: + + +1. Concentration on the game. + +2. Keep the eye on the ball. + +3. Foot-work and weight-control. + +4. Strokes. + +5. Court position. + +6. Court generalship or match play. + +7. Tennis psychology. + + +Tennis is a game of intimate personal relation. You constantly +find yourself meeting some definite idea of your opponent. The +personal equation is the basis of tennis success. A great player +not only knows himself, in both strength and weakness, but he +must study is opponent at all times. In order to be able to do +this a player must not be hampered by a glaring weakness in the +fundamentals of his own game, or he will be so occupied trying to +hide it that he will have no time to worry his opponent. The +fundamental weakness of Gerald Patterson's backhand stroke is so +apparent that any player within his class dwarfs Patterson's +style by continually pounding at it. The Patterson overhead and +service are first class, yet both are rendered impotent, once a +man has solved the method of returning low to the backhand, for +Patterson seldom succeeds in taking the offensive again in that +point. + +I am trying to make clear the importance of such first principles +as I will now explain. + +CONCENTRATION + +Tennis is played primarily with the mind. The most perfect +racquet technique in the world will not suffice if the directing +mind is wandering. There are many causes of a wandering mind in a +tennis match. The chief one is lack of interest in the game. No +one should play tennis with an idea of real success unless he +cares sufficiently about the game to be willing to do the +drudgery necessary in learning the game correctly. Give it up at +once unless you are willing to work. Conditions of play or the +noises in the gallery often confuse and bewilder experienced +match-players playing under new surroundings. Complete +concentration on the matter in hand is the only cure for a +wandering mind, and the sooner the lesson is learned the more +rapid the improvement of the player. An amusing example, to all +but the player affected, occurred at the finals of the Delaware +State Singles Championship at Wilmington. I was playing Joseph J. +Armstrong. The Championship Court borders the No. 1 hole of the +famous golf course. The score stood at one set all and 3-4 and +30-40, Armstrong serving. He served a fault and started a second +delivery. Just as he commenced his swing, a loud and very lusty +"Fore!" rang out from the links. Armstrong unconsciously looked +away and served his delivery to the backstop and the game to me. +The umpire refused to "let" call and the incident closed. Yet a +wandering mind in that case meant the loss of a set. + +The surest way to hold a match in mind is to play for every set, +every game in the set, every point in the game and, finally, +every shot in the point. A set is merely a conglomeration of made +and missed shots, and the man who does not miss is the ultimate +victor. + +Please do not think I am advocating "pat-ball." I am not. I +believe in playing for your shot every time you have an opening. +I do not believe in trying to win the point every time you hit +the ball. Never allow your concentration on any game to become so +great that you do not at all times know the score and play to it. +I mean both point score and game score. In my explanation of +match play in a later chapter I am going into a detailed account +of playing to the score. It is as vital in tennis as it is in +bridge, and all bridge players know that the score is the +determining factor in your mode of bidding. Let me urge again +concentration. Practise seriously. Do not fool on the court, as +it is the worst enemy to progress. Carelessness or laziness only +results in retrogression, never progress. + +Let me turn now to the first principle of all ball games, whether +tennis, golf, cricket, baseball, polo, or football. + +KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL! + +Just a few statistics to show you how vital it is that the eye +must be kept on the ball UNTIL THE MOMENT OF STRIKING IT. + +About 85 per cent of the points in tennis are errors, and the +remainder earned points. As the standard of play rises the +percentage of errors drops until, in the average high-class +tournament match, 60 per cent are errors and 40 per cent aces. +Any average superior to this is super-tennis. + +Thus the importance of getting the ball in play cannot be too +greatly emphasized. Every time you put the ball back to your +opponent you give him another chance to miss. + +There are several causes for missing strokes. First, and by far +the largest class, is not looking at the ball up to the moment of +striking it. Fully 80 per cent of all errors are caused by taking +the eye from the ball in the last one-fifth of a second of its +flight. The remaining 20 per cent of errors are about 15 per cent +bad footwork, and the other 5 per cent poor racquet work and bad +bounces. + +The eye is a small camera. All of us enjoy dabbling in amateur +photography, and every amateur must take "action" pictures with +his first camera. It is a natural desire to attain to the hardest +before understanding how to reach it. The result is one of two +things: either a blurred moving object and a clear background, or +a clear moving object and a blurred background. Both suggest +speed, but only one is a good picture of the object one attempted +to photograph. In the first case the camera eye was focused on +the background and not on the object, while in the second, which +produced the result desired, the camera eye was firmly focused on +the moving object itself. Just so with the human eye. It will +give both effects, but never a clear background and moving object +at the same time, once that object reaches a point 10 feet from +the eye. The perspective is wrong, and the eye cannot adjust +itself to the distance range speedily enough. + +Now the tennis ball is your moving object while the court, +gallery, net, and your opponent constitute your background. You +desire to hit the ball cleanly, therefore do not look at the +other factors concerned, but concentrate solely on focusing the +eye firmly on the ball, and watching it until the moment of +impact with your racquet face. + +"How do I know where my opponent is, or how much court I have to +hit in?" ask countless beginners. + +Remember this: that a tennis court is always the same size, with +the net the same height and in the same relation to you at all +times, so there is no need to look at it every moment or so to +see if it has moved. Only an earthquake can change its position. +As to your opponent, it makes little difference about his +position, because it is determined by the shot you are striving +to return. Where he will be I will strive to explain in my +chapter on court position; but his whereabouts are known without +looking at him. You are not trying to hit him. You strive to miss +him. Therefore, since you must watch what you strive to hit and +not follow what you only wish to miss, keep your eye on the ball, +and let your opponent take care of himself. + +Science has proved that given a tennis ball passing from point A +to point B with the receiving player at B, that if the player at +B keeps his eye on the ball throughout its full flight his chance +of making a good + A 1 2 3 4 B + ------------------------------- +return at B is five times as great as if he took his eye off the +ball at a point 4, or 4/5 of a second of its flight. Likewise it +is ten times as great at B as it is if the eye is removed from +the ball at 3, or 3/5 of a second of its flight. Why increase +your chances of error by five times or ten times when it is +unnecessary? + +The average player follows the ball to 4, and then he takes a +last look at his opponent to see where he is, and by so doing +increases his chance of error five times. He judges the flight of +the ball some 10 feet away, and never really sees it again until +he has hit it (if he does). A slight deflection caused by the +wind or a small misjudgment of curve will certainly mean error. +Remembering the 85 percent errors in tennis, I again ask you if +it is worth while to take the risk? + +There are many other reasons why keeping the eye on the ball is a +great aid to the player. It tends to hold his attention so that +outside occurrences will not distract. Movements in the gallery +are not seen, and stray dogs, that seem to particularly enjoy +sleeping in the middle of a tennis court during a hard match, are +not seen on their way to their sleeping quarters. Having learned +the knack of watching the ball at all times, I felt that nothing +would worry me, until three years ago at the American +Championships, when I was playing T. R. Pell. A press- camera man +eluded the watchful eye of the officials, and unobtrusively +seated himself close to our sideline to acquire some action +pictures. Pell angled sharply by to my backhand, and I ran at my +hardest for the shot, eyes fixed solely on the ball. I hauled off +to hit it a mighty drive, which would have probably gone over the +backstop, when suddenly I heard a camera click just under me, and +the next moment camera, pressman, and tennis player were rolling +in a heap all over the court. The pressman got his action picture +and a sore foot where I walked on him, and all I got was a sore +arm and a ruffled temper. That's why I don't like cameras right +under my nose when I play matches, but for all that I still +advocate keeping your eye on the ball. + + +GRIP, FOOTWORK, AND STROKES + +Footwork is weight control. It is correct body position for +strokes, and out of it all strokes should grow. In explaining the +various forms of stroke and footwork I am writing as a right-hand +player. Left- handers should simply reverse the feet. + +Racquet grip is a very essential part of stroke, because a faulty +grip will ruin the finest serving. There is the so-called Western +or Californian grip as typified by Maurice E. M'Loughlin, Willis, +E. Davis, and, to a slightly modified degree, W. M. Johnston, the +American champion. It is a natural grip for a top forehand drive. +It is inherently weak for the backhand, as the only natural shot +is a chop stroke. + +The English grip, with the low wrist on all ground strokes, has +proved very successful in the past. Yet the broken line of the +arm and hand does not commend itself to me, as any broken line is +weak under stress. + +The Eastern American grip, which I advocate, is the English grip +without the low wrist and broken line. To acquire the forehand +grip, hold the racquet with the edge of the frame towards the +ground and the face perpendicular, the handle towards the body, +and "shake hands" with it, just as if you were greeting a friend. +The handle settled comfortably and naturally into the hand, the +line of the arm, hand, and racquet are one. The swing brings the +racquet head on a line with the arm, and the whole racquet is +merely an extension of it. + +The backhand grip is a quarter circle turn of hand on the handle, +bringing the hand on top of the handle and the knuckles directly +up. The shot travels ACROSS the wrist. + +This is the best basis for a grip. I do not advocate learning +this grip exactly, but model your natural grip as closely as +possible on these lines without sacrificing your own comfort or +individuality. + +Having once settled the racquet in the hand, the next question is +the position of the body and the order of developing strokes. + +In explaining footwork I am, in future, going to refer in all +forehand shots to the right foot as R or "back" foot, and to the +left as L or "front." For the backhand the L foot is "back" and R +is "front." + +All tennis strokes, should be made with the body' at right angles +to the net, with the shoulders lined up parallel to the line of +flight of the ball. The weight should always travel forward. It +should pass from the back foot to the front foot at the moment of +striking the ball. Never allow the weight to be going away from +the stroke. It is weight that determines the "pace" of a stroke; +swing that, decides the "speed." + +Let me explain the definitions of "speed" and "pace." "Speed" is +the actual rate with which a ball travels through the air. "Pace" +is the momentum with which it comes off the ground. Pace is +weight. It is the "sting" the ball carries when it comes off the +ground, giving the inexperienced or unsuspecting player a shock +of force which the stroke in no way showed. + +Notable examples of "pace" are such men as W. A. Larned, A. W. +Gore, J. C. Parke, and among the younger players, R. N. Williams, +Major A. R. F. Kingscote, W. M. Johnston, and, on his forehand +stroke, Charles S. Garland. + +M. E. M'Loughlin, Willis E. Davis, Harold Throckmorton and +several others are famous "speed" exponents. + +A great many players have both "speed" and "pace." Some shots may +carry both. + + +The order of learning strokes should be: + +1. The Drive. Fore- and backhand. This is the foundation of all +tennis, for you cannot build up a net attack unless you have the +ground stroke to open the way. Nor can you meet a net attack +successfully unless you can drive, as that is the only successful +passing shot. + +2. The Service. + +3. The Volley and Overhead Smash. + +4. The Chop or Half Volley and other incidental and ornamental +strokes. + + + +CHAPTER II. THE DRIVE + +The forehand drive is the opening of every offensive in tennis, +and, as such, should be most carefully studied. There are certain +rules of footwork that apply to all shots. To reach a ball that +is a short distance away, advance the foot that is away from the +shot and thus swing into position to hit. If a ball is too close +to the body, retreat the foot closest to the shot and drop the +weight back on it, thus, again, being in position for the stroke. +When hurried, and it is not possible to change the foot position, +throw the weight on the foot closest to the ball. + +The receiver should always await the service facing the net, but +once the serve is started on the way to court, the receiver +should at once attain the position to receive it with the body at +right angles to the net. + +The forehand drive is made up of one continuous swing of the +racquet that, for the purpose of analysis, may be divided into +three parts: + +1. The portion of the swing behind the body, which determines the +speed of the stroke. + +2. That portion immediately in front of the body which determines +the direction and, in conjunction with weight shift from one foot +to the other, the pace of the shot. + +3. The portion beyond the body, comparable to the golfer's +"follow through," determines spin, top or slice, imparted to the +ball. + + +All drives should be topped. The slice shot is a totally +different stroke. + +To drive straight down the side-line, construct in theory a +parallelogram with two sides made up of the side-line and your +shoulders, and the two ends, the lines of your feet, which +should, if extended, form the right angles with the side-lines. +Meet the ball at a point about 4 to 4 1/2 feet from the body +immediately in front of the belt buckle, and shift the weight +from the back to the front foot at the MOMENT OF STRIKING THE +BALL. The swing of the racquet should be flat and straight +through. The racquet head should be on a line with the hand, or, +if anything, slightly in advance; the whole arm and the racquet +should turn slightly over the ball as it leaves the racquet face +and the stroke continue to the limit of the swing, thus imparting +top spin to the ball. + +The hitting plane for all ground strokes should be between the +knees and shoulders. The most favourable plane is on a line with +the waist. + +In driving across the court from the right (or No. 1) court, +advance the L or front foot slightly towards the side-line and +shift the weight a fraction of a second sooner. As the weight +shifts, pivot slightly on the L foot and drive flat, diagonally, +across the court. Do not "pull" your cross-court drive, unless +with the express purpose of passing the net man and using that +method to disguise your shot. + +NEVER STEP AWAY FROM THE BALL IN DRIVING CROSS COURT. ALWAYS +THROW YOUR WEIGHT IN THE SHOT. + +The forehand drive from the No. 2 (or left) court is identically +the same for the straight shot down your opponent's forehand. For +the cross drive to his backhand, you must conceive of a diagonal +line from your backhand corner to his, and thus make your stroke +with the footwork as if this imaginary line were the side-line. +In other words, line up your body along your shot and make your +regular drive. Do not try to "spoon" the ball over with a delayed +wrist motion, as it tends to slide the ball off your racquet. + +All drives should be made with a stiff, locked wrist. There is no +wrist movement in a true drive. Top spin is imparted by the arm, +not the wrist. + +The backhand drive follows closely the principles of the +forehand, except that the weight shifts a moment sooner, and the +R or front foot should always be advanced a trifle closer to the +side-line than the L so as to bring the body clear of the swing. +The ball should be met in front of the right leg, instead of the +belt buckle, as the great tendency in backhand shots is to slice +them out of the side-line, and this will pull the ball cross +court, obviating this error. The racquet head must be slightly in +advance of the hand to aid in bringing the ball in the court. Do +not strive for too much top spin on your backhand. + +I strongly urge that no one should ever favour one department of +his game, in defence of a weakness. Develop both forehand and +backhand, and do not "run around" your backhand, particularly in +return of service. To do so merely opens your court. If you +should do so, strive to ace your returns, because a weak effort +would only result in a kill by your opponent. + +Do not develop one favourite shot and play nothing but that. If +you have a fair cross-court drive, do not use it in practice, but +strive to develop an equally fine straight shot. + +Remember that the fast shot is the straight shot. The cross drive +must be slow, for it has not the room owing to the increased +angle and height of the net. Pass down the line with your drive, +but open the court with your cross-court shot. + +Drives should have depth. The average drive should hit behind the +service-line. A fine drive should hit within 3 feet of the +baseline. A cross-court drive should be shorter than a straight +drive, so as to increase the possible angle. Do not always play +one length drive, but learn to vary your distance according to +your man. You should drive deep against a baseliner, but short +against a net player, striving to drop them at his feet as, he +comes in. + + +Never allow your opponent to play a shot he likes if you can +possibly force him to one he dislikes. + +Again I urge that you play your drive: + +1. With the body sideways to the net. + +2. The swing flat, with long follow through. + +3. The weight shifting just as the ball is hit. + + +Do not strive for terrific speed at first. The most essential +thing about a drive is to put the ball in play. I once heard +William A. Larned remark, when asked the most important thing in +tennis, "Put the ball over the net into the other man's court." +Accuracy first, and then put on your speed, for if your shot is +correct you can always learn, to hit hard. + + + +CHAPTER III. SERVICE + +Service is the opening gun of tennis. It is putting the ball in +play. The old idea was that service should never be more than +merely the beginning of a rally. With the rise of American tennis +and the advent of Dwight Davis and Holcombe Ward, service took on +a new significance. These two men originated what is now known as +the American Twist delivery. + +From a mere formality, service became a point winner. Slowly it +gained in importance, until Maurice E. M'Loughlin, the wonderful +"California Comet," burst across the tennis sky with the first of +those terrific cannon-ball deliveries that revolutionized the +game, and caused the old-school players to send out hurry calls +for a severe footfault rule or some way of stopping the +threatened destruction of all ground strokes. M'Loughlin made +service a great factor in the game. It remained for R. N. +Williams to supply the antidote that has again put service in the +normal position of mere importance, not omnipotence. Williams +stood in on the delivery and took it on the rising bound. + +Service must be speedy. Yet speed is not the be-all and end-all. +Service must be accurate, reliable, and varied. It must be used +with discretion and served with brains. I believe perfect service +is about 40 per cent placement, 40 per cent speed, and 20 per +cent twist. + +Any tall player has an advantage over a short one, in service. +Given a man about 6 feet and allow him the 3 feet added by his +reach, it has been proved by tests that should he deliver a +service, perfectly flat, with no variation caused by twist or +wind, that just cleared the net at its lowest point (3 feet in +the centre), there is only a margin of 8 inches of the service +court in which the ball can possibly fall; the remainder is below +the net angle. Thus it is easy to see how important it is to use +some form of twist to bring the ball into court. Not only must it +go into court, but it must be sufficiently speedy that the +receiver does not have an opportunity of an easy kill. It must +also be placed so as to allow the server an advantage for his +next return, admitting the receiver puts the ball in play. + +Just as the first law of receiving is to, put the ball in play, +so of service it is to cause the receiver to fall into error. Do +not strive unduly for clean aces, but use your service to upset +the ground strokes of your opponent. + +There are several style services in vogue in all countries. The +American twist has become one of the most popular forms of +delivery and as such deserves special treatment. The usual forms +of service are (1) the slice service, (2) the American twist, (3) +the reverse delivery, (4) the "cannon ball" or flat serve. + +The slice service is the easiest and most natural form for all +beginners, and proves so effective that many great players use +it. It is the service of William M. Johnston, A. R. F. Kingscote, +Norman E. Brookes, and many others. + +Service should be hit from as high a point as the server can +COMFORTABLY reach. To stretch unnecessarily is both wearing on +the server and unproductive of results. + +The slice service should be hit from a point above the right +shoulder and as high as possible. The server should stand at +about a forty-five degree angle to the baseline, with both feet +firmly planted on the ground. Drop the weight back on the right +foot and swing the racquet freely and easily behind the back. +Toss the ball high enough into the air to ensure it passing +through the desired hitting plane, and then start a slow shift of +the weight forward, at the same time increasing the power of the +swing forward as the racquet commences its upward flight to the +ball. Just as the ball meets the racquet face the weight should +be thrown forward and the full power of the swing smashed into +the service. Let the ball strike the racquet INSIDE the face of +the strings, with the racquet travelling directly towards the +court. The angle of the racquet face will impart the twist +necessary to bring the ball in court. The wrist should be +somewhat flexible in service. If necessary lift the right foot +and swing the whole body forward with the arm. Twist slightly to +the right, using the left foot as a pivot. The general line of +the racquet swing is from RIGHT to LEFT and always forward. + +At this point and before I take up the other branches of serving, +let me put in a warning against footfaulting. I can only say that +a footfault is crossing or touching the line with either foot +before the ball is delivered, or it is a jump or step. I am not +going into a technical discussion of footfaults. It is +unnecessary, and by placing your feet firmly before the service +there is no need to footfault. + +It is just as unfair to deliberately footfault as to miscall a +ball, and it is wholly unnecessary. The average footfault is due +to carelessness, over-anxiety, or ignorance of the rule. All +players are offenders at times, but it can quickly be broken up. + +Following this outburst of warning let me return to the American +twist service. The stance for this is the same as for the slice, +but the ball is thrown slightly to the left of the head while the +racquet passes up and over the call, travelling from left to +right and slightly forward. The result is a curve to the left and +the break of the bound to the right. This service is not fast, +but gives an excellent chance to follow to the net, since it +travels high and slowly and its bound is deep. The American twist +service should be hit with the muscles of the side. The slice is +a shoulder swing. + +The reverse twist is of an absolutely distinct type. The stance +is facing the net with both toes fronting the line. The racquet +is gripped as a club. The ball is thrown in front of the body and +not high. The swing is a sharp wrist twist from right to left, +the ball carried for some distance on the face of the racquet. +The curve is from left to right while the bound is high and +breaks sharply to the left. This delivery is slow, ineffective +and very uncertain. There is little opportunity to follow it to +the net. + +The "cannon-ball" service is nothing but a slice as regards swing +and stance, but it is hit with a flat racquet face, thus +imparting no spin to the ball. It is a case of speed alone. This +service is a point winner when it goes in; but its average must +necessarily be poor since its margin of error is so small. It is +only useful to a tall man. + +Varied pace and varied speed is the keynote to a good service. I +spent hours in serving alone, striving to disguise the twist and +pace of the ball. I would take a box of a dozen balls out on the +court and serve the whole dozen to No. 1 court with one style of +delivery. Then, crossing, I would serve them back with another +type of service. Next, I would try the left court from both +sides. My next move would be to pick out a certain section of the +service court, and serve for that until I could put the ball +where I wanted it. Finally, I would strive to put it there with +speed. + +All the time spent in this practice has stood me in good stead, +for to-day it is my service that pulls me out of many a deep +hole, and causes many a player to wish he was delivering the +ball. William M. Johnston, the American Champion, has a +remarkable service for so short a man. He times his stroke +perfectly, and hits it at the top of his reach, so that he gets +the full benefit of every inch of his stature and every pound of +his weight. He uses the slice delivery in the majority of +matches. + +Do not try freak services. They are useless against high-class +players. Sharp breaking underhand cuts can be easily angled off +for points by a man who knows anything of the angles and effects +of twist. These deliveries are affectation if used more than once +or twice in a long match. A sudden shift may surprise your +opponent; but to continue to serve these freaks is to destroy +their use. + +Mishu, the Rumanian star, has many very peculiar deliveries; but, +when playing against high-class tennis, he has brains enough to +use a straight service. The freak services delight and yet annoy +a gallery, for once the novelty has worn off, nothing but the +conceit remains. + +The object of service is to obtain the maximum return with the +minimum effort. This statement holds true for all tennis strokes, +but in none so strongly as in service. + +The average player hits, his first service so hard, and with so +little regard for direction, that about nine out of ten first +deliveries are faults. Thus, one half your chances are thrown +away, and the chance of double faulting increased +proportionately. + +There is a well-known tennis saying to the effect that one fault +is a mistake, but two faults are a crime--that sums up the idea +of service adequately. A player should always strive to put his +first delivery in court. In the first place it is apt to catch +your opponent napping, as he half expects a fault. Secondly, it +conserves your energy by removing the need of a second delivery, +which, in a long five-set match, is an item of such importance +that it may mean victory or defeat. + +I urge all players to put their service into court with just as +much speed as they can be sure of, but to serve both deliveries +at about the same speed. Do not slog the first ball and pat the +second, but hit both with average pace. + +Try for service aces whenever reasonable, but never do so at the +risk of double faulting. The first ball is the ball to ace. The +second should never be risked. Your aces must at least equal your +double faults, or your service is a handicap and not an +advantage. + +The importance of service in doubles is more pronounced than in +singles as regards holding it; but the need for individual +brilliancy is not so great, as you have a partner already at the +net to kill off any weak returns. + +Service is an attack, and a successful attack should never break +down. + + + +CHAPTER IV. THE VOLLEY AND OVERHEAD SMASH + +The net attack is the heavy artillery of tennis. It is supposed +to crush all defence. As such it must be regarded as a +point-winning stroke at all times, no matter whether the shot is +volley or smash. + +Once at the net hit from the point at the first opportunity given +to get the racquet squarely on the ball. All the laws of footwork +explained for the drive are theoretically the same in volleying. +In practice you seldom have time to change your feet to a set +position, so you obviate trouble by throwing the weight on the +foot nearest to the ball and pushing it in the shot. + +Volleys are of two classes: (1) the low volley, made from below +the waist; and (2) the high volley, from the waist to the head. +In contradistinction to the hitting plane classification are the +two styles known as (1) the deep volley and (2) the stop volley. + +All low volleys are blocked. High volleys may be either blocked +or hit. Volleys should never be stroked. There is no follow +through on a low volley and very little on a high one. + +You will hear much talk of "chop" volleys. A chop stroke is one +where the racquet travels from above the line of flight of the +ball, down and through it, and the angle made behind the racquet +is greater than 45 degrees, and many approach 90 degrees. +Therefore I say that no volleys should be chopped, for the +tendency is to pop the ball up in the air off any chop. Slice +volleys if you want to, or hit them flat, for both these shots +are made at a very small angle to the flight-line of the ball, +the racquet face travelling almost along its plane. + +In all volleys, high or low, the wrist should be locked and +absolutely stiff. It should always be below the racquet head, +thus bracing the racquet against the impact of the ball. Allow +the force of the incoming shot, plus your own weight, to return +the ball, and do not strive to "wrist" it over. The tilted +racquet face will give any required angle to the return by +glancing the ball off the strings, so no wrist turn is needed. + +Low volleys can never be hit hard, and owing to the height of the +net should usually be sharply angled, to allow distance for the +rise. Any ball met at a higher plane than the top of the net may +be hit hard. The stroke should be crisp, snappy, and decisive, +but it should stop as it meets the ball. The follow through +should be very small. Most low volleys should be soft and short. +Most high volleys require speed and length. + +The "stop" volley is nothing more than a shot blocked short. +There is no force used. The racquet simply meets the oncoming +ball and stops it. The ball rebounds and falls of its own weight. +There is little bounce to such a shot, and that may be reduced by +allowing the racquet to slide slightly under the ball at the +moment of impact, thus imparting back spin to the ball. + +Volleying is a science based on the old geometric axiom that a +straight line is the shortest distance between two points. I mean +that a volleyer must always cover the straight passing shot since +it is the shortest shot with which to pass him, and he must +volley straight to his opening and not waste time trying freakish +curving volleys that give the base- liner time to recover. It is +Johnston's great straight volley that makes him such a dangerous +net man. He is always "punching" his volley straight and hard to +the opening in his opponent's court. + +A net player must have ground strokes in order to attain the net +position. Do not think that a service and volley will suffice +against first-class tennis. + +I am not a believer in the "centre" theory. Briefly expressed the +centre theory is to hit down the middle of the court and follow +to the net, since the other player has the smallest angle to pass +you. That is true, but remember that he has an equal angle on +either side and, given good ground strokes, an equal chance to +pass with only your guess or intention to tell you which side he +will choose. + +I advise hitting to the side-line with good length and following +up to the net, coming in just to the centre side of the straight +returns down the line. Thus the natural shot is covered and your +opponent's court is opened for an angle volley 'cross. Should +your opponent try the cross drive, his chances of beating you +clean and keeping the ball in court are much less than his +chances of error. + +Strive to kill your volleys at once, but should your shot not +win, follow the ball 'cross and again cover the straight shot. +Always force the man striving to pass you to play the hardest +possible shot. + +Attack with your volleys. Never defend the ball when at the net. +The only defensive volley is one at your feet as you come in. It +is a mid-court shot. Volleys should win with placement more than +speed, although speed may be used on a high volley. + +Closely related to the volley, yet in no way a volley stroke, is +the overhead smash. It is the Big Bertha of tennis. It is the +long range terror that should always score. The rules of +footwork, position, and direction that govern the volley will +suffice for the overhead. The swing alone is different. The swing +should be closely allied to the slice service, the racquet and +arm swinging freely from the shoulder, the wrist flexible and the +racquet imparting a slight twist to the ball to hold it in court. +The overhead is mainly a point winner through speed, since its +bounce is so high that a slow placement often allows time for a +recovery. + +The overhead is about 60 per cent speed, and 40 per cent combined +place and twist. Any overhead shot taken on or within the +service-line should be killed. Any overhead, behind the +service-line, and back to the baseline, should be defended and +put back deep to, allow you another advance to the net. + +The average overhead shot that is missed is netted. Therefore hit +deep. It is a peculiar fact that over 75 per cent of all errors +are nets with only 25 per cent outs. Let this be a constant +reminder to you of the fact that all ground strokes should have a +clear margin of safety of some 8 inches to a foot above the net, +except when attempting to pass a very active volleyer. In the +latter case the shot must be low, and the attendant risk is +compensated by the increased chances of winning the point with a +pass. + +Do not leap in the air unnecessarily to hit overhead balls. Keep +at least one foot, and when possible both feet, on the ground in +smashing, as it aids in regulating the weight, and gives better +balance. Hit flat and decisively to the point if desired. + +Most missed overhead shots are due to the eye leaving the ball; +but a second class of errors are due to lack of confidence that +gives a cramped, half- hearted swing. Follow through your +overhead shot to the limit of your swing. + +The overhead is essentially a doubles shot, because in singles +the chances of passing the net man are greater than lobbing over +his head, while in doubles two men cover the net so easily that +the best way to open the court is to lob one man back. + +In smashing, the longest distance is the safest shot since it +allows a greater margin of error. Therefore smash 'cross court +when pressed, but pull your short lobs either side as determined +by the man you are playing. + +Never drop a lob you can hit overhead, as it forces you back and +gives the attacking position to your opponent. Never smash with a +reverse twist, always hit with a straight racquet face and direct +to the opening. + +Closely connected to the overhead since it is the usual defence +to any hard smash, is the lob. + +A lob is a high toss of the ball landing between the service-line +and the baseline. An excellent lob should be within 6 feet of the +baseline. + +Lobs are essentially defensive. The ideas in lobbing are: (1) to +give yourself time to recover position when pulled out of court +by your opponent's shot; (2) to drive back the net man and break +up his attack; (3) to tire your opponent; (4) occasionally to, +win cleanly by placement. This is usually a lob volley from a +close net rally, and is a slightly different stroke. + +There is (1) the chop lob, a heavily under-cut spin that hangs in +the air. This, is the best defensive lob, as it goes high and +gives plenty of time to recover position. (2) The stroke lob or +flat lob, hit with a slight top spin. This is the point-winning +lob since it gives no time to, the player to run around it, as it +is lower and faster than the chop. In making this lob, start your +swing like a drive, but allow the racquet to slow up and the face +to tilt upward just as you meet the ball. This, shot should +seldom go above 10 feet in the air, since it tends to go out with +the float of the ball. + +The chop lob, which is a decided under cut, should rise from 20 +to 30 feet, or more, high and must go deep. It is better to lob +out and run your opponent back, thus tiring him, than to lob +short and give him confidence by an easy kill. The value of a lob +is mainly one of upsetting your opponent, and its effects are +very apparent if you unexpectedly bring off one at the crucial +period of a match. + +I owe one of my most notable victories to a very timely and +somewhat lucky lob. I was playing Norman E. Brookes in the fifth +round of the American Championships at Forest Hills, in 1919. The +score stood one set all, 3-2 and 30-15, Brookes serving. In a +series of driving returns from his forehand to my backhand, he +suddenly switched and pounded the ball to my forehand corner and +rushed to the net. I knew Brookes crowded the net, and with 40-15 +or 30-all at stake on my shot, I took a chance and tossed the +ball up in the air over Brookes' head. It was not a great lob, +but it was a good one. For once Brookes was caught napping, +expecting a drive down the line. He hesitated, then turned and +chased the ball to the back stop, missing it on his return. I +heard him grunt as he turned, and knew that he was badly winded. +He missed his volley off my return of the next service, and I led +at 30-40. The final point of the game came when he again threw me +far out of court on my forehand, and, expecting the line drive +again, crowded the net, only to have the ball rise in the air +over his head. He made a desperate effort at recovery, but +failed, and the game was mine: 3-all. It proved the turning-point +in the match, for it not only tired Brookes, but it forced him to +hang back a little from the net so as to protect his overhead, so +that his net attack weakened opportunely, and I was able to nose +out the match in 4 sets. + +Another famous match won by a lob was the Johnston-Kingscote +Davis Cup Match at Wimbledon, in 1920. The score stood 2 sets +all, and 5-3 Kingscote leading with Kingscote serving and the +score 30-all. Johnston served and ran in. Kingscote drove sharply +down Johnston's forehand side-line. Johnston made a remarkable +recovery with a half volley, putting the ball high in the air and +seemingly outside. A strong wind was blowing down the court and +caught the ball and held its flight. It fell on the baseline. +Kingscote made a remarkable recovery with a fine lob that forced +Johnston back. Kingscote took the net and volleyed decisively to +Johnston's backhand. Johnston again lobbed, and by a freak of +coincidence the ball fell on the baseline within a foot of his +previous shot. Kingscote again lobbed in return, but this time +short, and Johnston killed it. Johnston ran out the game in the +next two points. + + +If a shot can win two such matches as these, it is a shot worth +learning to use, and knowing when to use. The lob is one of the +most useful and skilful shots in tennis. It is a great defence +and a fine attack. + +The strokes already analysed, drive, service, volley, overhead +and lob, are the orthodox strokes of tennis, and should be at +every player's command. These are the framework of your game. Yet +no house is complete with framework alone. There are certain +trimmings, ornaments, and decorations necessary. There are the +luxuries of modern improvements, and tennis boasts of such +improvements in the modern game. + +Among the luxuries, some say the eccentricities, of the modern +game one finds (1) the chop stroke, (2) the slice stroke (a close +relative), (3) the drop shot, (4) the half-volley or "trap" shot. + +All these shots have their use. None should be considered a stock +shot. + + + +CHAPTER V. CHOP, HALF VOLLEY, AND COURT POSITION + +I am called at times a chop-stroke player. I SELDOM CHOP. My +stroke is a slice. + +A chop stroke is a shot where the angle towards the player and +behind the racquet, made by the line of flight of the ball, and +the racquet travelling down across it, is greater than 45 degrees +and may be 90 degrees. The racquet face passes slightly OUTSIDE +the ball and down the side, chopping it, as a man chops wood. The +spin and curve is from right to left. It is made with a stiff +wrist. Irving C. Wright, brother of the famous Beals, is a true +chop player, while Beals himself, being a left- hander, chopped +from the left court and sliced from the right. + +The slice shot merely reduced the angle mentioned from 45 degrees +down to a very small one. The racquet face passes either INSIDE +or OUTSIDE the ball, according to direction desired, while the +stroke is mainly a wrist twist or slap. This slap imparts a +decided skidding break to the ball, while a chop "drags" the ball +off the ground without break. Wallace F. Johnson is the greatest +slice exponent in the world. + +The rules of footwork for both these shots should be the same as +the drive, but because both are made with a short swing and more +wrist play, without the need of weight, the rules of footwork may +be more safely discarded and body position not so carefully +considered. + +Both these shots are essentially defensive, and are labour-saving +devices when your opponent is on the baseline. A chop or slice is +very hard to drive, and will break up any driving game. + +It is not a shot to use against a volley, as it is too slow to +pass and too high to cause any worry. It should be used to drop +short, soft shots at the feet of the net man as he comes in. Do +not strive to pass a net man with a chop or slice, except through +a big opening. + +The drop-shot is a very soft, sharply-angled chop stroke, played +wholly with the wrist. It should drop within 3 to 5 feet of the +net to be of any use. The racquet face passes around the outside +of the ball and under it with a distinct "wrist turn." Do not +swing the racquet from the shoulder in making a drop shot. The +drop shot has no relation to a stop-volley. The drop shot is all +wrist. The stop-volley has no wrist at all. + +Use all your wrist shots, chop, slice, and drop, merely as an +auxilliary to your orthodox game. They are intended to upset your +opponent's game through the varied spin on the ball. + +THE HALF VOLLEY + +I have now reached the climax of tennis skill: the half volley or +trap shot. In other words, the pick-up. + +This shot requires more perfect timing, eyesight, and racquet +work than any other, since its margin of safety is smallest and +its manifold chances of mishaps numberless. + +It is a pick-up. The ball meets the ground and racquet face at +nearly the same moment, the ball bouncing off the ground, on the +strings. This shot is a stiff-wrist, short swing, like a volley +with no follow through. The racquet face travels along the ground +with a slight tilt over the ball and towards the net, thus +holding the ball low; the shot, like all others in tennis, should +travel across the racquet face, along the short strings. The +racquet face should always be slightly outside the ball. + +The half volley is essentially a defensive stroke, since it +should only be made as a last resort, when caught out of position +by your opponent's shot. It is a desperate attempt to extricate +yourself from a dangerous position without retreating. NEVER +DELIBERATELY HALF VOLLEY. + +Notwithstanding these truths, there are certain players who have +turned the half volley into a point winner. The greatest half +volleyer of the past decade--in fact, one of the greatest tennis +geniuses of the world--George Caridia, used the stroke +successfully as a point winner. R. N. Williams, the leading +exponent of the stroke in the present day, achieves remarkable +results with it. Major A. R. F. Kingscote wins many a point, +seemingly lost, by his phenomenal half-volley returns, +particularly from the baseline. These men turn a defence into an +attack, and it pays. + +So much for the actual strokes of the game. It is in the other +departments such as generalship and psychology that matches are +won. Just a few suggestions as to stroke technique, and I will +close this section. + +Always play your shot with a fixed, definite idea of what you are +doing and where it is going. Never hit haphazard. + +Play all shots across the short strings of the racquet, with the +racquet head and handle on the same hitting plane for ground +strokes and the head above the handle for volleys. The racquet +head should be advanced slightly beyond the wrist for ground +strokes. + + +COURT POSITION + +A tennis court is 39 feet long from baseline to net. Most players +think all of that territory is a correct place to stand. Nothing +could be farther from the truth. There are only two places in a +tennis court that a tennis player should be to await the ball. + +1. About 3 feet behind the baseline near the middle of the court, +or + +2. About 6 to 8 feet back from the net and almost opposite the +ball. + +The first is the place for all baseline players. The second is +the net position. + +If you are drawn out of these positions by a shot which you must +return, do not remain at the point where you struck the ball, but +attain one of the two positions mentioned as rapidly as possible. + +The distance from the baseline to about 10, feet from the net may +be considered as "no-man's-land" or "the blank." Never linger +there, since a deep shot will catch you at your feet. After +making your shot from the blank, as you must often do, retreat +behind the baseline to await the return, so you may again come +forward to meet the ball. If you are drawn in short and cannot +retreat safely, continue all the way to the net position. + +Never stand and watch your shot, for to do so simply means you +are out of position for your next stroke. Strive to attain a +position so that you always arrive at the spot the ball is going +to before it actually arrives. Do your hard running while the +ball is in the air, so you will not be hurried in your stroke +after it bounces. + +It is in learning to do this that natural anticipation plays a +big role. Some players instinctively know where the next return +is going and take position accordingly, while others will never +sense it. It is to the latter class that I urge court position, +and recommend always coming in from behind the baseline to meet +the ball, since it is much easier to run forward than back. + +Should you be caught at the net, with a short shot to your +opponent, do not stand still and let him pass you at will, as he +can easily do. Pick out the side where you think he will hit, and +jump to, it suddenly as he swings. If you guess right, you win +the point. If you are wrong, you are no worse off, since he would +have beaten you anyway with his shot. + +A notable example of this method of anticipation is Norman E. +Brookes, who instinctively senses the stroke, and suddenly bobs +up in front of your best shot and kills it. Some may say it is +luck, but, to my mind, it is the reward of brain work. + +Your position should always strive to be such that you can cover +the greatest possible area of court without sacrificing safety, +since the straight shot is the surest, most dangerous, and must +be covered. It is merely a question of how much more court than +that immediately in front of the ball may be guarded. + +A well-grounded knowledge of court position saves many points, to +say nothing of much breath expended in long runs after hopeless +shots. + +It is the phenomenal knowledge of court position that allows A. +R. F. Kingscote, a very short man, to attack so consistently from +the net. Wallace F. Johnson is seldom caught out of position, so +his game is one of extreme ease. One seldom sees Johnson running +hard on a tennis court. He is usually there awaiting the ball's +arrival. + +Save your steps by using your head. It pays in the end. Time +spent in learning where to play on a tennis court is well +expended, since it returns to you in the form of matches won, +breath saved, and energy conserved. + +It is seldom you need cover more than two-thirds of a tennis +court, so why worry about the unnecessary portions of it? + + + +PART II: THE LAWS OF TENNIS PSYCHOLOGY + +CHAPTER VI. GENERAL TENNIS PSYCHOLOGY + +Tennis psychology is nothing more than understanding the workings +of your opponent's mind, and gauging the effect of your own game +on his mental viewpoint, and understanding the mental effects +resulting from the various external causes on your own mind. You +cannot be a successful psychologist of others without first +understanding your own mental processes, you must study the +effect on yourself of the same happening under different +circumstances. You react differently in different moods and under +different conditions. You must realize the effect on your game of +the resulting irritation, pleasure, confusion, or whatever form +your reaction takes. Does it increase your efficiency? If so, +strive for it, but never give it to your opponent. + +Does it deprive you of concentration? If so, either remove the +cause, or if that is not possible strive to ignore it. + +Once you have judged accurately your own reaction to conditions, +study your opponents, to decide their temperaments. Like +temperaments react similarly, and you may judge men of your own +type by yourself. Opposite temperaments you must seek to compare +with people whose reactions you know. + +A person who can control his own mental processes stands an +excellent chance of reading those of another, for the human mind +works along definite lines of thought, and can be studied. One +can only control one's, mental processes after carefully studying +them. + +A steady phlegmatic baseline player is seldom a keen thinker. If +he was he would not adhere to the baseline. + +The physical appearance of a man is usually a pretty clear index +to his type of mind. The stolid, easy-going man, who usually +advocates the baseline game, does so because he hates to stir up +his torpid mind to think out a safe method of reaching the net. +There is the other type of baseline player, who prefers to remain +on the back of the court while directing an attack intended to +break up your game. He is a very dangerous player, and a deep, +keen- thinking antagonist. He achieves his results by mixing up +his length and direction, and worrying you with the variety of +his game. He is a good psychologist. Such players include J. C. +Parke, Wallace F. Johnson, and Charles S. Garland. The first type +of player mentioned merely hits the ball with little idea of what +he is doing, while the latter always has a definite plan and +adheres to it. The hard-hitting, erratic, net-rushing player is a +creature of impulse. There is no real system to his attack, no +understanding of your game. He will make brilliant coups on the +spur of the moment, largely by instinct; but there is no, mental +power of consistent thinking. It is an interesting, fascinating +type. Such men as Harold Throckmorton, B. I. C. Norton, and at +times R. N. Williams, are examples, although Williams is really a +better psychologist than this sounds. + +The dangerous man is the player who mixes his style from back to +fore court at the direction of an ever-alert mind. This is the +man to study and learn from. He is a player with a definite +purpose. A player who has an answer to every query you propound +him in your game. He is the most subtle antagonist in the world. +He is of the school of Brookes. Second only to him is the man of +dogged determination that sets his mind on one plan and adheres +to it, bitterly, fiercely fighting to the end, with never a +thought of change. He is the man whose psychology is easy to +understand, but whose mental viewpoint is hard to upset, for he +never allows himself to think of anything except the business at +hand. This man is your Johnston or your Wilding. I respect the +mental capacity of Brookes more, but I admire the tenacity of +purpose of Johnston. + +Pick out your type from your own mental processes, and then work +out your game along the lines best suited to you. Few of us have +the mental brilliance of Brookes; but all can acquire the dogged +determination of Johnston, even if we have not his tennis +ability. + +When two men are, in the same class, as regards stroke equipment, +the determining factor in any given match is the mental +viewpoint. Luck, so-called, is often grasping the psychological +value of a break in the game, and turning it to your own account. + +We hear a great deal about the "shots we have made." Few realize +the importance of the "shots we have missed." The science of +missing shots is as important as that of making them, and at +times a miss by an inch is of more value than a, return that is +killed by your opponent. + +Let me explain. A player drives you far out of court with an +angle-shot. You run hard to it, and reaching, drive it hard and +fast down the side- line, missing it by an inch. Your opponent is +surprised and shaken, realizing that your shot might as well have +gone in as out. He will expect you to try it again, and will not +take the risk next time. He will try to play the ball, and may +fall into error. You have thus taken some of your opponent's +confidence, and increased his chance of error, all by a miss. + +If you had merely popped back that return, and it had been +killed, your opponent would have felt increasingly confident of +your inability to get the ball out of his reach, while you would +merely have been winded without result. + +Let us suppose you made the shot down the sideline. It was a +seemingly impossible get. First it amounts to TWO points in that +it took one away from your opponent that should have been his and +gave you one you ought never to have had. It also worries your +opponent, as he feels he has thrown away a big chance. + +The psychology of a tennis match is very interesting, but easily +understandable. Both men start with equal chances. Once one man +establishes a real lead, his confidence goes up, while his +opponent worries, and his mental viewpoint becomes poor. The sole +object of the first man is to hold his lead, thus holding his +confidence. If the second player pulls even or draws ahead, the +inevitable reaction occurs with even a greater contrast in +psychology. There is the natural confidence of the leader now +with the second man as well as that great stimulus of having +turned seeming defeat into probable victory. The reverse in the +case of the first player is apt to hopelessly destroy his game, +and collapse follows. + +It is this twist in tennis psychology that makes it possible to +win so many matches after they are seemingly lost. This is also +the reason that a man who has lost a substantial lead seldom +turns in the ultimate victory. He cannot rise above the +depression caused by his temporary slump. The value of an early +lead cannot be overestimated. It is the ability to control your +mental processes, and not worry unduly over early reverses, that +makes a great match player. + +Playing to the score is the first requisite of a thinking match +player. The two crucial points in any game are the third and +fourth. If the first two points are divided for 15-all, the third +means an advantage gained. If won by you, you should strive to +consolidate it by taking the next for 40-15 and two chances for +game, while if lost, you must draw even at 30-all to have an even +chance for game. + +In order to do this, be sure to always put the ball in play +safely, and do not take unnecessary chances, at 15-all or 30-15. +Always make the server work to hold his delivery. It worries him +to serve long games, and increases the nervous strain of the +match. + +In the game score the sixth, seventh, and eighth games are the +crux of every close set. These games may mean 4-2 or 3-all, 5-2 +or 4-3, the most vital advantage in the match, or 5-3 or 4-all, a +matter of extreme moment to a tiring player. If ahead, you should +strive to hold and increase your lead. If behind, your one hope +of victory rests in cutting down the advantage of the other man +BEFORE one slip means defeat. 5-2 is usually too late to start a +rally, but 4-3 is a real chance. + +Never throw away a set because a player has a lead of 4-1, or +even 5-1, unless you already have two sets in a 5-set match, and +do not wish to risk tiring by trying to pull it out, and possibly +failing at 6-4. The great advantage Of 3-1 on your own service is +a stumbling-block for many players, for they unconsciously let up +at the fifth game, thinking they have a 2-game lead. However, by +dropping that game, the score will go 2-3 and 3-all if your +opponent holds service, instead of 1-4 and 4-2, thus retaining a +distinct advantage and discouraging your opponent in that set. + +The first set is vital in a 2 out of 3 match. Play for all of it. +The second and third sets are the turning-point in a best of +5-set match. Take the first where possible, but play to the limit +for the next two. Never allow a 3 out of 5-set match to go to, +the fifth set if it is possible to win in less; but never give up +a match until the last point is played, even if you are two sets +and five games down. Some occurrence may turn the tide in your +favour. + +A notable example of such a match occurred at Newport, in 1916. +Wallace F. Johnson and Joseph J. Armstrong were playing Ichija +Kumagae, the famous Japanese star, and Harold A. Throckmorton, +then junior Champion of America, in the second round of the +doubles. + +It was Kumagae's first year in America, and he did not understand +Americans and their customs well. Kumagae and Throckmorton were +leading one set at 6-0, 5-1, and 40-15, Kumagae serving. +Throckmorton turned and spoke to him, and the Japanese star did +not understand what he said. He served without knowing, and +Armstrong passed him down the centre. Johnson duplicated the feat +in the next court, and Kumagae grew flustered. Throckmorton, not +understanding, tried to steady him without result, as Kumagae +double-faulted to Armstrong, and he, too, grew worried. Both men +began missing, and Johnson and Armstrong pulled out the set and +won the match in a runaway in the last stanza. Johnson and +Armstrong met W. M. Johnston and C. J. Griffin, the National +Champions, in the final and defeated them in five sets, +inflicting the only reverse the title-holders suffered during +their two-year reign as champions. + +Another much more regrettable incident occurred in the famous +match between R. L. Murray of California and George M. Church of +New York in the fourth round of the American National +Championship in 1916. George Church, then at the crest of his +wonderful game, had won the first two sets and was leading Murray +in the third, when the famous Californian started a sensational +rally. Murray, with his terrific speed, merry smile, and genial +personality, has always been a popular figure with the public, +and when he began his seemingly hopeless fight, the crowd cheered +him wildly. He broke through Church's service and drew even amid +a terrific din. Church, always a very high-strung, nervous +player, showed that the crowd's partiality was getting on his +nerves. The gallery noticed it, and became more partisan than +ever. The spirit of mob rule took hold, and for once they lost +all sense of sportsmanship. They clapped errors as they rained +from Church's racquet; the great game collapsed under the +terrific strain, and Church's last chance was gone. Murray won +largely as he wanted, in the last two sets. No one regretted the +incident more than Murray himself, for no finer sportsman steps +upon the court than this player, yet there was nothing that could +be done. It was a case of external conditions influencing the +psychology of one man so greatly that it cost him a victory that +was his in justice. + +The primary object in match tennis is to break up the other man's +game. The first lesson to learn is to hold your nerve under all +circumstances. If you can break a player's nerve by pounding at a +weakness, do it. I remember winning a 5-set doubles match many +years ago, against a team far over the class of my partner and +myself, by lobbing continually to one man until he cracked under +the strain and threw the match away. He became so afraid of a lob +that he would not approach the net, and his whole game broke up +on account of his lack of confidence. Our psychology was good, +for we had the confidence to continue our plan of attack even +while losing two of the first three sets. His was bad, for he +lost his nerve, and let us know it. + +Sensational and unexpected shots at crucial moments have won many +a match. If your opponent makes a marvellous recovery and wins by +it, give him full credit for it, and then forget it, for by +worrying over it you not only lose that point but several others +as, well, while your mind is still wandering. Never lose your +temper over your opponent's good shots. It is bad enough to lose +it at your own bad ones. Remember that usually the loser of a +match plays just as well as the winner allows him. Never lose +your temper at a bad decision. It never pays, and has cost many a +match. + +I remember a famous match in Philadelphia, between Wallace F. +Johnson, the fifth ranking player in America, and Stanley W. +Pearson, a local star, in the Interclub tennis league of that +city. Johnson, who had enjoyed a commanding lead of a set and +4-1, had slumped, and Pearson had pulled even at a set-all, and +was leading at 5-1 and 40-15, point set match. He pulled Johnson +far out to the forehand and came to the net. Johnson chopped +viciously down the side-line, but Pearson volleyed to Johnson's +deep backhand corner. Johnson had started RUNNING in that +direction as he hit his return, and arrived almost as Pearson's +volley bounced. Unfortunately Johnson slipped and went down on +both knees, but held his racquet. He reached the ball and chopped +it down the side-line for an earned point before Pearson realized +he had even offered at it. + +Pearson was so surprised and angered that he double-faulted for +deuce, and Johnson won the game. Johnson pulled even at 5-all, +before Pearson recovered his equilibrium, and finally won the set +at 17-15. Truly Pearson's lapse at Johnson's marvellous get was a +costly mental break. + +Tennis psychology is far more than the effect of certain shots, +made or missed, on the player. One can sum up such things by +saying that every kill gives confidence, every error tends to +destroy it. These things are obvious. The branch of psychology +that is interesting is the reaction on the various players of +different courts, different crowds, and other players. + +There is a peculiar atmosphere about the centre court at +Wimbledon that is unique in my knowledge of the game. Certain +players revel in it. The majority do not feel it, and since they +do not sense it, they find only the material disadvantages of +rather bad light, and much noise from the stand, and dislike the +centre court. Personally, I enjoy playing on the centre court at +Wimbledon more than any court I have ever stepped upon. + +The traditions of the great players of the past, the notable +personages that make up the parties in the Royal Box and +Committee Box, the honour of a visit from their Majesties the +King and Queen, and, above all, the generous, non-partisan, +sportsmanlike attitude of the British public, make it a unique +privilege to enter the centre court in championship competition. +These things inspire the mind to an almost abnormal keenness. It +is this atmosphere that made N. E. Brookes, Anthony F. Wilding, +A. W. Gore, R. F. and H. L. Doherty more dangerous there than +anywhere else. It is this factor that spurs on J. C. Parke and A. +R. F. Kingscote to their greatest tennis to-day. + +The great championship turf at Forest Hills, where the American +Championship is held, offers a unique contrast to Wimbledon. + +The age of Wimbledon is its great attraction. It is the spirit of +youth, of progress, of business-like mechanical perfection of +management, and the enormous crowds and attendant enthusiasm that +is the chief attraction at Forest Hills. Fully 15,000 were +present on the closing day of the event in 1919. Orderly, +courteous, enthusiastic, but partisan, the American tennis public +comes out to cheer on its favourite. No people in the world +appreciate visiting players more whole-heartedly and none do more +for their comfort than the American people. It is partisan, +personal, sporting friendliness, warmer yet not so correct as the +manner of the British public, that the Americans give. We have +much to learn from our British friends. Yet I hope we will never +sacrifice the warmth of feeling that at times may run away with +us, yet in the main is the chief attraction of the American +people. It is this enthusiasm that spurs on the men to their +greatest efforts in the National Championship. + +The Australian team, Norman E. Brookes, Gerald Patterson, +Randolph Lycett, and R. V. Thomas, who visited the United States, +in 1919, scored a unique personal triumph. The whole gallery +present at the notable match in the Championship, when Patterson +went down to defeat in a terrific 5-set struggle with W. M. +Johnston, rose and cheered Patterson as he walked off the court. +It was a real ovation; a tribute to his sportsmanship, and an +outburst of personal admiration. Brookes was the recipient of an +equal demonstration on his final appearance at Forest Hills. The +stimulus of the surroundings produced the highest tennis of which +these men were capable. + +Yet in all championships it is the personal element that is the +moving factor. Personalities are the deciding force in +popularity. Patriotism is partially submerged in personality. + +The Davis Cup matches bring out the gamest struggles in the +history of tennis. It is in these unique series of matches that +the fame of Anthony F. Wilding, Norman E. Brookes, J. C. Parke, +B. C. Wright, M. E. M'Loughlin, and others reached its crest. It +was the unselfish giving of one's best, under all conditions, for +the honour of the country that called out the finest tennis in +each man. Parke reached his crest in his memorable defeat of +Brookes. M'Loughlin has never quite equalled his marvellous game +of 1914 against Brookes and Wilding. + +It is the psychology of patriotism that brings out this tennis. + +Personality is submerged. Unity of purpose as a team, replaces +the object of personal glory that is the keynote of championship. + +It is the friendly rivalry of sport, between such men as form the +backbone of tennis in each country, that does more for +international understanding than all the notes ever written from +the White House. + +I could go on writing tennis psychology as explained by external +conditions for hundreds of pages, but all I want to do is to +bring to mind a definite idea of the value of the mind in the +game. Stimulate it how you will, a successful tennis player must +admit the value of quick mind. Do it by a desire for personal +glory, or team success, or by a love of competition in matching +your wits against the other man's, but do it some way. + +Do, not think that tennis is merely a physical exercise. It is a +mental cock-tail of a very high "kick." + + + +CHAPTER VII. THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MATCH PLAY + +The first and most important point in match play is to know how +to lose. Lose cheerfully, generously, and like a sportsman. This +is the first great law of tennis, and the second is like unto +it--to win modestly, cheerfully, generously, and like a +sportsman. + +The object of match play is to win, but no credit goes to a man +who does not win fairly and squarely. A victory is a defeat if it +is other than fair. Yet again I say to win is the object, and to +do so, one should play to the last ounce of his strength, the +last gasp of his breath, and the last scrap of his nerve. If you +do so and lose, the better man won. If you do not, you have +robbed your opponent of his right of beating your best. Be fair +to both him and yourself. + +"The Play's the thing," and in match play a good defeat is far +more creditable than a hollow victory. Play tennis for the game's +sake. Play it for the men you meet, the friends you make, and the +pleasure you may give to the public by the hard- working yet +sporting game that is owed them by their presence at the match. + +Many tennis players feel they owe the public nothing, and are +granting a favour by playing. It is my belief that when the +public so honours a player that they attend matches, that player +is in duty bound to give of his best, freely, willingly, and +cheerfully, for only by so doing can he repay the honour paid +him. The tennis star of to-day owes his public as much as the +actor owes the audience, and only by meeting his obligations can +tennis be retained in public favour. The players get their reward +in the personal popularity they gain by their conscientious work. + +There is another factor that is even stronger than this, that +will always produce fine tennis in championship events. It is the +competitive spirit that is the breath of life to every true +sportsman: the desire to prove to himself he can beat the best of +the other man; the real regret that comes when he wins, and feels +the loser was not at his best. It is that which has made popular +idols of Anthony F. Wilding, M. E. M'Loughlin, and other famous +players. It is the great attraction of J. C. Parke, A. R. F. +Kingscote, W. M. Johnston, Andre Gobert, W. Laurentz, and many +other stars. It is the sign of a true sportsman. + +The keen competitive spirit that stimulates a match player also +increases the nervous strain. This should be recognized by +tournament committees, and the conditions of play should be as +nearly standardized as weather permits. + +A tournament committee should never keep a player waiting for an +important match to commence while they scour through the crowd +for linesmen. These necessary, and I trust useful, accessories to +every match of importance should be picked and on hand when the +players appear. A good linesman is a great aid to match tennis. A +poor one may ruin a great battle. Not only will bad decisions +turn the tide by putting a point in the wrong columns, but slow +decisions will often upset players, so they dare not play to the +line kept by slumberous linesmen. + +A linesman should take his first judgment as the ball strikes. If +outside he should call "out" at once clearly, decisively, but not +too loudly; a yell is often a shock to the nerves. If the ball is +good he should remain discreetly silent. + +The umpire should announce the score after each point in a voice +sufficiently loud to be heard by the entire gallery. His +decisions as to "lets" or balls "not up" should be made only loud +enough to ensure that they are heard by the players. The gallery +has eyes. Following each game, the game score should be called, +giving the leading player's name and the set being played. For +example, "Four games to three, Parke leads. Second set." About +every third game following the completion of the first set, an +announcement as to the winner of the first set is an excellent +idea. The umpire could add to the above announcement, "First set, +Parke, 6-3." This latter announcement is unnecessary when there +is a score board that gives full details of the match. + +Tournament committees should see that all courts have sufficient +room behind the baseline and at the sides to insure a player +against running into the stops. + +Galleries should strive to retain their appreciation and +enthusiasm until a point is completed, since noise is very +disconcerting to a player. However, all players enjoy an +enthusiastic gallery. + +The players themselves must now be considered in relation to the +reaction of the match. + +The first thing to fix firmly in your mind in playing a match, is +never to allow your opponent to play a shot he likes if it is +possible to force him to make one he does not. Study your +opponent both on and off the court. Look for a weakness, and, +once finding it, pound it without mercy. Remember that you do not +decide your mode of attack. It is decided for you by the weakness +of your opponent. If he dislikes to meet a netman, go to the net. +If he wants you at the net, stay back and force him to come in. +If he attacks viciously, meet his attack with an equally strong +offensive. + +Remember that the strongest defence is to attack, for if the +other man is occupied in meeting your attack, he will have less +time to formulate his own system. + +If you are playing a very steady man, do not strive to beat him +at his own game. He is better at it than you in many cases, so go +in and hit to win. On the other hand, if you find that your +opponent is wild and prone to miss, play safe and reap the full +crop of his errors. It saves you trouble and takes his +confidence. + +ABOVE ALL, NEVER CHANGE A WINNING GAME. + +ALWAYS CHANGE A LOSING GAME, since, as you are getting beaten +that way, you are no worse off and may be better with a new +style. + +The question of changing a losing game is a very serious thing. +It is hard to say just when you are really beaten. If you feel +you are playing well yet have lost the first set about 6-3 or +6-4, with the loss of only one service, you should not change. +Your game is not really a losing game. It is simply a case of one +break of service, and might well win the next set. If, however, +you have dropped the first set in a 2 out of 3 match with but one +or two games, now you are outclassed and should try something +else. + +Take chances when you are behind, never when ahead. Risks are +only worth while when you have everything to win and nothing to +lose. It may spell victory, and at least will not hasten defeat. +Above all, never lose your nerve or confidence in a match. By so +doing you have handed your opponent about two points a game--a +rather hard handicap to beat at your best. + +Never let your opponent know you are worried. Never show fatigue +or pain if it is possible to avoid, since it will only give him +confidence. Remember that he feels just as bad as you, and any +sign of weakening on your part encourages him to go on. In other +words, keep your teeth always in the match. + +Don't worry. Don't fuss. Luck evens up in the long run, and to +worry only upsets your own game without affecting your opponent. +A smile wins a lot of points because it gives the impression of +confidence on your part that shakes that of the other man. Fight +all the time. The harder the strain the harder you should fight, +but do it easily, happily, and enjoy it. + +Match play, where both men are in the same class as tennis +players, resolves itself into a battle of wits and nerve. The man +who uses the first and retains the second is the ultimate victor. + +I do not believe in a man who expects to go through a long +tournament, going "all out" for every match. Conserve your +strength and your finesse for the times you need them, and win +your other matches decisively, but not destructively. Why should +a great star discourage and dishearten a player several classes +below him by crushing him, as he no doubt could? A few games a +set, well earned, would be a big factor in encouraging that +rising player to play in tournaments, while it would in no way +injure the reputation of the star. + +Never hurry your opponent by serving before he is fully set to +receive. This is a favourite trick of a few unscrupulous players, +yet is really an unfair advantage. Do your hurrying after the +ball is in play, by running him to unexpected places in the +court. Should anyone attempt to work the hurried service on you, +after several attempts, proving it is intentional, let the ball +go by and say "not ready." The server will shortly realize that +you will take your time regardless of him, and he will slow up. + +I do not advocate stalling--nothing is worse. It is a breach of +ethics that is wholly uncalled for. Play the game naturally, and +give your opponent full courtesy in all matters. If you do, you +will receive it in return. + +Take every advantage of any and every weakness in your opponent's +game; but never trespass on his rights as regards external +advantages. + +Personally I do not believe in "defaulting" a match. To "scratch" +or "retire," as the term goes, is to cheat your opponent of his +just triumph, and you should never do this unless it is +absolutely impossible to avoid. Sickness or some equally +important reason should be the sole cause of scratching, for you +owe the tournament your presence once your entry is in. + +Match play should stimulate a player. He should produce his best +under the excitement of competition. Learn your shots in +practice, but use them in matches. + +Practice is played with the racquet, matches are won by the mind. +J. C. Parke is a great match player, because he is not only a +great player but a great student of men. He sizes up his +opponent, and seizes every opening and turns it to his own +account. Norman E. Brookes is the greatest match player the world +has ever known, because he is ever ready to change his plan to +meet the strategy of his opponent, and has both the variety of +stroke and versatility of intellect to outguess the other the +majority of times. Brookes is the greatest court general, and, in +my opinion, the finest tennis intellect in the world. His mind is +never so keen and he is never so dangerous as when he is trailing +in an important match. He typifies all that is great in mental +match tennis. + +A great star is always at his best in a match, as it stimulates +his mental and physical faculties to the utmost. + +Certain players are more effective against some men than others +who are not so good. It is the uncertainty of match tennis that +is its greatest charm. Two men may meet for tennis during a +season, and be so closely matched that each man will win two +matches and the score seem almost one-sided each time. It is a +case of getting the jump on the other player. + +During 1919 Johnston and I met four times. Twice he defeated me, +once in four sets, and once in three, while the two victories +that were mine were scored in identically the same number of +sets. The most remarkable meeting of two stars was the series of +matches between R. L. Murray and Ichija Kumagae during the +seasons of 1918 and 1919. In the early stages Murray had a +decided advantage, winning from Kumagae consistently, but by +close scores. Early in 1919 Kumagae unexpectedly defeated Murray +at Buffalo in four sets. From that moment Kumagae held the whip +hand. He defeated Murray at Niagara-on-the-Lake a week later. +Murray barely nosed out the Japanese star at Cleveland in five +sets after Kumagae had the match won, only to have Kumagae again +defeat him in a terrific match at Newport in August. + +Kumagae's game is very effective against Murray, because Murray, +essentially a volleyer, could not exchange ground strokes with +the Japanese star player successfully, and could not stand the +terrific pace of rushing the net at every opportunity. Kumagae +conclusively proved his slight superiority over Murray last +season. + +Vincent Richards, who is not yet the equal of Murray, scored two +clean-cut victories over Kumagae during the same period. Why +should Richards worry Kumagae, who is certainly Murray's +superior, and yet not cause Murray trouble? + +The answer lies in this style of game. Richards uses a peculiar +chop stroke from the baseline that is very steady. He can meet +Kumagae at his own baseline game until he gets a chance to close +in to the net, where his volleying is remarkable. The result is, +against Kumagae's driving he is perfectly at home. Murray is a +vicious net player who swept Richards off his feet. The boy has +not the speed on his ground strokes to pass Murray, who volleys +off his chop for points, and cannot take the net away from him as +he cannot handle the terrific speed of Murray's game. Thus +Murray's speed beats Richards, while Richards' steadiness +troubles Kumagae, yet Kumagae's persistent driving tires Murray +and beats him. What good are comparative scores? + +Charles S. Garland always defeats Howard Voshell, yet loses to +men whom Voshell defeats. Williams proves a stumbling-block to +Johnston, yet seldom does well against me. + +The moral to be drawn from the ever-interesting upsets that occur +every year, is that the style of your attack should be determined +by the man's weakness you are playing. Suit your style to his +weakness. A chop is the antidote for the drive. The volley is the +answer to a chop, yet a drive is the only safe attack against a +volley. The smash will kill a lob, yet a lob is the surest +defence from a smash. Rather a complicated condition, but one +which it would do well to think over. + +The most dangerous enemy to R. N. Williams is a steady baseliner +of second class. Williams is apt to crush a top-flight player in +a burst of superlative terms, yet fall a victim to the erratic +streak that is in him when some second-class player plays patball +with him. Such defeats were his portion at the hands of Ritchie +and Mavrogordato in England, yet on the same trip he scored +notable victories over Parke and Johnston. + +Abnormal conditions for match play always tend to affect the +better player more than the poorer, and bring play to a level. + +The reason for this is in the fact that the higher the standard +of a player's game, the smaller his margin of error, the more +perfect his bound must be, and any variation from the normal is +apt to spell error. The average player allows himself more +leeway, and unknowingly increases his chances on a bad court. His +shot is not judged to the fraction of an inch in swing as is the +top-flight player, so a slight variation does not affect him. + +Many a great match has been ruined by abnormal conditions. Rain +caused Williams' downfall to N. W. Niles in the 1917 American +Championships. Rain and wind marred a great battle between Gobert +and Johnston at Eastbourne in the Davis Cup in 1920. + +The clever match player must always be willing to change his game +to meet conditions. Failure to do so may spell defeat. + +It is this uncertainty, due to external conditions, that makes +comparative records so useless in judging the relative merits of +two players you know nothing of. Rankings based on mathematical +calculations of scores are absolutely useless and childish, +unless tempered by common sense. + +The question of the fitness of conditions of play can never be +standardized. In America you play only if clear. In England +sometimes when clear but more often in rain, judging by the +events I swam through in my recent trip. A match player should +not only be able to play tennis, but should combine the virtues +of an aeroplane and a submarine as well. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PHYSICAL FITNESS + +Physical fitness is one of the great essentials of match play. +Keenness can only be acquired if the physical, mental, and +nervous systems are in tune. Consistent and systematic training +is essential to a tournament player. + +Regular hours of sleep, and regular, hearty food at regular hours +are necessary to keep the body at its highest efficiency. Food is +particularly important. Eat well, but do not over-eat, +particularly immediately before playing. I believe in a large +hearty breakfast on the day of a big match. This should be taken +by nine-thirty. A moderate lunch at about one o'clock if playing +at three. Do not eat very rich food at luncheon as it tends to +slow you up on the court. Do not run the risk of indigestion, +which is the worst enemy to dear eyesight. Rich, heavy food +immediately before retiring is bad, as it is apt to make you +"loggy" on the court the next day. + +It is certain injury to touch alcoholic drink in any form during +tournament play. Alcohol is a poison that affects the eye, the +mind, and the wind--three essentials in tennis. Tobacco in +moderation does little harm, although it, too, hits eye and wind. +A man who is facing a long season of tournament play should +refrain from either alcohol or tobacco in any form. Excesses of +any kind are bad for physical condition, and should not be +chanced. + +Late hours cause sluggishness of mind and body the next day. It +is very dangerous to risk them before a hard match. The moving +pictures immediately before playing tennis are bad, owing to the +eye strain caused by the flicker of the film and the strong light +of the camera. Lead a normal, healthy life, and conserve your +nervous force wherever possible, as you will need it in the hard +matches. + +"Staleness" is the great enemy of players who play long seasons. +It is a case of too much tennis. Staleness is seldom physical +weariness. A player can always recover his strength by rest. +Staleness is a mental fatigue due often to worry or too close +attention to tennis, and not enough variety of thought. Its +symptoms are a dislike for the tennis game and its surroundings, +and a lack of interest in the match when you are on the court. I +advocate a break in training at such a time. Go to the theatre or +a concert, and get your mind completely off tennis. Do your +worrying about tennis while you are playing it, and forget the +unpleasantness of bad play once you are off the court. Always +have some outside interest you can turn to for relaxation during +a tournament; but never allow it to interfere with your tennis +when you should be intent on your game. A nice balance is hard to +achieve, but, once attained is a great aid to a tournament +player. I find my relaxation in auction bridge. I know many other +players who do likewise. Among them are Mrs. Franklin Mallory, +Wallace F. Johnson, W. M. Johnston and Samuel Hardy. + +The laws of training should be closely followed before and after +a match. Do not get chilled before a match, as it makes you stiff +and slow. Above all else do not stand around without a wrap after +a match when you are hot or you will catch cold. + +Many a player has acquired a touch of rheumatism from wasting +time at the close of his match instead of getting his shower +while still warm. That slight stiffness the next day may mean +defeat. A serious chill may mean severe illness. Do not take +chances. + +Change your wet clothes to dry ones between matches if you are to +play twice in a day. It will make you feel better, and also avoid +the risk of cold. + +Tournament players must sacrifice some pleasures for the sake of +success. Training will win many a match for a man if he sticks to +it. Spasmodic training is useless, and should never be attempted. + +The condition a player is, in is apt to decide his mental +viewpoint, and aid him in accustoming himself to the external +conditions of play. + +All match players should know a little about the phenomenon of +crowd-psychology since, as in the case of the Church-Murray match +I related some time back, the crowd may play an important part in +the result. + +It seldom pays to get a crowd down on you. It always pays to win +its sympathy. I do not mean play to the gallery, for that will +have the opposite effect than the one desired. + +The gallery is always for the weaker player. It is a case of +helping the "under-dog." If you are a consistent winner you must +accustom yourself to having the gallery show partiality for your +opponent. It is no personal dislike of you. It is merely a +natural reaction in favour of the loser. Sometimes a bad decision +to one play will win the crowd's sympathy for him. Galleries are +eminently just in their desires, even though at times their +emotions run away with them. + +Quite aside from the effect on the gallery, I wish to state here +that when you are the favoured one in a decision that you know is +wrong, strive to equalize it if possible by unostentatiously +losing the next point. Do not hit the ball over the back stop or +into the bottom of the net with a jaunty air of "Here you are." +Just hit it slightly out or in the net, and go on about your +business in the regular way. Your opponent always knows when you +extend him this justice, and he appreciates it, even though he +does not expect it. Never do it for effect. It is extremely bad +taste. Only do it when your sense of justice tells you you +should. + +The crowd objects, and justly so, to a display of real temper on +the court. A player who loses his head must expect a poor +reception from the gallery. Questioned decisions by a player only +put him in a bad light with the crowd and cannot alter the point. +You may know the call was wrong, but grin at it, and the crowd +will join you. These things are the essence of good +sportsmanship, and good sportsmanship will win any gallery. The +most unattractive player in the world will win the respect and +admiration of a crowd by a display of real sportsmanship at the +time of test. + +Any player who really enjoys a match for the game's sake will +always be a fine sportsman, for there is no amusement to a match +that does not give your opponent his every right. A player who +plays for the joy of the game wins the crowd the first time he +steps on the court. All the world loves an optimist. + +The more tennis I play, the more I appreciate my sense of humour. +I seldom play a match when I do not get a smile out of some +remark from the gallery, while I know that the gallery always +enjoys at least one hearty laugh at my expense. I do not begrudge +it them, for I know how very peculiar tennis players in general, +and myself in particular, appear when struggling vainly to reach +a shot hopelessly out of reach. + +Two delightful elderly ladies were witnessing Charles S. Garland +and myself struggle against Mavrogordato, and Riseley at the +Edgbaston tournament in England in 1920. One turned to the other +and said: "Those are the Americans!" + +"Oh," said the second lady resignedly, "I thought so. The tall +one [meaning me] looks rather queer." + +During the Davis Cup match against the French at Eastbourne, I +went on the court against Laurentz in my blue "woolly" sweater. +The day was cold, and I played the match 4-1 in Laurentz' favour, +still wearing it. I started to remove it at the beginning of the +sixth game, when the gallery burst into loud applause, out of +which floated a sweet feminine voice: "Good! Now maybe the poor +boy will be able to play!" + +For the first time I realized just what the gallery thought of my +efforts to play tennis, and also of the handicap of the famous +"blue-bearskin" as they termed it. + +My favourite expression during my Davis Cup trip happened to be +"Peach" for any particularly good shot by my opponent. The +gallery at the Championship, quick to appreciate any mannerism of +a player, and to, know him by it, enjoyed the remark on many +occasions as the ball went floating by me. In my match with +Kingscote in the final set, the court was very slippery owing to +the heavy drizzle that had been falling throughout the match. At +3-2 in my favour, I essayed a journey to the net, only to have +Kingscote pass me 'cross court to my backhand. I turned and +started rapidly for the shot murmuring "Peach" as I went. +Suddenly my feet went out and I rolled over on the ground, +sliding some distance, mainly on my face. I arose, dripping, just +in time to hear, sotto voce, in the gallery at my side: "A little +bit crushed, that Peach." The sense of humour of the speaker was +delightful. The whole side-line howled with joy, and the joke was +on me. + +I am always the goat for the gallery in these little jokes, +because it is seldom I can refrain from saying something loud +enough to be heard. + +I remember an incident that caused great joy to a large gallery +in Philadelphia during a match between two prominent local +players. One of the men had been charging the net and volleying +consistently off the frame of his racquet, giving a wonderful +display of that remarkable shot known the world over as "the +mahogany volley." His luck was phenomenal for all his mis-hit +volleys won him points. Finally, at the end of a bitterly +contested deuce game in the last set he again won the deciding +point with a volley off the wood, just as a small insect flew in +his eye. + +He called to his opponent: "Just a moment, I have a fly in my +eye." + +The disgusted opponent looked up and muttered: "Fly? Huh! I'll +bet it's a splinter!" + +There was a certain young player who was notoriously lax in his +eyesight on decisions. He could never see one against himself. He +became noted in his own locality. He and another boy were playing +a team of brothers who were quite famous in the tennis world. One +of these brothers had a very severe service that the local +Captain Kidd could not handle at all. So each time the visiting +player served close to the line, the boy would swing at it, miss +it, and call "Fault!" There was no umpire available and there was +no question of the older team losing, so they let it go for some +time. Finally a service fully 3 feet in was casually called out +by the youngster. This proved too much for the server, who hailed +his brother at the net with the query: "What was wrong that +time?" + +"I don't know," came the reply; "unless he called a footfault on +you!" + +The assurance of some young players is remarkable. They know far +more about the game of other men than the men themselves. I once +travelled to a tournament with a boy who casually seated himself +beside me in the train and, seeing my tennis bag, opened the +conversation on tennis and tennis players. He finally turned his +attention to various people I knew well, and suddenly burst out +with: "Tilden is a chop-stroke player. I know him well." I let +him talk for about ten minutes, learning things about my game +that I never knew before. Finally I asked his name, which he told +me. In reply he asked mine. The last view I had of him for some +time was a hasty retreat through the door of the car for air. + +I played my first match against J. C. Parke at Wimbledon in 1920. +The time before that I had been on the court with him was at +Germantown Cricket Club in 1911, when I acted as ball-boy in the +Davis Cup between him and W. A. Larned. The Junior members of the +club, sons of the members, used to consider it a great honour to +act as ball-boy in these matches, and worked every means to be +picked. I picked up much tennis in those days, for I have worked +at the ball-boy position for Parke, Crawley, Dixon, Larned, +Wright, and Ward. + + + +CHAPTER IX. THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SINGLES AND DOUBLES + +Singles, the greatest strain in tennis, is the game for two +players. It is in this phase of the game that the personal +equation reaches its crest of importance. This is the game of +individual effort, mental and physical. + +A hard 5-set singles match is the greatest strain on the body and +nervous system of any form of sport. Richard Harte and L. C. +Wister, the former a famous Harvard University football and +baseball player, the latter a football star at Princeton, both of +whom are famous tennis players, have told me that a close 5-set +tennis match was far more wearing on them than the biggest +football game they had ever played. + +Singles is a game of daring, dash, speed of foot and stroke. It +is a game of chance far more than doubles. Since you have no +partner dependent upon you, you can afford to risk error for the +possibility of speedy victory. Much of what I wrote under match +play is more for singles than doubles, yet let me call your +attention to certain peculiarities of singles from the standpoint +of the spectator. + +A gallery enjoys personalities far more than styles. Singles +brings two people into close and active relations that show the +idiosyncrasies of each player far more acutely than doubles. The +spectator is in the position of a man watching an insect under a +microscope. He can analyse the inner workings. + +The freedom of restraint felt on a single court is in marked +contrast to the need for team work in doubles. Go out for your +shot in singles whenever there is a reasonable chance of getting +it. Hit harder at all times in singles than in doubles, for you +have more chance of scoring and can take more risk. + +Few great singles, players are famous in doubles. Notable +exceptions to the above statement come to mind at once in the +persons of the Dohertys, Norman E. Brookes, and F. B. Alexander. +Yet who could accuse W. M. Johnston, R. N. Williams +(notwithstanding his World's Championship doubles title), Andre +Gobert, the late Anthony F. Wilding, M. E. M'Loughlin, or Gerald +Patterson of playing great doubles? All these men are wonderful +singles players, playing singles on a double court alongside some +suffering partner. The daring that makes for a great singles +player is an eternal appeal to a gallery. None of the notable +doubles players, who have little or no claim to singles fame, +have enjoyed the hero-worship accorded the famous singles stars. +H. Roper-Barrett, Stanley Doust, Harold H. Hackett, Samuel Hardy, +and Holcombe Ward, all doubles players of the very highest order, +were, and are, well liked and deservedly popular, but are not +idolized as were M'Loughlin or Wilding. + +Singles is a game of the imagination, doubles a science of exact +angles. + +Doubles is four-handed tennis. Enough of this primary reader +definition. I only used that so as not to be accused of trying to +write over the heads of the uninitiated. + +It is just as vital to play to your partner in tennis as in +bridge. Every time you make a stroke you must do it with a +definite plan to avoid putting your partner in trouble. The +keynote of doubles success is team work; not individual +brilliancy. There is a certain type of team work dependent wholly +upon individual brilliancy. Where both players are in the same +class, a team is as strong as its weakest player at any given +time, for here it is even team work with an equal division of the +court that should be the method of play. In the case of one +strong player and one weaker player, the team is as good as the +strong player can make it by protecting and defending the weaker. +This pair should develop its team work on the individual +brilliancy of the stronger man. + +The first essential of doubles play is to PUT the ball in play. A +double fault is bad in singles, but it is inexcusable in doubles. +The return of service should be certain. After that it should be +low and to the server coming in. Do not strive for clean aces in +doubles until you have the opening. Remember that to pass two men +is a difficult task. + +Always attack in doubles. The net is the only place in the court +to play the doubles game, and you should always strive to attain +the net position. There are two formations for the receiving +team: one is the Australian formation with the receiver's partner +standing in to volley the server's return volley; the other is +the English and American style with both men back, thus giving +the net attack to the server. This is safer, but less likely to +produce a winning result unless the team is a wonderful lobbing +combination. Lobbing is a sound defence in doubles, and is used +to open the court. + +I believe in always trying for the kill when you see a real +opening. "Poach" (go for a shot which is not really on your side +of the court) whenever you see a chance to score. Never poach +unless you go for the kill. It is a win or nothing shot since it +opens your whole court. If you are missing badly do not poach, as +it is very disconcerting to your partner. + +The question of covering a doubles court should not be a serious +one. With all men striving to attain the net all the time every +shot should be built up with that idea. Volley and smash whenever +possible, and only retreat when absolutely necessary. + +When the ball goes toward the side-line the net player on that +side goes in close and toward the line. His partner falls +slightly back and to the centre of the court, thus covering the +shot between the men. If the next return goes to the other side, +the two men reverse positions. The theory of court covering is +two sides of a triangle, with the angle in the centre and the two +sides running to the side-lines and in the direction of the net. + +Each man should cover overhead balls over his own head, and hit +them in the air whenever possible, since to allow them to drop +gives the net to the other team. The only time for the partner to +protect the overhead is when the net man "poaches," is +outguessed, and the ball tossed over his head. Then the server +covers and strives for a kill at once. + +Always be ready to protect your partner, but do not take shots +over his head unless he calls for you to, or you see a certain +kill. Then say "Mine," step in and hit decisively. The matter of +overhead balls, crossing under them, and such incidentals of team +work are matters of personal opinion, and should be arranged by +each team according to their joint views. I only offer general +rules that can be modified to meet the wishes of the individuals. + +Use the lob as a defence, and to give time to extricate yourself +and your partner from a bad position. The value of service in +doubles cannot be too strongly emphasized since it gives the net +to the server. Service should always be held. To lose service is +an unpardonable sin in first-class doubles. All shots in doubles +should be low or very high. Do not hit shoulder-high as it is too +easy to kill. Volley down and hard if possible. Every shot you +make should be made with a definite idea of opening the court. + +Hit down the centre to disrupt the team work of the opposing +team; but hit to the side-lines for your aces. + +Pick one man, preferably the weaker of your opponents, and centre +your attack on him and keep it there. Pound him unmercifully, and +in time he should crack under the attack. It is very foolish to +alternate attack, since it simply puts both men on their game and +tires neither. + +If your partner starts badly play safely and surely until he +rounds to form. Never show annoyance with your partner. Do not +scold him. He is doing the best he can, and fighting with him +does no good. Encourage him at all times and don't worry. A team +that is fighting among themselves has little time left to play +tennis, and after all tennis is the main object of doubles. + +Offer suggestions to your partner at any time during a match; but +do not insist on his following them, and do not get peevish if he +doesn't. He simply does not agree with you, and he may be right. +Who knows? + +Every doubles team should have a leader to direct its play; but +that leader must always be willing to drop leadership for any +given point when his partner has the superior position. It is +policy of attack not type of stroke that the leader should +determine. + +Pick a partner and stick to him. He should be a man you like and +want to play with, and he should want to play with you. This will +do away with much friction. His style should not be too nearly +your own, since you double the faults without greatly increasing +the virtues. + +I am a great believer in a brilliant man teaming up with a steady +player. Let your steady man keep the ball in play, and allow your +brilliant man all the room he wants to "poach" and kill. Thus you +get the best of both men. + +Doubles is a game of finesse more than speed. The great doubles +players, the Dohertys, Norman E. Brookes, the greatest in the +world to-day, Roper Barrett, Beals Wright, and F. B. Alexander, +are all men of subtle finesse rather than terrific speed. + +It requires more than speed of shot to beat two men over a +barrier 3 to 3 1/2 feet high with a distance of some 32 feet. It +is angles, pace, and accuracy that should be the aim in a great +doubles game. Resource, versatility, and subtlety, not speed, win +doubles matches. + + + +PART III: MODERN TENNIS AND ITS FUTURE + +CHAPTER X. THE GROWTH OF THE MODERN GAME + +Lawn tennis is the outgrowth of the old French game of the courts +of the early Louis. It spread to England, where it gained a firm +hold on public favour. The game divided; the original form being +closely adhered to in the game known in America as "Court +tennis," but which is called "Tennis" in England. Lawn tennis +grew out of it. + +The old style game was played over a net some 5 feet high, and +the service was always from the same end, the players changing +courts each game. It was more on the style of the present game of +badminton or battledore and shuttlecock. + +Gradually the desire for active play had its effect, in a lowered +net and changed laws, and tennis, as we know it, grew into being. +From its earliest period, which is deeply shrouded in mystery, +came the terms of "love" for "nothing" and "deuce" for "40-all." +What they meant originally, or how they gained their hold is +unknown, but the terms are a tradition of the game and just as +much a part of the scoring system as the "game" or "set" call. + +In 1920 the Rules Committee of the American Tennis Association +advocated a change in scoring that replaced love, 15, 30, 40 with +the more comprehensive 1, 2, 3, 4. The real reason for the +proposed change was the belief that the word "love" in tennis +made the uninitiated consider the game effeminate and repelled +possible supporters. The loyal adherents of the old customs of +the game proved too strong, and defeated the proposed change in +scoring by an overwhelming majority. + +Personally, I think there is some slight claim to consideration +for the removal of the word "love." It can do no good, and there +are many substitutes for it. It can easily be eliminated without +revolutionizing the whole scoring system. It is far easier to +substitute the words "zero," "nothing," for "love" than cause +such an upheaval as was proposed. In my opinion the best way to +obviate the matter is to use the player's name in conjunction +with the points won by him, when his opponent has none. If the +first point is won by Williams, call the score "15, Williams" +and, with his opponent scoring the next, the call would become +"15-all." + +If tennis loses one adherent, it could otherwise gain, simply by +its retaining the word "love" in the score, I heartily advocate +removing it. This removal was successfully accomplished in +Chicago in 1919, with no confusion to players, umpires, or +public. + +However, returning from my little digression on the relative +value of "love" and "nothing," let me continue my short history +of the game. The playing of tennis sprang into public favour so +quickly that in a comparatively short space of time it was +universally played in England and France. The game was brought to +America in the latter part of the nineteenth century. Its growth +there in the past twenty-five years has been phenomenal. During +the last half century tennis gained a firm foothold in all the +colonies of the British Empire, and even found favour in the +Orient, as is explained in another portion of this book. + +Tennis fills many needs of mankind. It provides an outlet for +physical energy, relaxation, mental stimulus, and healthful +exercise. The moral tone is aided by tennis because the first law +of tennis is that every player must be a good sportsman and +inherently a gentleman. + +Tennis was recognized by the Allied Governments as one of the +most beneficial sports during the World War. Not only were the +men in service encouraged to play whenever possible, but the +Allied Governments lent official aid to the various service +tournaments held in France following the signing of the +Armistice. The importance of tennis in the eyes of the American +Government may be gleaned from the fact that great numbers of +hard courts were erected at the various big cantonments, and +organized play offered to the soldiers. + +Many of the leading players who were in training in America at +the time of the National Championship, which was played solely to +raise money for the Red Cross, were granted leave from their +various stations to take part in the competition. Among the most +notable were Wallace F. Johnson, Conrad B. Doyle, Harold +Throckmorton, S. Howard Voshell, and myself, all of whom were +granted leave of two weeks or a month. Captain R. N. Williams and +Ensigns William M. Johnston and Maurice E. M'Loughlin, and many +other stars, were overseas. Official recognition at such a time +puts a stamp of approval on the game which goes far to justify +its world-wide popularity. + +The tennis world lost many of its best in that titanic struggle. +The passing of so many from its ranks left gaps that will be hard +to fill. + +The gallant death of Anthony F. Wilding in Flanders cost the game +one of its greatest players, and finest men. I had not the +pleasure of knowing Wilding personally yet I, like all the tennis +world, felt a sense of keen personal loss at his heroic passing. +Wilding was a man whose sterling qualities gave even more to the +game than his play, and tennis is better for his all too brief +career. + +America lost some of its finest manhood in the War, and tennis +paid its toll. No player was a more likeable personality nor +popular figure among the rising stars than John Plaffman, the +young Harvard man who gave his life in Flanders fields. I cannot +touch on the many heroes who made everlasting fame in a bigger +game than that which they loved so well. Time is too short. It is +sufficient to know that the tennis players of the world dropped +their sport at the call of War, and played as well with death as +ever they did on the tennis court. + +The War is over, please God never to return, and the men are back +from their marvellous task. The game of War is done, the games of +Peace are again being played. Tennis suffered the world over from +war's blight, but everywhere the game sprang up in renewed life +at the close of hostilities. The season of 1919 was one of +reconstruction after the devastation. New figures were standing +in prominence where old stars were accustomed to be seen. The +question on the lips of all the tennis players was whether the +stars of pre-War days would return to their former greatness. + +The Championship of the World for 1919 at Wimbledon was anxiously +awaited. Who would stand forth as the shining light of that +meeting? Gerald Patterson, the "Australian Hurricane," as the +press called him, came through a notable field and successfully +challenged Norman Brookes for the title. Gobert and Kingscote +fell before him, and the press hailed him as a player of +transcendent powers. + +The Australian team of Brookes, Patterson, R. V. Thomas, and +Randolph Lycett journeyed home to the Antipodes by way of America +to compete in the American Championship. Meanwhile R. N. +Williams, W. M. Johnston, and Maurice E. M'Loughlin were +demobilized, and were again on the courts. The American +Championships assumed an importance equal to that of the +Wimbledon event. + +The Australian team of Brookes and Patterson successfully +challenged the American title-holders in doubles, Vincent +Richards and myself, after defeating the best teams in America, +including W. M. Johnston and C. J. Griffin, the former champions. +Speculation was rife as to Patterson's ability to triumph in the +Singles Championship, and public interest ran high. + +The Singles Championship proved a notable triumph for W. M. +Johnston, who won a decisive, clear-cut, and deserved victory +from a field never equalled in the history of tennis. Johnston +defeated Patterson in a marvellous 5-set struggle, while Brookes +lost to me in four sets. M'Loughlin went down to Williams in a +match that showed the famous Comet but a faint shadow of his +former self. Williams was defeated in sequence sets by me. The +final round found Johnston in miraculous form and complete master +of the match from start to finish, and he defeated me in three +sequence sets. + +Immediately following the championship, the Australian-American +team match took place. In this Brookes went down to defeat before +Johnston in four close sets, while I succeeded in scoring another +point by nosing out Patterson by the same score. Thus 1919 gave +Johnston a clear claim to the title of the World's Premier Tennis +Player. The whole season saw marked increase in tennis interest +throughout the entire world. + +I have gone into more detail concerning the season of 1919 than I +otherwise would, to attempt to show the revival of the tennis +game in the public interest, and why it is so. + +The evolution of the tennis game is a natural logical one. There +is a definite cycle of events that can be traced. The picture is +clearest in America as the steps of advancements are more +definitely defined. It is from America that I am going to analyse +the growth of modern tennis. + +The old saying, "Three generations from shirt sleeves to shirt +sleeves," may well be parodied to "Three decades from ground +strokes to ground strokes." The game of tennis is one great +circle that never quite closes. Progress will not allow a +complete return to the old style. Yet the style, without the +method of thirty years ago, is coming back in vogue. It is a +polished, decorated version of the old type game. It is expanded +and developed. History tells us that the civilization of the old +Greeks and Romans held many so-called modern luxuries, but not +the methods of acquiring them we have to-day. Just so with +tennis; for the ground. stroke game was the style of the past, +just as it will be the style of the future; but the modern method +of making ground strokes is a very different thing from the one +used by the old-time stars. + +We are on the brink of the upheaval. The next few years will show +results in the tennis game that were not thought of before the +War. Tennis is becoming an organized sport, with skilled +management. Modern methods, where efficiency is the watchword, is +the new idea in tennis development. + +Tennis is on the verge of the greatest increase in its history. +Never before has tennis of all types been so universally played, +nor by such great multitudes. Its drawing power is phenomenal, +hundreds of thousands of people witnessing matches the world +over, and played during the season of 1920. + +There are more players of fame now before the public than at any +previous time since tennis became established. The standard of +play of the masses and quality of game of the stars have risen +tremendously in the last decade. No less an authority than Norman +E. Brookes, whose active playing days cover a period of twenty +years, told me during the American Championships, last year at +Forest Hills, that in his opinion the game in America had +advanced fully "15" in ten years. He stated that he believed the +leading players of to-day were the superior of the Larneds, +Dohertys, and Pims of the past. + +The most remarkable advance has been along the lines of junior +play: the development of a large group of boys ranging in age +from thirteen to eighteen, who will in time replace the +Johnstons, Williams, and M'Loughlins of to-day. + +American tennis has passed through a series, of revolutionary +stages that have changed the complex of the game. English tennis +has merely followed its natural development, unaffected by +external influences or internal upheaval, so that the game today +is a refined product of the game of twenty years ago. Refined but +not vitalized. The World War alone placed its blight on the +English game, and changed the even tenor of its way. Naturally +the War had only a devastating effect. No good sprang from it. It +is to the everlasting credit of the French and English that +during those horrible four years of privation, suffering, and +death the sports of the nations lived. + +The true type of English tennis, from which American tennis has +sprung, was the baseline driving game. It is still the same. +Well-executed drives, hit leisurely and gracefully from the base- +line, appealed to the temperament of the English people. They +developed this style to a perfection well-nigh invincible to cope +with from the same position. The English gave the tennis world +its traditions, its Dohertys, and its Smiths. + +Tennis development, just as tennis psychology, is largely a +matter of geographical distribution. This is so well recognized +now in America that the country is divided in various geographic +districts by the national association, and sectional associations +carry on the development of their locality under the supervision +of the national body. + +Naturally new countries, with different customs, would not +develop along the same lines as England. America, Australia, and +South Africa took the English style, and began their tennis +career on the baseline game. Each of these has since had a +distinct yet similar growth--a variance to the original style. +American tennis followed the English baseline style through a +period that developed Dr. Dwight, R. D. Sears, Henry Slocum, and +other stars. Tennis, during this time, was gaining a firm hold +among the boys and young men who found the deep-driving game +devoid of the excitement they desired. Americans always enjoy +experiments, so the rising players tried coming to the net at any +reasonable opening. Gradually this plan became popular, until +Dwight Davis and Holcombe Ward surprised the tennis world with +their new service, now the American twist, and used it as an +opening gun in a net attack. + +This new system gave us besides Davis and Ward, the Wrenn +brothers, George and Robert, Malcolm Whitman, M. G. Chace, and +finally Beals C. Wright. The baseline game had its firm adherents +who followed it loyally, and it reached its crest in the person +of William A. Larned. Previous to this time, speed, cyclonic +hitting and furious smashing were unknown, although rumours of +some player named M'Loughlin combining these qualities were +floating East from the Pacific Coast. Not much stock was taken in +this phenomenon until 1908, when Maurice Evans M'Loughlin burst +upon the tennis world with a flash of brilliancy that earned him +his popular nickname, "The California Comet." + +M'Loughlin was the turning-point in American tennis. He made a +lasting impression on the game that can never be erased. His +personality gained him a following and fame, both in America and +England, that have seldom been equalled in the sporting world. + +M'Loughlin was the disciple of speed. Cyclonic, dynamic energy, +embodied in a fiery-headed boy, transformed tennis to a game of +brawn as well as brains. America went crazy over "Red Mac," and +all the rising young players sought to emulate his game. No man +has brought a more striking personality, or more generous +sportsmanship, into tennis than M'Loughlin. The game owes him a +great personal debt; but this very personal charm that was his +made many players strive to copy his style and methods, which +unfortunately were not fundamentally of the best. M'Loughlin was +a unique tennis player. His whole game was built up on service +and overhead. His ground strokes were very faulty. By his +personal popularity M'Loughlin dwarfed the importance of ground +strokes, and unduly emphasized the importance of service. +M'Loughlin gave us speed, dash, and verve in our tennis. It +remained for R. N. Williams and W. M. Johnston to restore the +balance of the modern game by solving the riddle of the +Californian's service. Brookes and Wilding led the way by first +meeting the ball as it came off the ground. Yet neither of these +two wizards of the court successfully handled M'Loughlin's +service as did Williams and Johnston. + +M'Loughlin swept Brookes and Wilding into the discard on those +memorable days in 1914, when the dynamic game of the fiery-headed +Californian rose to heights it had never attained previously, and +he defeated both men in the Davis Cup. Less than one month later +Williams, playing as only Williams can, annihilated that mighty +delivery and crushed M'Loughlin in the final of the National +Championship. It was the beginning of the end for M'Loughlin, for +once his attack was repulsed he had no sound defence to fall back +on. + +Williams and then Johnston triumphed by the wonderful ground +strokes that held back M'Loughlin's attack. + +To-day we are still in the period of service and net attack, with +the cycle closing toward the ground- stroke game. Yet the circle +will never close, for the net game is the final word in attack, +and only attack will succeed. The evolution means that the ground +stroke is again established as the only modern defence against +the net player. + +Modern tennis should be an attacking service, not necessarily +epoch-making, as was M'Loughlin's, but powerfully offensive, with +the main portion of the play from the baseline in sparring for +openings to advance to the net. Once the opening is made the +advance should follow quickly, and the point ended by a decisive +kill. That is the modern American game. It is the game of +Australia as typified by Patterson schooled under the Brookes +tutelage. It is the game of France, played by Gobert, Laurentz, +and Brugnon. It has spread to South Africa, and is used by +Winslow, Norton, and Raymond. Japan sees its possibilities, and +Kumagae and Shimidzu are even now learning the net attack to +combine with the baseline game. England alone remains obstinate +in her loyalty to her old standby, and even there signs of the +joint attack are found in the game of Kingscote. + +Tennis has spread so rapidly that the old idea of class and class +game has passed away with so many other ancient, yet snobbish, +traditions. Tennis is universally played. The need of proper +development of the game became so great in America that the +American Lawn Tennis Association organized, in 1917, a system of +developing the boys under eighteen years of age all over the +United States. + +The fundamental idea in the system, which had its origin in the +able brain of Julian S. Myrick, President of the United States +Lawn Tennis Association, was to arouse and sustain interest in +the various sections by dealing with local conditions. This was +successfully done through a system of local open tournaments, +that qualified boys to a sectional championship. These sectional +championships in turn qualified the winners for the National +junior Championship, which is held annually in conjunction with +the men's event at Forest Hills. + +The success of the system has been stupendous. The growth of +tennis in certain localities has been phenomenal. In Philadelphia +alone over 500 boys compete in sanctioned play annually, while +the city ranking for 1919 contained the names of 88 boys under +eighteen, and 30 under fifteen, all of whom had competed in at +least three sanctioned events. The school leagues of the city +hold a schedule of 726 individual matches a year. The success of +the Philadelphia junior system is due to the many large clubs who +give the use of their courts and the balls for an open +tournament. Among these clubs are Germantown Cricket Club, Cynwyd +Club, Philadelphia Cricket, Overbrook Golf Club, Belfield Country +Club, Stenton A. C., Green Point Tennis Clubs and at times Merion +Cricket Club. The movement has been fostered and built up by the +efforts of a small group of men, the most important of whom is +Paul W. Gibbons, President of the Philadelphia Tennis +Association, together with Wm. H. Connell of Germantown, the late +Hosmer W. Hanna of Stenton, whose untiring efforts aided greatly +in obtaining a real start, Dr. Chuton A. Strong, President of the +Interscholastic League, Albert L. Hoskins, for years +Vice-President of the U.S.L.T.A., and others. This plan brought +great results. It developed such players as Rodney M. Beck, H. F. +Domkin, G. B. Pfingst, Carl Fischer, the most promising boy in +the city, who has graduated from the junior age limit, and +Charles Watson (third), who, in 1920, is the Philadelphia junior +Champion, and one of the most remarkable players for a boy of +sixteen I have ever seen. + +New York City was fortunate in having F. B. Alexander, the famous +Internationalist, to handle the junior tennis there. He, together +with Julian S. Myrick, and several other men, built up a series +of tournaments around New York that produced some remarkable +young players. It is largely due to the junior system that +Vincent Richards has become the marvellous player that he is, at +such an early age. Second only to Richards, and but a shade +behind, are Harold Taylor and Cecil Donaldson, who have just +passed out of the junior age limit. Charles Wood, the Indoor Boys +Champion, is a remarkable youngster. + +In New England, particularly in Providence, through the efforts +of J. D. E. Jones, junior tennis is rapidly assuming an important +place, and many young stars who will be heard of in the future +are coming to the fore. By a strange coincidence the list is +headed by the two sons of Jones. They seem to have inherited +their father's ability. Arnold W. Jones, the National Boy +Champion, is a player of marked ability, with a fine all-around +game. Following closely on his heels come J. D. E. Jones, Jr., +and Wm. W. Ingraham. From the South one finds John E. Howard. +Around Chicago a group of men, led by Samuel Hardy, captain of +the 1920 Davis Cup team, and assisted by R. T. Van Arsdale, built +up a magnificent system of tournaments and coaching. Hardy left +Chicago and came to New York in 1919; but the work which he so +ably organized will continue under the supervision of the Western +Association. The leading juniors developed in Chicago were Lucian +Williams and the Weber brothers, James and Jerry. + +From the Pacific Coast, the pioneer in junior development, +wonderful boys are continually coming East. A boy's tennis game +matures early in California. M'Loughlin was about eighteen when +he first came East; Johnston less than twenty-one when he won the +national title the first time; Marvin Griffin and Morgan Fottrell +are in 1920 the leading youngsters in California. + +The success of the Californians is due largely to the efforts of +Dr. Sumner Hardy, brother of Samuel Hardy, and one of the most +remarkable figures in the tennis world. Dr. Hardy practically +carries the California Association single handed. He is a big +factor in American tennis success. + +From up in Washington State, a fine young player, Marshall Allen, +has come to the fore. + +Charles S. Garland, the Davis Cup star, is a former junior +Champion of America, and a product of the junior system in +Pittsburg, which is so ably handled by his father, Charles +Garland. Other young stars developing include George Moreland and +Leonard Reed. + +Most of the foregoing is irrelevant, I suppose, but I have gone +into detail because I want to prove that America has gone into +the matter of junior developments, carefully, systematically, and +has produced results. + +It has been proved conclusively that it is in the schools that +the most favourable progress could be made. Once tennis is placed +on the basis of importance it deserves, the boys will take it up. +At present there is a tendency to discount tennis and golf in +school. This is a big mistake, as these two games are the only +ones that a man can play regularly after he leaves college and +enters, into business. The school can keep a sport alive. It is +schools that kept cricket alive in England, and lack of +scholastic support that killed it in America. The future of +tennis in England, France, Australia, Japan, etc., rests in the +hands of the boys. If the game is to grow, tennis must be +encouraged among the youngsters and played in the schools. + +England is faced with a serious problem. Eton and Harrow, the two +big schools, are firm set against tennis. The other institutions +naturally follow in the lead of these famous schools. The younger +generation is growing up with little or no knowledge of tennis. +One thing that forcibly bore in on my mind, during my trip in +1920, was the complete absence of boys of all ages at the various +tournaments. In America youngsters from ten years of age up swarm +all over the grounds at big tennis events. I saw very few of +either at Queen's Club, Wimbledon, Eastbourne, or Edgbaston where +I played. The boys do not understand tennis in England, and +naturally do not care to play it. + +The English Lawn Tennis Association is very desirous of building +up tennis in the schools; but so far has not yet succeeded in +breaking down the old prejudice. It is really a question of life +or death with English tennis at this time. Major A. R. F. +Kingscote, the youngest of the leading players in England, is +older than any man in the American First ten, with the single +exception of Walter T. Hayes. J. C. Parke has stated definitely +that 1920 marked his retirement from the game. He is just under +forty. Young players must be found to replace the waning stars. +The danger is not immediate, for all the players who proved so +good in 1920 seemed certain of several more years of first- class +play; but what of the next ten years? + +The future development of tennis is dependent largely upon the +type of court that will become the standard. All big fixtures +to-day are played on grass wherever possible. There is little +question but that the grass game is the best. In the first place, +it is the old-established custom, and should be maintained if +possible. Secondly, the game is more skilful and more interesting +on turf. Thirdly, grass is far easier on the eyes and feet of the +players than any other surface. + +There are drawbacks to grass courts. Grass cannot grow in all +climates. The grass season opens late and closes early. The +expense of upkeep is very great, and skilled groundsmen are +required at all clubs that have grass courts. + +The hard court of clay or dirt, cinder, en-tout-cas, or asphalt +allows more continuous play and uniform conditions in more kinds +of weather. The bound is truer and higher, but the light and +surface are harder on the player. The balls wear light very +rapidly, while racquets wear through quite soon. + +The advantages are a much longer season on hard courts, with less +chance of weather interrupting important meetings. The courts +require far less care in upkeep than grass. + +What has been the actual tendency in the last decade? In America +the hard courts erected have been approximately nine to one +grass. America is rapidly become a hard-court country. France is +entirely on a hard-court basis; there are no grass courts at all. +Play in South Africa is entirely on hard courts. Australia and +the British Isles have successfully repelled the hard-court +invasion thus far, although during the past two years the number +of hard courts put up in England has exceeded grass. + +The en-tout-cas court of peculiar red surface is the most popular +composition in England and the Continent. + +There seems little doubt but that the hard court is the coming +surface in the next decade. Grass will continue to be used for +the most important events, but the great majority of the tennis +played, exclusive of the championships, will be on hard courts. + +The result on the game will be one of increasing the value of the +ground stroke and partially cutting down the net attack, since +the surface of a hard court is slippery and tends to make it hard +to reach the net to volley. Thus the natural attack will become a +drive and not a volley. Hard-court play speeds up the ground +strokes, and makes the game more orthodox. + +The installation of hard courts universally should spread tennis +rapidly, since it will afford more chance to play over a longer +period. The growth of public courts in the parks and the +municipal play grounds in America has been a big factor in the +spread of the game's popularity. Formerly a man or boy had to +belong to a club in order to have an opportunity to play tennis. +Now all he needs is a racquet and balls, and he may play on a +public court in his own city. This movement will spread, not only +in America but throughout the world. England and France have some +public courts; but their systems are not quite as well organized +as the American. + +The branch of tennis which England and France foster, and in +which America is woefully lax, is the indoor game. Unfortunately +the majority of the courts abroad have wood surfaces, true but +lightning fast. The perfect indoor court should retain its true +bound, but slow up the skid of the ball. The most successful +surface I have ever played upon is battleship linoleum--the heavy +covering used on men-of-war. This gives a true, slightly retarded +bound, not unlike a very fast grass court. + +Indoor play in America is sadly crippled by reason of no adequate +facilities for play. The so-called National Indoor Championship +is held at the Seventh Regiment Armoury in New York City on a +wood floor, with such frightful lighting that it is impossible to +play real tennis. The two covered courts at Longwood Club, +Boston, are very fine, well lighted, with plenty of space. There +is a magnificent court at Providence, and another at Buffalo. +Utica boasts of another, while there are several fine courts, +privately owned, on Long Island. New York City uses the big +armouries for indoor play; but the surface and light in these are +not fit for real tennis. The Brooklyn Heights Casino has the only +adequate court in the Metropolitan district. + +Philadelphia and Chicago, cities of enormous populations and +great tennis interest, have no courts or facilities for indoor +play. This condition must be rectified in America if we wish to +keep our supremacy in the tennis world. The French players are +remarkable on wood. Gobert is said to be the superior of any +player in the world, when playing under good conditions indoors. +The game of tennis is worthy of having all types of play within +reach of its devotees. Why should a player drop his sport in +October because the weather is cold? Indoor play during the +winter means an improvement from season to season. Lack of it is +practically stagnation or retrogression. + +The future will see a growth of hard-court play the world over. +Grass must fight to hold its position. Indoor play will come more +and more into vogue. + + + +CHAPTER XI. THE PROBABLE FUTURE OF THE GAME + +What will be the outcome of the world-wide boom in tennis? Will +the game change materially in the coming years? Time, alone, can +answer; but with that rashness that seizes one when the +opportunity to prophesy arrives and no one is at hand to cry +"Hold, hold," I dare to submit my views on the coming years in +international tennis. + +I do not look to see a material change in the playing rules. A +revival of the footfault fiend, who desires to handicap the +server, is international in character and, like the poor, "always +with us." The International Federation has practically adopted a +footfault rule for 1921 that prohibits the server lifting one +foot unless replaced behind the baseline. It is believed this +will do away with the terrific services. The only effect I can +see from it is to move the server back a few inches, or possibly +a foot, while he delivers the same service and follows in with a +little more speed of foot. It will not change the game at all. +Sir Oliver Lodge, the eminent scientist, has joined the advocates +of but one service per point. This seems so radical and in all so +useless, since it entirely kills service as other than a mere +formality, and puts it back where it was twenty-five years ago, +that I doubt if even the weight of Sir Oliver Lodge's eminent +opinion can put it over. To allow one service is to hand the game +more fully into the receiver's hands than it now rests in the +server's. + +The playing rules are adequate in every way, and the perfect +accord with which representatives of the various countries meet +and play, happily, successfully, and what is more important, +annually, is sufficient endorsement of the fundamental +principles. The few slight variations of the different countries +are easily learned and work no hardships on visiting players. Why +change a known successful quantity for an unknown? It seldom +pays. + +The style of play is now approaching a type which I believe will +prove to have a long life. To-day we are beginning to combine the +various styles in one man. The champion of the future will +necessarily need more equipment than the champion of to-day. The +present shows us the forehand driving of Johnston, the service of +Murray, the volleying of Richards, the chop of Wallace F. +Johnson, the smash of Patterson, the half volley of Williams, and +the back hand of Pell. The future will find the greatest players +combining much of these games. It can be done if the player will +study. I believe that every leading player in the world in 1950 +will have a drive and a chop, fore- and backhand from the +baseline. He will use at least two styles of service, since one +will not suffice against the stroke of that period. He will be a +volleyer who can safely advance to the net, yet his attack will +be based on a ground game. He must smash well. In short, I +believe that the key to future tennis success lies in variety of +stroke. The day of the one-stroke player is passing. Each year +sees the versatile game striding forward by leaps and bounds. + +The future champion of the world must be a man of keen intellect, +since psychology is assuming the importance that is its due. He +must train earnestly, carefully, and consistently. The day of +playing successful tennis and staying up till daybreak is over. +The game is too fast and too severe for that. As competition +increases the price of success goes up; but its worth increases +in a greater ratio, for the man who triumphs in the World's +Championship in 1950 will survive a field of stars beyond our +wildest dreams in 1920. + +What of the various countries? America should retain her place at +or near the top, for the boys we are now developing should not +only make great players themselves, but should carry on the work +of training the coming generations. + +England has but to interest her youth in the game to hold her +place with the leaders. I believe it will be done. I look to see +great advances made in tennis among the boys in England in the +next few years. I believe the game will change to conform more to +the modern net attack. England will never be the advanced +tennis-playing country that her colonies are, for her whole +atmosphere is one of conservatism in sport. Still her game will +change. Already a slight modification is at work. The next decade +will see a big change coming over the style of English tennis. +The wonderful sporting abilities of the Englishman, his ability +to produce his best when seemingly down and out mean that, no +matter how low the ebb to which tennis might fall, the inherent +abilities of the English athlete would always bring it up. I +sound pessimistic about the immediate future. I am not, provided +English boyhood is interested in the game. + +Japan is the country of the future. There is no more remarkable +race of students on the globe than the Japanese. They like +tennis, and are coming with increasing numbers to our +tournaments. They prove themselves sterling sportsmen and +remarkable players. I look to see Japan a power in tennis in the +next twenty-five years. + +France, with her brilliant temperamental unstable people, will +always provide interesting players and charming opponents. I do +not look to see France materially change her present +position--which is one of extreme honour, of great friendliness, +and keen competition. Her game will not greatly rise, nor will +she lose in any way the prestige that is hers. + +It will be many long years before the players of those enemy +countries, who plunged the world into the horrible baptism of +blood from which we have only just emerged, will ever be met by +the players of the Allies. Personally, I trust I may not see +their re-entry into the game. Not from the question of the +individuals, but from the feeling which will not down. There is +no need to deal at this time with the future of Germany and +Austria. + +Australasia and South Africa, the great colonies of the British +Empire, should be on the edge of a great tennis wave. I look to +see great players rise in Australasia to refill the gaps left by +the passing of Wilding and the retirement of Brookes. It takes +great players to fill such gaps; but great players are bred from +the traditions of the former masters. + +The early season of 1921 saw a significant and to my way of +looking at it, wise move on the part of New Zealand when the New +Zealand tennis association withdrew from the Australasian tennis +association and decided to compete for the Davis Cup in future +years as a separate nation. + +No one can deny the great help Australia has been to New Zealand +in tennis development, but the time has come now for New Zealand +to stand on her own. Since the regrettable death of Anthony F. +Wilding, in whose memory New Zealand has a tennis asset and +standard that will always hold a place in world sport, the New +Zealand tennis players have been unable to produce a player of +skill enough to make the Davis Cup team of Australasia. It has +fallen to Australia with Norman E. Brookes, to whose unfailing +support and interest Australasian tennis owes its progress since +the war, G. L. Patterson, W. H. Anderson, R. L. Heath, and Pat +O'Hara Wood to uphold the traditions of the game. + +The Davis Cup challenge round of 1921 was staged in New Zealand +in accord with the agreement between Australia and New Zealand +and also in memory of A. F. Wilding. The tremendous interest in +the play throughout the entire country showed the time was ripe +for a drastic step forward if the step was ever to be taken. So +after careful consideration the split of Australia and New +Zealand has taken place. What will this mean to New Zealand? +First it means that it will be years before another Davis Cup +match will be staged on her shores, for it takes time and plenty +of it to produce a winning team, but at the time, the fact is +borne in on the tennis playing faction in New Zealand that as +soon as they desire to challenge, their players will gain the +opportunity of International competition. + +Experience matures players faster than anything else and I am +sure that the move that will place a team of New Zealand players +in the field in the Davis Cup will be the first and biggest step +forward to real world power in tennis. New Zealand produced one +Wilding, why should not another appear? + +I was tremendously impressed by the interest existing among the +New Zealand boys in tennis. I met a great number during my few +weeks in Auckland and seldom have seen such a magnificent +physical type coupled with mental keenness. These boys, given the +opportunity to play under adequate supervision and coaching, +should produce tennis players of the highest class. + +The New Zealand association has made a drastic move. I hope they +have the wisdom to see far enough ahead to provide plenty of play +for their young players and if possible to obtain adequate +coaches in the clubs and schools. + +Frankly I see no players of Davis Cup calibre now in New Zealand. +I did see many boys whom I felt if given the chance would become +Davis Cup material. + +The break with New Zealand will have no effect on Australia, +except to relieve a slight friction that has existed. Australia +has plenty of material coming to insure a succession of fine +teams for the Davis Cup in the future. + +Both Australia and New Zealand handle their tennis in the country +in a most efficient manner and the game seems to me to be +progressing in a natural and healthy manner. The next ten years +will decide the fate of New Zealand tennis. If they organise a +systematic development of their boys I feel convinced they will +gain a place of equality with Australia. If they do not seize +their opening now, tennis will not revive until some genius of +the game such as Norman E. Brookes arises in their midst from +only the Lord knows where. + +The future should see America and Australia fighting for +supremacy in the tennis world, with England and France close on +their heels, to jump in the lead at the first faltering. + +It is only a matter of time before the last differences between +the International Federation and the America Association are +patched up. The fundamental desires of each, to spread the growth +of tennis, are the same. Sooner or later the bar will fall, and a +truly International Federation, worldwide in scope, will follow. + +I look to see the Davis Cup matches gain in importance and public +interest as each year goes by. The growth of the public interest +in the game is seen at every hand. Wimbledon must seek new +quarters. The new grounds of the All England Club will provide +accommodation for 20,000 to witness the championships. This +enormous stadium is the result of public pressure, owing to the +crowds that could not be accommodated at the old grounds. + +Westside Club, Forest Hills, where the American Championship was +held, is planning accommodation for 25,000, provided that they +are awarded the championship for a long term of years. Davis Cup +matches are now drawing from 10,000 to 15,000 where the +accommodation is available. What will the future hold? + +I believe that 1950 will find the game of tennis on a plane +undreamed of to-day. Tennis is still in its infancy. May I have +the pleasure to help in rocking the cradle. + +My task is completed. I have delved into the past, analysed the +present, and prophesied the future, with a complete disregard of +conventions and traditions. + +The old order changeth, and I trust that my book may aid slightly +in turning the tennis thought in the direction of organized +developments. The day of self is past. The day of co-operation is +dawning. It is seen in the junior tennis, the municipal tennis, +and the spirit of international brotherhood in the game. + +Assistance is necessary to success in any venture. My book has +been made possible only by the aid afforded me by several of my +companions on the Davis Cup team trip. The task of arranging the +material in coherent order and proper style is one of the most +important points. I owe a debt of gratitude to Mrs. Samuel Hardy, +wife of our captain, for her never-failing interest and keen +judgment in the matter of style. + +Mr. Hardy, with his great knowledge of the game of tennis, as +player, official, and organizer, freely gave of his store of +experience, and to him I owe much that is interesting in the +tactics of the game. + +R. N. Williams, my team-mate, was always a willing critic and +generous listener, and his playing abilities and decided ideas on +the game gave much material that found its way into these pages. +I wish to express my gratitude for his able assistance. + +Charles S. Garland, my doubles partner and close friend, gave +never-wavering faith and a willing ear to my ravings over +strokes, tactics, and theories, while his orthodox views on +tennis acted as a stop on my rather Bolshevik ideas. + +To all these people I express my thanks for their part in any +success I may attain with this book. I have a firm belief in the +future of tennis. I recommend it to all. It gives firm friends, a +healthy body, a keen mind, and a clean sport. It calls forth the +best that is in you, and repays you in its own coin. + + +THE 1921 SEASON + +The season of 1921 was the most remarkable year in tennis history +throughout the whole world. More tennis was played and more +people viewed it than ever before. + +The climax of famous Davis Cup competition was reached when +England, France, Japan, Australia, the Philippines, Denmark, +Belgium, Argentine, Spain, India, Canada and Czecho-Slovakia +challenged for the right to play America, the holding nation. +This wonderful representation naturally produced not only many +new stars, but also thousands of new enthusiasts in the various +countries where the matches were played. + +The early rounds saw several brilliant matches and naturally some +defaults. Argentine and the Philippines could not put a team in +the field at the last moment. Belgium, after defeating +Czecho-Slovakia, was unable to finance her team to America to +meet the winner of England and Australasia. + +England scored a fine victory over Spain when Randolph Lycett, F. +Gordon Lowe and Max E. Woosnam defeated Manuel Alonzo and Count +de Gomar in a close meeting. Notwithstanding his defeat by +Lycett, Manuel Alonzo proved himself one of the great players of +the world and one of the most attractive personalities in tennis. + +India sprang a sensation by defeating France in their match in +Paris. Sleen, Jacob and Deane showed great promise for the +future. France was crippled owing to the loss of A. H. Gobert and +William Laurentz, the former through a seriously sprained ankle +sustained in the World's Championship at Wimbledon, and the +latter through illness. Samazieuhl, the new French champion, and +Brugnon could not cope with the steadiness of the Indian stars +and the team from the Orient won 3 matches to 2. Meanwhile the +Australian team of J. O. Anderson, J. B. Hawkes, C. V. Todd and +Norman Peach had arrived in America and journeyed to Canada, +where they swamped their Colonial cousins easily. Norman E. +Brookes, Gerald L. Patterson and Pat O'Hara Wood were unable to +accompany the team, so the greatest contender for the title was +weakened appreciably. + +The Australians decisively defeated the Danish team of Tegner and +Van Ingersley at Cleveland, winning with ease. They proceeded to +Pittsburgh to await the arrival of the English players. + +England sent her invading team, unfortunately without the +services of Col. A. R. F. Kingscote and Randolph Lycett, who were +unable to go owing to business affairs. J. C. Parke, her famous +international star, was also out of the game, having retired from +active competition last year. The English team was made up of +Gordon Lowe, Max Woosnam, J. C. Gilbert and O. E. H. Turnbull. +They were accompanied by that delightful author and critic A. +Wallis Meyers. + +The English met the Australians at Pittsburgh in July. The latter +won three matches to two with J. O. Anderson, the outstanding +figure of a well played meeting. The tall Australian defeated +both Lowe and Woosnam in the singles and aided in the doubles +victory, thus scoring all the points for his team. + +Meanwhile the Indian team had arrived in America and proceeded to +Chicago, where they met the Japanese team of Kumagae and +Shimidzu. The battle of the Orient resulted in a victory for the +Nipponese. + +The final round found Australia playing Japan in the famous old +tennis center of Newport, R. I., where the National Singles so +long held sway. It was a bitter struggle, with the Australians +within two little points of victory in two matches they +afterwards lost. Shimidzu and Kumagae took all the singles, but +Kumagae was two sets down to Hawkes and one to two down to +Anderson. Thus Japan in its first year in Davis Cup competition +earned the right to challenge America for the treasured trophy. + +It was a marvellous meeting of these two teams. Over 40,000 +people watched the players in three days. Although America won +all five matches, Shimidzu came within two points of defeating me +in straight sets and carried Johnston to a bitter four set +struggle. + +The Cup is safe for another year but the new blood infused into +the competition by such men as Shimidzu, Alonzo, Woosnam, +Anderson and Hawkes shows clearly that America must keep working +or we will fall from our present position. It is a healthy thing +for the game that this is so. I hope we will see many more new +players of equal promise next year. + +The United States Lawn Tennis Association, following its policy +of co-operation with the Internation Federation, decided to send +a team to France and England for the championships. The personnel +of the team was Mrs. Franklin 1. Mallory, Miss Edith Sigourney, +Arnold W. Jones (boy champion of America, 1919), and myself. J. +D. E. Jones, father of Arnold, himself a tennis player of renown, +accompanied the team, as did Mr. Mallory. + +The invading tennis players sailed May 12th on the Mauretania to +Cherbourg and from there journeyed to Paris, where they engaged +in the Hard Court Championship of the world. + +The first week of the stay was devoted to practice on the courts +at the Stad Francais, St. Cloud, where the championship was held. +The team were the guests of the Racing Club at a most delightful +luncheon and shortly afterward dined as the guests of the Tennis +Club of Paris. + +The finals of the championship of France were held during our +stay and, greatly to our surprise, A. H. Gobert, the defending +title holder, fell a victim to his old enemy, heat, and went down +to defeat before Samazieuhl. The Hard Court championships of the +world produced a series of the most sensational upsets in the +history of the game, a series, I might add, that did much to +allow me to win the event. Gobert lost to Nicholas Mishu in the +first round. Alonzo, after defeating Samazieuhl, went down to +defeat at hands of Laurentz, who in turn collapsed to Tegner. +Fate pursued the winners, for Tegner was eliminated by Washer, +who came through to the final against me. Either Alonzo or +Laurentz should have been finalists if the unexpected had not +occurred, and either would have been a hard proposition for me +particularly in my condition. I had been taken ill on my arrival +in Paris and was still far from well. However, Fortune smiled on +me and I succeeded in defeating Washer 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. + +Meanwhile the long awaited meeting between Mlle. Lenglen and Mrs. +Mallory was at hand. Mrs. Mallory had come through one side of +the tournament after a bitter battle with Mme. Billoutt (Mlle. +Brocadies) in the semi final. + +Mlle. Lenglen had proceeded in her usual leisurely fashion to the +finals with the loss of but two games. + +What a meeting these two great players, Mrs. Mallory and Mlle. +Lenglen, had! Every seat in the stands sold and every inch of +standing room crowded! It was a marvellous match, both women +playing great tennis. Mlle. Lenglen had consistently better depth +and more patience. She out- manoeuvred the American champion and +won 6-2, 6-3. The match was far closer than this one-sided score +sounds. Every rally was long drawn out and bitterly contested, +but the French girl had a slight superiority that brought her a +well deserved victory. + +A. H. Gobert and W. Laurentz retained their doubles title after +one of the most terrific struggles of their careers in the +semi-final round against Arnold Jones and me. The boy and I had +previously put out Samazieuhl and his partner in three sets and +just nosed out the Spanish Davis Cup team, Manuel Alonzo and +Count de Gomar. + +The semi final between Gobert and Laurentz and the Americans +brought out a capacity audience that literally jumped to its feet +and cheered during the sparkling rallies of the five bitterly +contesting sets. Just as Gobert drove his terrific service ace +past me for the match, Laurentz suddenly collapsed and fainted +dead away on the court. It was a dramatic end to a sensational +match. + +The scene then shifted to England, where the American team +journeyed across the Channel to prepare for the Grass Court +championship of the world at Wimbledon. My preparation consisted +of a hasty journey to a hospital, where a minor operation put me +to bed until the day Wimbledon started. + +The remainder of the team journeyed first to Beckenham and then +to Roehampton for their first grass court play of the season. +Mrs. Mallory met defeat at the hands of Mrs. Beamish at Beckenham +while the other members fell by the wayside at sundry points. +Mrs. Mallory won Roehampton, decisively defeating Miss Phillis +Howkins in the final. Francis T. Hunter, another American who +joined the team in England, although he was abroad on business, +scored a victory in the men's event at Roehampton. + +The world's championship at Wimbledon was another series of +sensational matches and startling upsets. The draw as usual was +topheavy, all the strength in the upper half with Frank Hunter +and B. I. C. Norton in the lower. Every day saw its feature +matches produce the unexpected. Shimidzu and Lycett battled for +nearly four hours in a struggle that combined all the virtues and +vices of tennis and pugilism. Col. A. R. F. Kingscote, after +three sensational victories over Fisher, Dixon and Lowe, +collapsed against Alonzo and was decisively defeated. Shimidzu +looked a certain winner against Alonzo when he led at 2 sets to 1 +and 4-1, but the Spaniard rose to great heights and by +sensational play pulled out the match in five sets. + +Norton and Hunter, after several close calls, met in the semi +final. Norton took two sets and led 5-3 in the third only to have +Hunter follow in Alonzo's footsteps and pull out the set and win +the next. Here Norton again took command and ran out the match. + +The Norton-Alonzo match in the final round was a sensational +reversal. The Spaniard seemed assured of victory when he took two +sets and led at 5-3 and 30-all, but the last-minute jinx that +pursued the tournament fell upon him, for Norton came to life +and, playing sensational tennis, pulled out the match and earned +the right to me in the challenge round. + +Then the jinx arose again and this time Babe Norton was the +victim. Such a match as that challenge round produced! I went on +the court feeling far from well and very much run down. Babe was +on the crest but very nervous. He ran away with the first two +sets with great ease. The third set I improved. Babe, after +dropping three games, decided to let it go. The fourth set found +the crowd excited and rather noisy. Norton became annoyed because +he felt I was bothered, and he blew up. He simply threw away the +fourth set from sheer nerves. + +The fifth set was terrible. Norton had come to earth and was +playing well while I for the first time in the match had some +control of the ball. Norton finally led at 4-5 and 30-40 on my +service, with the championship one point away. + +We had a long rally. Desperately I hit down the line. I was so +certain my shot was going out I started for the net to shake +hands. The ball fell on the line and Babe in the excitement of +the moment put his return out by inches. It was a life and +fortunately for me I seized my chance and succeeded in pulling +out the match and retaining the championship. Norton deserved to +win, for nothing but luck saved me as I walked to the net, +thinking my shot was out. Norton is the youngest man to have won +the All Comers Singles. He is just 21. + +The championships had two sad moments. One was the absence of J. +C. Parke, due to retirement from singles. The other was the +retirement of A. W. Gore, the famous veteran, after 30 years a +participant in the championships. + +The women's events found an even more unfortunate draw than the +men. All the strength was in one eight. Miss Ryan defeated Miss +K. McKane in the first round and Mrs. Beamish her old rival in +the second. She met Mrs. Mallory in the third. + +For one set Mrs. Mallory played the finest tennis of her career +to that time and in fact equal even to her play against Suzanne +Lenglen in America. She ran off six games in ten minutes. Miss +Ryan, cleverly changing her game, finally broke up the perfection +of Mrs. Mallory's stroking and just nosed her out in the next two +sets. It was a well deserved victory. + +Miss Ryan easily won the tournament and challenged Mlle. Lenglen, +but her old jinx in the form of Suzanne again proved too much and +she played far below her best. The French girl easily retained +her title, winning 6-2, 6-0. + +The journey of the wandering tennis troupe abroad was far from +the most important development of the year. The American season +was producing remarkable results. Every year produces its +outstanding figure and the early months of 1921 saw Vincent +Richards looming large on the tennis horizon. + +The first sensation of the year was the decisive defeat inflicted +on Kumagae by young Richards at Amakassin Club, New York. This +was immediately followed by Kumagae's victory over Dick Williams, +avenging Williams' win at Palm Beach some months before. Kumagae +scored in the intercity match for the George Myers Church Trophy +played in 1921 in Philadelphia. The following day Wallace F. +Johnson defeated Kumagae in one of the most terrific battle of +the year. + +Vincent Richards went through the season to the middle of July +without sustaining a defeat. He won five tournaments. + +I arrived home from France and England July 12th and journeyed at +once to Providence where I took charge of the Rhode Island State +Championship at the Agawam Hunt Club. Zenzo Shimidzu had +accompanied me to America on the Olympic and made his first +tournament appearance two days after landing at Greenwich, Conn., +before coming to Providence. He went down to unexpected defeat at +the hands of S. H. Voshell. + +The Providence tournament held the greatest entry list of any +event except the National Singles itself. The singles had +Shimidzu, Williams, Richards, C. S. Garland, Watson Washburn, S. +H. Voshell, Samuel Hardy, N. W. Niles, many young Western +collegiate stars and myself. Ichiya Kumagae arrived to play +doubles with Shimidzu in preparation for the Davis Cup. + +Then the fun began. Shimidzu again fell before the net attack of +Voshell, who was himself defeated by the calm quiet steadiness of +Washburn. Garland went out at my hands. Williams faced certain +defeat when Niles led him 4-0 in the final set, but in one of his +super-tennis streaks tore through to victory, only to collapse +against Vincent Richards and suffer a crushing defeat 6-2, 6-2 in +the semi-final. Meanwhile Washburn had dropped by the wayside to +me 6-2, 6-2 and young Richards and I took up our annual battle. + +Youth is cruel. The world is cruel. Life is hard. I know it, for +Vinnie, with care and discretion, quietly led me along the Road +of the Has-Beens, where he deposited me to the tune of 6-1, 6-2, +1-6, 6-0. + +Richards, with the scalps of Kumagae, Williams, Voshell and +myself dangling at his belt, seemed destined for the championship +itself. Alas, pride goeth before a fall. The fall came to Vinnie +suddenly. + +The following week was the Longwood Singles. "Little Bill" +Johnston arrived East, together with the rest of his California +team, the day the event started. Johnston was the holder of the +trophy and was called on to meet the winner of the tournament in +the challenge round. + +The tournament was mainly Dick Williams. He defeated Shimidzu in +the final. Kumagae was his victim in an earlier round. + +Willis E. Davis, second string of the California team, was +unexpectedly defeated by N. W. Niles, who himself went the long +road via Shimidzu. The little Japanese star scored another +important victory when he defeated W. F. Johnson. + +Williams met Johnston in the challenge round with chances bright. +Somehow Little Bill has Dick's number these days and again +decisively defeated him. Vincent Richards wisely rested the week +of Longwood, preparing for the later events. I was off in the +woods at Camp Winnipesaukee recuperating from the effects of +illness in England. + +Newport followed on the heels of Longwood. Newport should be +called Washburn Week. Here the judicial Watty methodically placed +Johnston and Williams in the discard on successive days. It was a +notable performance. + +Williams took an awful revenge on Vinnie Richards when the two +met in the third round. It was Williams' day and he blew the +little Yonkers boy off the court in one of the finest displays of +the whole year. Shimidzu, who had again scored a victory over +Wallace Johnson, was taken suddenly ill with ptomaine poisoning, +the night before he was to meet Williams in the semi final, and +compelled to default. It robbed him of a chance to gain revenge +for his defeat at Longwood. Washburn played the best tennis of +his life, in defeating Johnston and Williams, which, coupled with +Richards' crushing defeat, placed Washburn on the Davis Cup team. + +A sensational upset occurred in the first round when L. B. Rice +defeated W. E. Davis. Rice has made a great improvement this year +and bids fair to go far. + +Seabright, the next week, found Little Bill Johnston playing the +stellar role. Washburn took a week off but Williams and Richards +were in the competition. + +Johnston crushed Richards when the two met, in a display of +aggressive tennis so remarkable that the boy was helpless before +it. Richards was stale and below form, but even if he had been at +his best, he could not have withstood Johnston's attack. Little +Bill followed this up by sweeping Williams off the court by +another marvellous streak of well nigh perfect tennis. + +Southampton and the Women's National Championship conflicted the +next week. The story of Mrs. Mallory's sensational triumph and +successful defense of her title is told elsewhere in this book. + +Southampton, as always, proved the goat, for almost all the +leading players took a week's rest before the National Doubles +Championship. + +The English Davis Cup team, Willis E. Davis, Vincent Richards and +the Kinsey brothers, Bob and Howard, were the leading stars. The +event narrowed to Davis and Richards in the finals with no upsets +of a startling nature. Davis had had a very poor record all year, +while Richards boasted of the finest list of victories of the +season. On the other hand the boy was over-tennised and stale and +it proved his undoing, for after one set, which he won easily, +the sting went out of his game and Davis took the match in four +sets. + +The championships were just ahead. The Doubles held at Longwood +Club, Boston, found several teams closely matched. Williams and +Washburn, with the Rhode Island State and Newport to their +credit, were the favorites for the title. "Little Bill" Johnston +and W. E. Davis and Bob and Howard Kinsey of California had both +pressed them closely. Vincent Richards and I teamed together for +the first time since N. E. Brookes and G. L. Patterson had won +the title from us in 1919. Samuel Hardy and S. H. Voshell were a +pair of veterans who needed watching. + +Williams and Washburn had a close call in the third round when +Hardy and Voshell led 3-1 in the fifth set, but an unfortunate +miss of an easy volley by Hardy and a footfault on game point at +3-4 and 30-40 by Voshell turned the tide and the favorites were +safe. Johnston and Davis had several chances in the semi-final +but Davis was too uncertain and Bill too anxious and they tossed +away the opportunities. + +Vinnie and I met the Kinseys in the semi-final and after chasing +their lobs all over the court for hours and smashing until our +backs ached, we finally pulled out three sequence sets. I have +seldom seen a team work together more smoothly than the Kinseys. + +The final match between Williams and Washburn, Richards and I for +two sets was as sensational and closely contested doubles as ever +featured a national championship. Our slight superiority in +returning service gave us just enough margin to pull out the +first two sets 14-12, 12-10. Then Richards went mad. There is no +other way to describe it. Every time he got his racquet on a ball +it went for a clean placement. I stood around and watched him. +Almost single-handed this remarkable boy won the last set 6-2. + +The Davis Cup challenge round stretched itself between the +Doubles and Singles Championship. There was no work except for us +poor hard-working players who were on the team. The rest was a +blessing to Richards, who needed it badly, as he was tired and +drawn. + +Following the American victory in the Davis Cup, the scene +shifted to Philadelphia and the eyes of the tennis world were +centered on the Germantown Cricket Club, where the greatest +tournament of all time was to be held. Players of seven nations +were to compete. The Davis Cup stars of England, Australia and +Japan added their brilliance to that of all the leading American +players. Six American champions, W. A. Larned, W. J. Clothier, R. +N. Williams, R. L. Murray, W. M. Johnston, and myself were +entered. + +Fate took a hand in the draw and for once I think did so badly +that it settled the "blind draw" forever. In one sixteen +Johnston, Richards, Shimidzu, Murray and I were bunched. The howl +of protest from tennis players and public alike was so loud that +the blind draw surely will go by the board at the coming annual +meeting. Since the foregoing was written, the prophecy has proved +true. The annual meeting, Feb. 4th, 1922, adopted the "Seeded +Draw" unanimously. + +Every day produced its thrills, but play ran singularly true to +form in most cases. Illness took a hand in the game, compelling +the defaults of R. L. Murray, Ichiya Kumagae and W. A. Larned. + +The early rounds saw but one upset. Norman Peach, Captain of the +Australasian Davis Cup team, was eliminated by William W. +Ingraham, of Providence, one of the best junior players in +America. It was a splendid victory and shows the fruit our junior +development system is already bearing. Peach had not been well +but for all that he played a splendid game and all credit is due +Ingraham for his victory. + +The second day's play saw a remarkable match when W. E. Davis +defeated C. V. Todd of Australia after the latter led him by two +sets. Davis steadily improved and by rushing the net succeeded in +breaking up Todd's driving game. Todd unfortunately pulled a +muscle in his side that seriously hampered him in the fifth set. + +Wallace F. Johnson, playing magnificent tennis, eliminated Watson +Washburn in one of the brainiest, hardest fought matches of the +whole tournament. + +Johnson was very steady and outlasted Washburn in the first set, +which he won. Washburn then took to storming the net and carried +off two sets decisively. The strain took its toll and he was +perceptibly slower when the fourth set opened. Johnson ran him +from corner to corner, or tossed high lobs when Washburn took the +net. It proved too much for even Washburn to stand, and the +Philadelphian won the next two sets and with it the match. Many +people considered it a great upset. Personally I expected it, as +I know how dangerous Johnson may be. + +The Johnston-Richards match and my meeting with Shimidzu came on +the third day. Fully 15,000 people jammed themselves around the +court and yelled, clapped and howled their excitement through the +afternoon. It was a splendidly behaved gallery but a very +enthusiastic one. + +Richards, eager to avenge his crushing defeat by Johnston at +Seabright, started with a rush. "Little Bill" was uncertain and +rather nervous. Richards ran away with the first two sets almost +before Johnston realized what was happening. The tennis Richards +played in these sets was almost unbeatable. Johnston nerved +himself to his task and held even to 3-all in the third. Here he +broke through and Richards, I think foolishly, made little +attempt to pull out the set. The boy staked all on the fourth +set. Johnston led at 5-3 but Richards, playing desperately, +pulled up to 6-5 and was within two points of the match at 30-all +on Johnston's service. It was his last effort. Johnston took the +game and Richards faded away. His strength failed him and the +match was Johnston's. + +I hit a good streak against Shimidzu and ran away with three +straight sets more or less easily. + +Meantime one of the most sensational upsets of the whole +tournament was taking place on an outside court where Stanley W. +Pearson of Philadelphia was running the legs off N. W. Niles of +Boston and beating him in five sets. + +"Little Bill" Johnston and I met the next day in what was the +deciding match of the tournament, even though it was only the +fourth round. Every available inch of space was jammed by an +overflow gallery when we took the count. It was a bitter match +from the first point. We were both playing well. In the early +stages Little Bill had a slight edge, but after one set the +balance shifted and I held the whip hand to the end. + +The same day Dick Williams went down to sudden and unexpected +defeat at the hands of J. O. Anderson of Australia in five well +played sets. It was a typical Williams effort, glorious tennis +one minute followed by inexcusable lapses. The Australian was +steady and clever throughout. + +The keen speculation as to the outcome of the tournament fell off +after the meeting of Johnston and I, and with it a decrease in +attendance. This ran very high, however, again reaching capacity +on the day of the finals. + +The round before the semi finals saw a terrific struggle between +two Californians, Bob Kinsey and Willis E. Davis. Kinsey had +defeated Davis in the Metropolitan Championship the week before +and was expected to repeat, but Davis managed to outlast his team +and nosed out the match. Kinsey collapsed on the court from +exhaustion as the last point was played. + +Gordon Lowe went down to me in a fine match while J. O. Anderson +and Wallace Johnson completed the Quartet of semi finalists, + +I finally got my revenge on Davis for the many defeats he had +inflicted on me in years gone by. Wallace Johnson scored a +magnificent victory over J. O. Anderson in four sets after the +Australian led at a set all, 5-2, and 40-15. Johnson ran the +visiting Davis Cup star all over the court and finally pulled out +the match in one of the finest displays of court generalship I +have ever seen. + +The finals was more or less of a family party. It was an +all-Philadelphian affair, two Philadelphians competing with +14,000 more cheering them on. + +Johnson was unfortunate. Saturday the match was started under a +dark sky on a soft court that just suited him. I have seldom seen +Johnson play so well; as always, his judgment was faultless. We +divided games with service with monotonous regularity. The score +was 5-all when it began to drizzle. The court, soft at best that +day, grew more treacherous and slippery by the minute. Johnson's +shots hardly left the ground. He broke my service at 7-all when +the rain materially increased. He reached 40-15 but, with the +crowd moving to shelter and the rain falling harder every minute, +he made the fatal error of hurrying and netted two easy shots for +deuce, A moment more and the game was mine and the match called +at 8-all. + +Play was resumed on Monday before a capacity gallery. By mutual +agreement the match was played over from the beginning. I had +learned my lesson the previous day and opened with a rush. The +hot sun and strong wind had hardened the court and Johnson's +shots rose quite high. It was my day and fortunately for me I +made the most of it. + +I consider that match the best tennis of my life. I beat Johnson +6-1, 6-3, 6-1 in 45 minutes. Thus fell the curtain on the +official tennis season. + +The East-West matches in Chicago proved more or less of an +anti-climax. Johnston was ill and unable to compete, while +Wallace Johnson, Williams, Washburn and Shimidzu could not play. +Several remarkable matches featured the three days' play in the +Windy City. The most remarkable was the splendid victory of J. O. +Anderson over me in five sets, the final one of which hung up a +world's record for tournament play by going to 19-17. Frank T. +Anderson defeated Robert Kinsey in five sets, a splendid +performance, while S. H. Voshell scored over W. E. Davis. + +The Ranking Committee faces a hard task on the season's play. Let +us look at the records of some of the American players, and a few +of our visitors. + + +1. W. M. Johnston Beat V. Richards 2, Williams (2), Kumagae, +Shimidzu, Roland Roberts, Davis and others. Lost to Washburn, +Tilden, Roberts. + +2. R. N. Williams 2d. Beat Richards, Shimidzu, Kumagae (2), +Voshell and others. Lost to Johnston (2), Richards, J. O. +Anderson, Kumagae. + +3. Vincent Richards Beat Tilden, Richards, Kumagae (2), Shimidzu +(2), (in exhibition at Toronto), Voshell, Hawkes, Lost to +Johnston (2), Williams, Davis. + +4. Ishiya Kumagae Beat Williams, Voshell, Anderson, Hawkes. Lost +to Johnston, Tilden, Williams, Richards. + +5. Zenzo Shimidzu Beat Wallace Johnson (2), Anderson, Hawkes, +Niles. Lost to Johnston, Tilden (2), Voshell (2). Richards (2) +(in exhibitions). + +6. Wallace Johnson Beat Watson, Washburn, Anderson. Lost to +Tilden, Shimidzu (2). + +7. Watson Washburn Beat Williams, Johnston, Voshell. Lost to +Wallace Johnson, Tilden, Atherton Richards (a most sensational +upset). + +8. J. O. Anderson of Australia Beat R. N. Williams, Tilden, +Hawkes, Lowe. Lost to Wallace Johnson, Kumagae, Shimidzu. + +9. S. H. Voshell Beat Shimidzu (2) , Davis. Lost to Richards, +Williams, Washburn, Neer (an upset), Allen Behr (a gift). + +10. W. E. Davis Beat Richards, R. Kinsey, Lowe. Lost to Niles, L. +B. Rice (an upset), R. Kinsey, Voshell and Tilden. + + +These few records show how useless comparative scores may be. If +another season like 1921 strikes American tennis, the ranking +will need either clairvoyance or a padded cell. + +These upsets are part of the zest of the game and it is due to +the very uncertainty of tennis that the public is daily becoming +more enthusiastic about the game. I believe next year will see +even a greater interest taken in it than was shown this. + +Second in importance only to the big events themselves was the +season in junior tennis. + +Little Miss Helen Wills, in her first Eastern season, won the +junior championship for girls and brought to the game one of the +most delightful personalities that has appeared in many years. +Her success at her early age should prove a great boom to girls' +tennis all over America. + +Vincent Richards passes from the junior ranks this year but +leaves a successor who is worthy to wear his mantle in the person +of Arnold W. Jones of Providence. Jones should outclass the field +in 1922, by as wide a margin as did Richards this year. + +Arnold Jones has had a remarkable record. He won the boys' +championship of America in 1919. In 1920 he carried Richards to a +close match in the National junior Singles, taking one set. He +was ranked "two" for the year. + +This year Arnold had his greatest year of his brief career. He +journeyed to France and England, as the official junior +representative of America, recognized by the National Tennis +Association. He played splendidly in France, defeating A. Cousin +in the hard court championship of the world and forced Tegner, +the Danish Davis Cup star, to a close battle before admitting +defeat. His sensational play in the doubles was a great aid in +carrying him and me to the semi-final ground, where we lost to +Gobert and Laurentz after five terrific sets. In England young +Jones played Jacob, Captain of the Indian Davis Cup team, a +splendid match. + +On his return to America he carved his niche in the Hall of +Junior Tennis fame by defeating Harold Godshall of California, W. +W. Ingraham of Providence and Morgan Bernstein of New York on +successive days in the junior championship. He forced Richards to +a bitter fight in final, and again proved beyond question that he +is but a step behind Richards today, although he is a full year +younger. + +Godshall, Ingraham, Charles Wood, Jr., Bernstein, Jerry Lang, +Charles Watson III, Fritz Mercur and many other boys are but a +step behind Jones. With this list of rising players, need we face +the future with anything but the most supreme confidence in our +ability to hold our place in the tennis world! + +There were two other remarkable features to the tennis season of +1921, both of them in America. The first was the appearance of +the Davis Cup team on the court of the White House, Washington, +in response to a personal invitation from President and Mrs. +Harding. The President, who is a keen sportsman, placed official +approval on tennis by this act. On May 8th and 9th, Captain +Samuel Hardy, R. N. Williams, Watson Washburn and I, together +with Wallace F. Johnson, who understudied for William M. +Johnston, met in a series of matches before a brilliant assembly +of Diplomatic, Military and Political personages. C. S. Garland +was unable to accompany the team owing to illness. Julian S. +Myrick, President of the U. S. L. T. A., and A. Y. Leech +completed the party. + +Rain, that hoodoo of tennis, attempted to ruin the event for it +fell steadily for the five days previous to the match. The court +was a sea of mud on the morning scheduled, but the President +desired play and the word went on "to play." Mr. Leech and Mr. +Myrick, ever ready for emergencies in tennis, called for +gasolene, which was forthcoming speedily, and, while the Chief +Executive of the United States interviewed men on the destiny of +nations, the people of Washington watched nearly 200 barrels of +gasolene flare up over the surface of the court. The desired +result was attained and at 2 o'clock President Harding personally +called play. Singles between Williams and me opened the matches. +Then Williams and Washburn decisively defeated Johnson and me, +following which Williams and I nosed out Washburn and Johnson to +close the program. + +The second outstanding feature was the tour for the benefit of +the American Committee for Devastated France. The appearance in +America of Mlle. Suzanne Lenglen was due primarily to the efforts +of Miss Anne Morgan, who secured the services of the famous +French champion for a tour of the States, the proceeds to go to +Devastated France. Mlle. Lenglen's regrettable collapse and +forced departure left the Committee in a serious position. The +American Tennis Association, which had co- operated with Miss +Morgan in the Lenglen tour, found its clubs eager for a chance to +stage matches for France but no matches available. Finally, in +October, in response to the voluntary offer of several of the +leading players, a team was organized that toured the East for +the benefit of Devastated France. It included Mrs. Franklin I. +Mallory, American champion, Miss Eleanor Goss, Miss Leslie +Bancroft, Mrs. B. F. Cole, Mrs. F. H. Godfrey, Vincent Richards, +Watson Washburn, N. W. Niles, R. N. Williams, W. F. Johnson and +myself. Matches were staged at Orange, Short Hills, Morristown +and Elizabeth, New Jersey, Green Meadow Club, Jackson Heights +Club, Ardsley-on-the-Hudson, New Rochelle, Yonkers, New York, New +Haven, and Hartford, Connecticut. They proved a tremendous +success financially, and France netted a sum in excess of +$10,000. + + + +PART IV: SOME SIDELIGHTS ON FAMOUS PLAYERS + +INTRODUCTORY + +P. T. BARNUM immortalised Lincoln's language by often quoting him +with: "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all +of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the +people all of the time." P. T. was an able judge of the public, +and it is just this inability to fool all of the people all of +the time that accounts for the sudden disappearance from the +public eye of some one who only fooled all of the people for a +little while. That person was a sham, a bluff, a gamester. He, or +she, as the case may be, had no personality. + +Personality needs no disguise with which to fool the people. It +is not hidden in a long-hair eccentric being. That type is merely +one of those who are "born every minute," as the saying goes. +Personality is a dynamic, compelling force. It is a positive +thing that will not be obliterated. + +Personality is a sexless thing. It transcends sex. Theodore +Roosevelt was a compelling personality, and his force and ability +were recognized by his friends and enemies alike while the +public, the masses, adored him without knowing why. Sarah +Bernhardt, Eleanor Duse, and Mary Garden carry with them a force +far more potent in its appeal to the public than their mere +feminine charm. They hold their public by personality. It is not +trickery, but art, plus this intangible force. + +The great figures in the tennis world that have held their public +in their hands, all have been men of marked personality. Not all +great tennis players have personality. Few of the many stars of +the game can lay claim to it justly. The most powerful +personality in the tennis world during my time is Norman E. +Brookes, with his peculiar sphinx-like repression, mysterious, +quiet, and ominous calm. Brookes repels many by his peculiar +personality. He never was the popular hero that other men, +notably M'Loughlin and Wilding, have been. Yet Brookes always +held a gallery enthralled, not only by the sheer wizardry of his +play, but by the power of his magnetic force. + +Maurice E. M'Loughlin is the most remarkable example of a +wonderful dynamic personality, literally carrying a public off +its feet. America and England fell before the dazzling smile and +vibrant force of the red-haired Californian. His whole game +glittered in its radiance. His was a triumph of a popular hero. + +Anthony F. Wilding, quiet, charming, and magnetic, carried his +public away with him by his dynamic game. It was not the +whirlwind flash of the Comet M'Loughlin that swept crowds off +their feet, it was more the power of repression that compelled. + +I know no other tennis players that sweep their public away with +them to quite the same degree as these three men I have +mentioned. R. L. Murray has much of M'Loughlin's fire, but not +the spontaneity that won the hearts of the crowd. Tennis needs +big personalities to give the public that glow of personal +interest that helps to keep the game alive. A great personality +is the property of the public. It is the price he must pay for +his gift. + +It is the personal equation, the star, who appeals to the +public's imagination. + +I do not think it is the star who keeps the game alive. It is +that great class of players who play at clubs the world over, who +can never rise above the dead level of mediocrity, the mass of +tennis enthusiasts who play with dead racquets and old balls, and +who attend all big events to witness the giants of the court, in +short, "The Dubs" (with a capital D), who make tennis what it is, +and to whom tennis owes its life, since they are its support and +out from them have come our champions. + +Champions are not born. They are made. They emerge from a long, +hard school of defeat, dis- encouragement, and mediocrity, not +because they are born tennis players, but because they are +endowed with a force that transcends discouragement and cries "I +will succeed." + +There must be something that carries them up from the mass. It is +that something which appeals in some form to the public. The +public may like it, or they may dislike it, but they recognize +it. It may be personality, dogged determination, or sheer genius +of tennis, for all three succeed; but be it what it may, it +brings out a famous player. The quality that turns out a great +player, individualizes his game so that it bears a mark peculiar +to himself. I hope to be able to call to mind the outstanding +qualities of some of the leading tennis players of the world. + +Where to start, in a field so great, representing as it does +America, the British Isles, Australia, France, Japan, South +Africa, Rumania, Holland, and Greece, is not an easy task; but it +is with a sense of pride and a knowledge that there is no game +better fitted to end this section of my book, and no man more +worthy to lead the great players of the world, that I turn to +William M. Johnston, the champion of the United States of +America, and my team-mate in the Davis Cup team of 1920. + + + +CHAPTER XII. AMERICA + +WILLIAM M. JOHNSTON + +The American champion is one of the really great orthodox players +in the world. There is nothing eccentric, nothing freakish about +his game. + +Johnston is a small man, short and light; but by perfect +weight-control, footwork, and timing he hits with terrific speed. + +His service is a slice. Hit from the top of his reach Johnston +gets power and twist on the ball with little effort. He has a +wonderful forehand drive, of a top-spin variety. This shot is +world famous, for never in the history of the game has so small a +man hit with such terrific speed and accuracy. The racquet +travels flat and then over the ball, with a peculiar wrist-snap +just as the ball meets the racquet face. The shot travels deep +and fast to the baseline. + +Johnston's backhand is a decided "drag" or chop. He hits it with +the same face of the racquet as his forehand, and with very +little change in grip. It is remarkably steady and accurate, and +allows Johnston to follow to the net behind it. + +Johnston's volleying is hard, deep, and usually very reliable. He +crouches behind his racquet and volleys directly in to the flight +of the ball, hitting down. His low volleys are made with a +peculiar wrist-flick that gives the rise and speed. His overhead +is accurate, reliable, but not startling in its power. Johnston's +game has no real weakness, while his forehand and volleying are +superlative. + +Johnston is a remarkable match player. He reaches his greatest +game when behind. He is one of the hardest men to beat in the +game owing to his utter lack of fear and the dogged determination +with which he hangs on when seemingly beaten. He is quiet, +modest, and a sterling sportsman. He gets a maximum result with a +minimum effort. + + +R. N. WILLIAMS + +R. N. Williams, American Champion 1914 and 1916, another of my +Davis Cup team-mates, is a unique personality in the tennis +world. Personally, I believe that Williams at his best is the +greatest tennis player in the world, past or present. +Unfortunately, that best is seldom seen, and then not for a +consistent performance. He is always dangerous, and his range of +variation is the greatest among any of the leading players. + +Williams' service is generally a fast slice, although he at times +uses an American twist. He is erratic in his delivery, scoring +many aces, but piling up enormous numbers of double-faults. His +ground strokes are made off the rising bound of the ball. They +are flat or slightly sliced. Never topped, But sometimes pulled. +Williams' margin of safety is so small that unless his shot is +perfectly hit it is useless. He hits hard at all times and makes +tremendous numbers of earned points, yet his errors always exceed +them, except when he strikes one of his "super" days. + +His volleying is very hard, crisp, and decisive, coupled with an +occasional stop volley. His use of the half volley is unequalled +in modern tennis. His overhead is severe and ordinarily reliable, +although he will take serious slumps overhead. He is a past +master of his own style strokes, but it is an unorthodox game +that should not be copied by the average player. + +He is never willing to alter his game for safety's sake, and +defeats himself in sheer defiance by hitting throughout a match +when his strokes are not working. He is greatly praised for this +unwillingness to alter his game in defeat. Personally, I think he +deserves condemnation rather than praise, for it seems +recklessness rather than bravery to thus seek defeat that could +easily be avoided. + +Williams takes tennis almost too lightly. Cheery, modest, and +easy-going, he is very popular with all galleries, as his +personality deserves. He is a brilliant ever-interesting light in +any tennis gathering, and his game will always show sheer genius +of execution even while rousing irritation by his refusal to play +safe. He would rather have one super-great day and bad defeats, +than no bad defeats without his day of greatness. Who shall say +he is not right? We may not now agree, but Williams may yet prove +to us he is right and we are wrong. + + +CHARLES S. GARLAND + +The last member of the Davis Cup team and youngest player of the +Americans is Charles S. Garland, the Yale star. + +Garland is the perfect stylist, the orthodox model for ground +strokes. He is an example of what stroke perfection can do. + +He uses a soft slice service, of no particular peculiarity, yet +places it so well that he turns it into an attack. His forehand +is hit with a full swing, flat racquet face, and a slight top +spin. It is deadly accurate and of moderate speed. He can put the +ball at will anywhere in the court off his forehand. His backhand +is slightly sliced down the line and pulled flat across the +court. It is not a point winner but is an excellent defence. His +overhead is steady, reliable, and accurate, but lacks +aggressiveness. His high volleying is fine, deep, and fast. His +low volleying is weak and uncertain. He anticipates wonderfully, +and covers a tremendous amount of court. His attack is rather +obvious in that he seldom plays the unusual shot, yet his +accuracy is so great that he frequently beats a man who guesses +his shot yet can't reach it. + +N. E. Brookes stated he considered Garland one of the greatest +ground-stroke players in the world. This is true of his forehand, +but his backhand lacks punch. His whole game needs speed and +aggressiveness. + +He is quiet, modest, and extremely popular. His perfect court +manner and pleasant smile have made Garland a universal favourite +in America and England. His game is the result of hard, +conscientious work. There is no genius about it, and little +natural talent. It is not an interesting game as it lacks +brilliancy, yet it is very sound, and much better than it looks. + + +VINCENT RICHARDS + +Vincent Richards, National junior Champion of America and the +most remarkable boy playing tennis, is a distinct personality. +Richards, who is now only seventeen, won the Men's Doubles +Championship of America at the age of fifteen. Richards is a born +tennis player and a great tennis genius. + +Richards' service is a fast slice that he follows to the net. It +is speedy and very accurate. His ground strokes are both slice +and drive, although the basis of his game is slice. He meets the +ball on the rise and "spoons" it off his forehand. It is low, +fast, but none too sure. His backhand shot is a fast twisting +slice that is remarkably effective and very excellent as a +defence. He is learning a flat drive. + +His volleying is the great feature of his game. He is the +greatest natural volleyer I have ever seen. Low and high +volleying, fore- and backhand is perfect in execution. His half +volleying is phenomenal. His overhead is very severe for a boy, +and carries great speed for so small a person, but it is inclined +to be slightly erratic. He is tremendously fast on his feet, but +it inclined to be lazy. + +Vincent Richards has the greatest natural aptitude and equipment +of any tennis player I have ever seen. Against it he has a +temperament that is inclined to carelessness and laziness. He +tends to sulkiness, which he is rapidly outgrowing. He is a +delightful personality on the court, with his slight figure, +tremendous speed, and merry smile. He is a second "Gus" Touchard +in looks and style. I hope to see him develop to be the greatest +player the world has ever seen. He gives that promise. The matter +rests in Richards' hands, as his worst enemy is his temperament. + +At his best he is to-day the equal of the top flight in the +world. At his worst he is a child. His average is fine but not +great. Travel, work, sincere effort, and a few years, should turn +this astonishing boy into a marvellous player. + + +R. L. MURRAY + +The new "California Comet," successor to M. E. M'Loughlin, is the +usual sobriquet for R. L. Murray, now of Buffalo. Murray won the +National Crown in 1917-1918. + +His service is of the same cyclonic character as M'Loughlin. +Murray is left-handed. He hits a fast cannon-ball delivery of +great speed and an American twist of extreme twist. His ground +strokes are not good, and he rushes the net at every opportunity. +His forehand drive is very fast, excessively topped, and +exceedingly erratic. His backhand is a "poke." His footwork is +very poor on both shots. He volleys very well, shooting deep to +the baseline and very accurately. His shoulder-high volleys are +marvellous. His overhead is remarkable for its severity and +accuracy. He seldom misses an overhead ball. + +Murray is a terrifically hard worker, and tires himself out very +rapidly by prodigious effort. He is a hard fighter and a hard man +to beat. He works at an enormous pace throughout the match. + +He is large, spare, rangy, with dynamic energy, and a wonderful +personality that holds the gallery. His smile is famous, while +his sense of humour never deserts him. A sportsman to his +finger-tips, there is no more popular figure in American tennis +than Murray. His is not a great game. It is a case of a great +athlete making a second-class game first class, by sheer power of +personality and fighting ability. He is really a second +M'Loughlin in his game, his speed, and his personal charm. + + +WATSON WASHBURN + +In contrast to Murray, Watson Washburn plays a cool, +never-hurried, never-flurried game that is unique in American +tennis. + +There is little that is noteworthy of Washburn's game. His +service is a well-placed slice. His ground strokes are a peculiar +"wrist-slap," almost a slice. His volleying fair, his overhead +steady but not remarkable. Just a good game, well rounded but not +unique. Why is. Washburn great? Because, behind the big round +glasses that are the main feature of Washburn on the tennis +court, is a brain of the first water, directing and developing +that all-round game. There is no more brilliant student of men in +games than Washburn, and his persistence of attack is second only +to Brookes'. + +Washburn, too, is a popular player, but not in the same sense as +Murray. Murray appeals to the imagination of the crowd, Washburn +to its academic instincts. Washburn is a strategist, working out +his match with mathematical exactness, and always checking up his +men as he goes along. + +There is no tennis player whose psychology I admire more than +Washburn's. He is never beaten until the last point is played, +and he is always dangerous, no matter how great a lead you hold +over him. + +Another case of the second-class game being made first class, but +this time it is done by mental brilliancy. + + +WALLACE F. JOHNSON + +Here is another case of a second-class game being used in a +first-class manner, getting first-class results through the +direction of a first-class tennis brain. Johnson is not the +brilliant, analytical mind of Washburn, but for pure tennis +genius Johnson ranks nearly the equal of Brookes. + +Johnson is a one-stroke player. He uses a peculiar slice shot hit +from the wrist. He uses it in service, ground strokes, volleying, +and lobbing. It is a true one-stroke game, yet by sheer audacity +of enterprise and wonderful speed of foot Wallace Johnson has for +years been one of the leading players of America. + + +SAMUEL HARDY + +The overwhelming success of the American Davis Cup team in 1920, +when we brought back the cup from Australia was due in no small +measure to the wonderful generalship displayed by one man, our +Captain Samuel Hardy. + +The hardest part of any such trip is the attention to training, +relaxation and accommodations for the team and only perfect +judgment can give the comfort so needed by a team. It is to +Captain Hardy that the team owes its perfect condition throughout +the entire 3,000 miles we journeyed after the cup. Yet Captain +Hardy's success was far bigger than that, for by his tact, +charming personality and splendid sportsmanship at all times he +won a place for us in the hearts of every country we visited. +Hardy, although a non-playing member of the team, is a great +tennis player. He is one of the best doubles players America has +produced. His clever generalship and wonderful knowledge of the +game proved of inestimable value to the team in laying out our +plan of attack in the Davis Cup matches themselves. + +Clever, charming, just and always full of the most delightful +humour, Hardy was an ideal Captain who kept his team in the best +of spirits no matter how badly we might have been playing or how +depressing appeared our outlook. + + +CARL FISCHER + +I am including in my analysis of players a boy who is just +gaining recognition but who I believe is to be one of the great +stars of the future, Carl Fischer of Philadelphia. + +Young Fischer, who is only 19, is a brilliant, hard hitting +left-hander. He has already won the Eastern Pennsylvania +Championship, been runner-up to Wallace Johnson in the +Pennsylvania State, Philadelphia Championship and Middle States +event, besides holding the junior Championship of Pennsylvania +for two years. He won the University of Pennsylvania Championship +in his freshman year. + +His service is a flat delivery of good speed, at times, verging +on the American twist. His ground game carries top spin drives +forehand and backhand. His volleying and overhead are severe and +powerful but prone to be erratic. Fischer is an all court player +of the most modern type. He is aggressive, almost too much so at +times as he wastes a great deal of energy by useless rushing. He +needs steadiness and a willingness to await his opening but gives +promise of rounding into a first class player, as his stroke +equipment is second to none. + + +MARSHALL ALLEN + +Far out in the Pacific Northwest in Seattle, Washington, is a +young player who bids fair to some day be world famous. It is +quite possible he may never arrive at all. + +Marshall Allen is a typical Western player. Allen has a hurricane +service that is none too reliable. His forehand drive is +reminiscent of McLoughlin. It is a furious murderous attack when +it goes in and quite useless when it is off. Allen's backhand is +a flat drive played to either side with equal ease. At present it +is erratic but shows great promise. Allen volleys at times +brilliantly, but is uncertain and at times misses unaccountably. +His overhead is remarkably brilliant and severe, but also +erratic. He reaches great heights and sinks to awful depths. If +Marshall Allen consolidates his game and refines the material he +has at hand he should be a marvellous player. If he allows his +love of speed to run away with his judgment at the expense of +accuracy and steadiness he will never rise above the second +class. Time will tell the story. I look to see him world famous. + + +OUR RISING JUNIORS + +For a moment I am going to pay tribute to some boys who I look to +see among the stars of the future. They are all juniors less than +eighteen at the time of writing. + +First in importance comes Arnold W. Jones, of Providence, R. I., +who accompanied me to France and England in 1921, where he made a +fine record. Young Jones has a splendid all-court game, with a +remarkable forehand drive but a tendency to weariness in his +backhand and service. His volleying is excellent. His overhead +erratic. + +Second to Jones I place Charles Watson III of Philadelphia. Here +is a boy with a most remarkable resemblance to Chuck Garland in +style of his game. Watson has a fine service, beautiful ground +strokes fore and backhand and a more aggressive volley than +Garland. His overhead lacks punch. He is the cleverest court +general among the juniors. + +Phillip Bettens of San Francisco is a possible successor to Billy +Johnston. Bettens has a terrific forehand drive and a rushing net +attack. He needs to steady up his game, but he is a player of +great promise. + +Armand Marion of Seattle, Washington, is another boy with a +finely rounded game who, given experience and seasoning, bids +fair to become a great star. Marion does not have enough punch +yet and, needs to gain decisiveness of attack. + +Charles Wood of New York, W. W. Ingraham of Providence, Milo +Miller and Eric Wood of Philadelphia, John Howard of Baltimore, +and others are of equal class and of nearly equal promise to the +boys I have mentioned. + +In the younger class of boys those under 15, one finds many +youngsters already forming real style. The boy who shows the +greatest promise and today the best all-round game, equalling in +potential power even Vincent Richards at the same age, is +Alexander L. (Sandy) Wiener of Philadelphia. At fourteen young +Weiner is a stylist of the highest all-court type. + +Among the other boys who may well develop into stars in the +future are Meredith W. Jones, Arthur Ingraham, Jr., Andrew Clarke +Ingraham, Miles Valentine, Raymond Owen, Richard Chase, Neil +Sullivan, Henry Neer, and Edward Murphy. + +There are many other great players I would like to analyse, but +space forbids. Among our leaders are Roland Roberts, John +Strachan, C. J. Griffin, Davis, and Robert Kinsey in California; +Walter T. Hayes, Ralph Burdock, and Heath Byford in the Middle +West; Howard Voshell, Harold Throckmorton, Conrad B. Doyle, Craig +Biddle, Richard Harte, Colket Caner, Nathaniel W. Niles, H. C. +Johnson, Dean Mathey, and many others of equal fame in the East. + + + +CHAPTER XIII. BRITISH ISLES + +J. C. PARKE + +There is no name in tennis history of the past decade more famous +than that of J. C. Parke. In twelve months, during 1912 and 1913, +he defeated Brookes, Wilding, and M'Loughlin--a notable record; +and now in 1920, after his wonderful work in the World War, he +returns to tennis and scores a decisive victory over W. M. +Johnston. + +Parke is essentially a baseline player. His service is soft, +flat, but well placed. His ground strokes are hit with an almost +flat racquet face and a peculiar short swing. He uses a +pronounced snap of the wrist. He slices his straight backhand +shot, but pulls his drive 'cross court. It is Parke's famous +running drive down the line that is the outstanding feature of +his game. Parke was a ten-second hundred-yard man in college, and +still retains his remarkable speed of foot. He hits his drive +while running at top speed and translates his weight to the ball. +It shoots low and fast down the line. It is a marvellous stroke. + +Parke's volleying is steady and well placed but not decisive. His +overhead is reliable and accurate, but lacks "punch." The great +factor of Parke's game is his uncanny ability to produce his +greatest game under the greatest stress. I consider him one of +the finest match players in the world. His tactical knowledge and +brainy attack are all the more dangerous, because he has +phenomenal power of defence and fighting qualities of the highest +order. There is no finer sportsman in tennis than Parke. +Generous, quiet, and modest, Parke is deservedly a popular figure +with the tennis world. + + +A. R. F. KINGSCOTE + +The most recent star to reach the heights of fame in English +tennis is Major A. R. F. Kingscote. Kingscote has played good +tennis for some years; but it was only in 1919, following his +excellent work in the War, that he showed his true worth. He +defeated Gobert in sequence sets in the Davis Cup tie at +Deauville, and followed by defeating Anderson in Australia and +carrying Patterson to a hard match. Since then he has steadily +improved and this season found him the leading figure of the +British team. + +Kingscote played much of his early tennis with R. N. Williams in +Switzerland during 1910 and 1911. The effect of this training is +easily seen on his game to-day for, without Williams' dash and +extreme brilliancy, their strokes are executed in very much the +same style. + +Kingscote's service is a fast slice, well placed and cleverly +disguised. It carries a great deal of pace and twist. His ground +strokes are hit off the rising bound of the ball, with a flat +raquet face or a slight slice. His wonderful speed of foot +offsets his lack of height, and he hits either side with equal +facility. There are no gaps in Kingscote's game. It is perfectly +rounded. His favourite forehand shot is 'cross court, yet he can +hit equally well down the line. His backhand is steady, very +accurate and deceptive, but rather lacks speed. His volleying is +remarkable for his court covering and angles, but is not the +decisive win of Williams or Johnston. He is the best volleyer in +the British Isles. His overhead is reliable and accurate for so +short a man, but at times is prone to lack speed. + +Kingscote is a sound tactician without the strategic brilliance +of Parke. He is a fine match player and dogged fighter. Witness +his 5-set battle with me in the Championships, after being match +point down in the fourth set, and his 5-set struggle with +Johnston in the Davis Cup. It is a slight lack of decisiveness +all round that keeps Kingscote just a shade below the first +flight. He is a very fine player, who may easily become a +top-notch man. His pleasant, modest manner and generous +sportsmanship make him an ideal opponent, and endear him to the +gallery. + + +H. ROPER BARRETT + +One of the real tennis tacticians, a man who is to-day a veteran +of many a notable encounter, yet still dangerous at all times, is +H. Roper Barrett. + +A member of every Davis Cup team since the matches were +inaugurated, a doubles player of the highest strategy, Roper +Barrett needs no introduction or analysis. His, game is soft. His +service looks a joke. In reality it is hard to hit, for Barrett +pushes it to the most unexpected places. His ground strokes, +soft, short, and low, are ideal doubles shots. He angles off the +ball with a short shove in the direction. He can drive hard when +pressed, but prefers to use the slow poke. + +His volleying is the acme of finesse. He angles soft to the +side-lines, stop volleys the hardest drives successfully. He +picks openings with an unerring eye. His overhead lacks "punch," +but is steady and reliable. + +Barrett is a clever mixer of shots. He is playing the unexpected +shot to the unexpected place. His sense of anticipation is +remarkable, and he retrieves the most unusual shots. It is his +great tennis tactics that make him noteworthy. His game is round +but not wonderful. + + +THE LOWES, A. H. AND F. G. + +The famous brothers, called indiscriminately the Lowes, are two +of the best baseline players in the British Isles. Both men play +almost identical styles, and at a distance are very hard to tell +apart. + +Gordon Lowe uses a slice service, while Arthur serves with a +reverse spin. Neither man has a dangerous delivery. Both are +adequate and hard to win earned points from. + +The ground strokes of the Lowes are very orthodox. Full swing, +top spin drives fore- and backhand, straight or 'cross court, are +hit with equal facility. The Lowes volley defensively and only +come in to the let when pulled in by a short shot. Their overhead +work is average. + +Their games are not startling. There is nothing to require much +comment. Both men are excellent tennis players of the true +English school: fine base- line drivers, but subject to defeat by +any aggressive volleyer. It is a lack of aggressiveness that +holds both men down, for they are excellent court coverers, fine +racquet wielders, but do not rise to real heights. The Lowes +could easily defeat any player who was slightly off his game, as +they are very steady and make few mistakes. Neither would defeat +a first- class player at his best. + + +T. M. MAVROGORDATO + +One of the most consistent winners in English tennis for a span +of years is a little man with a big name, who is universally and +popularly known as "Mavro." + +"Mavro" added another notable victory in 1920, when he defeated +R. N. Williams in the last eight in the World Championships. +"Mavro" has always been a fine player, but he has never quite +scaled the top flight. + +His game is steadiness personified. He shoves his service in the +court at the end of a prodigious swing that ends in a poke. It +goes where he wishes it. His ground strokes are fine, in splendid +form, very accurate and remarkably fast for so little effort. +Mavro is not large enough to hit hard, but owing to his +remarkable footwork he covers a very large territory in a +remarkably short space of time. His racquet work is a delight to +a student of orthodox form. His volleying is accurate, steady, +well placed but defensive. He has no speed or punch to his +volley. His overhead is steady to the point of being unique. He +is so small that it seems as if anyone could lob over his head, +but his speed of foot is so great that he invariably gets his +racquet on it and puts it back deep. + +Mavro turns, defence into attack by putting the ball back in play +so often that his opponent gets tired hitting it and takes +unnecessary chances. His accuracy is so great that it makes up +for his lack of speed. His judgment is sound but not brilliant. +He is a hard-working, conscientious player who deserves, his +success. + + +There are many other players who are interesting studies. The two +Australians, now living in England, and to all intents and +purposes Englishmen, Randolph Lycett and F. M. B. Fisher, are +distinct and interesting types of players. C. P. Dixon, Stanley +Doust, M. J. G. Ritchie, Max Woosnam, the rising young star, P. +M. Davson, A. E. Beamish, W. C. Crawley, and scores of other +excellent players, will carry the burden of English tennis +successfully for some years. Yet new blood must be found to +infuse energy into the game. Speed is a necessity in English +tennis if the modern game is to reach its greatest height in the +British Isles. + +Youth must be seen soon, if the game in the next ten years is to +be kept at its present level. Parke, Mavro, Ritchie, Dixon, +Barrett, etc., cannot go on for ever, and young players must be +developed to take their places. The coming decade is the crucial +period of English tennis. I hope and believe it will be +successfully passed. + + + +CHAPTER XIV. FRANCE AND JAPAN + +France + +ANDRE GOBERT + +One of the most picturesque figures and delightfully polished +tennis games in the world are joined in that volatile, +temperamental player, Andre Gobert of France. He is a typically +French product, full of finesse, art, and nerve, surrounded by +the romance of a wonderful war record of his people in which he +bore a magnificent part, yet unstable, erratic, and uncertain. At +his best he is invincible. He is the great master of tennis. At +his worst he is mediocre. Gobert is at once a delight and a +disappointment to a student of tennis. + +Gobert's service is marvellous. It is one of the great deliveries +of the world. His great height (he is 6 feet 4 inches) and +tremendous reach enable him to hit a flat delivery at frightful +speed, and still stand an excellent chance of it going in court. +He uses very little twist, so the pace is remarkably fast. Yet +Gobert lacks confidence in his service. If his opponent handles +it successfully Gobert is apt to slow it up and hit it soft, thus +throwing away one of the greatest assets. + +His ground strokes are hit in beautiful form. Gobert is the +exponent of the most perfect form in the world to-day. His swing +is the acme of beauty. The whole stroke is perfection. He hits +with a flat, slightly topped drive, feet in excellent position, +and weight well controlled. It is uniform, backhand and forehand. +His volleying is astonishing. He can volley hard or soft, deep or +short, straight or angled with equal ease, while his tremendous +reach makes him nearly impossible to pass at the net. His +overhead is deadly, fast, and accurate, and he kills a lob from +anywhere in the court. + +Why is not Gobert the greatest tennis player in the world? +Personally I believe it is lack of confidence, a lack of fighting +ability when the breaks are against him, and defeat may be his +due. It is a peculiar thing in Gobert, for no man is braver than +he, as his heroism during the War proved. It is simply lack of +tennis confidence. It is an over- abundance of temperament. In +victory Gobert is invincible, in defeat he is apt to be almost +mediocre. + +Gobert is delightful personally. His quick wit and sense of +humour always please the tennis public. His courteous manner and +genial sportsmanship make him universally popular. His stroke +equipment is unsurpassed in the tennis world. + +I unqualifiedly state that I consider him the most perfect tennis +player, as regards strokes and footwork, in the world to-day; but +he is, not the greatest player. Victory is the criterion of a +match player, and Gobert has not proved himself a great victor. + +Gobert is probably the finest indoor player in the world, while +he is very great on hard courts; but his grass play is not the +equal of many others. I heartily recommend Gobert's style to all +students of the game, and endorse him as a model for strokes. + + +W. LAURENTZ + +Another brilliant, erratic and intensely interesting figure that +France has given the tennis world is Laurentz, the wonderful +young player, who, at the age of seventeen defeated A. F. +Wilding. + +Laurentz is a cyclonic hitter of remarkable speed and brilliance, +but prone to very severe lapses. His service is of several +varieties, all well played. He uses an American twist as his +regular delivery, but varies it with a sharp slice, a reverse +twist of great spin, and a fast cannon-ball smash. Laurentz is +very versatile. He has excellent orthodox drives, fore- and +backhand, and a competent forehand chop. + +His volleying is brilliant almost beyond description, but very +erratic. He is very fast on his feet, and anticipates remarkably +well. He will make the most hair-raising volleys, only to fall +down inexplicably the next moment on an easy shot. His overhead +is like his volley, severe, brilliant, but uncertain. + +Laurentz is a very hard worker, and, unlike Gobert, is always at +his best when behind. He is a fair fighter and a great match +player. His defeats are due more to over-anxiety than to lack of +fight. He is temperamental, sensational, and brilliant, a +sportsman of the highest type, quick to recognize his opponent's +good work and to give full credit for it. He is one of the most +interesting players now before the public. + +He is a clever court general but not a great tennis thinker, +playing more by instinct than by a really deep-laid plan of +campaign. Laurentz might beat anyone in the world on his day or +lose to the veriest dub when at his worst.[1] + + +[1] It was with deepest regret the news of his death reached us, +as this edition went to press. + + +J. SAMAZIEUHL + +The New French Champion of 1921 who defeated Andre Gobert most +unexpectedly in the challenge round, is an interesting player of +the mental type. He is anything but French in his game. His style +is rather that of the crafty American or English player than the +hard-hitting Frenchman. + +Samazieuhl is an exponent of crafty patball. His service is a +medium pace slice, well placed but not decisive. His ground +strokes are a peculiar stiff arm chop varied at times with an +equally cramped drive, yet his extreme mobility allows him to +cover a tremendous amount of court, while his return, which is +well disguised, is capable of great angles. His volleying is +reliable but lacks severity and punch. He makes excellent low +volleys, but cannot put away shoulder high balls while his +overhead is not deadly. + +It is Samazieuhl's clever generalship and his ability to recover +seemingly impossible shots that win matches for him. He is a +comparatively new tournament player, and should improve greatly +as he gains confidence and experience. + + +R. DANET + +One of the most interesting young players in France is R. Danet, +who has come to the fore in the past few years. This boy, for he +is little more, has a hard hitting brilliant game of great +promise. + +His service is a speedy slice. He drives with great speed, if as +yet with none too much accuracy, off both fore and backhand. His +net attack is very severe while overhead he is deadly. His speed +of foot is remarkable, and he is a very hard worker. His +limitations are in his lack of a set plan of attack and the +steady adherence to any given method of play. He throws away too +many easy chances, but this will correct itself as time goes on +and Danet has fought through more tournaments. I consider him a +player of great promise. + + +Max Decugis and Brugnon, the two remaining members of the 1920 +Davis Cup team of France, present totally different types. +Decugis, crafty, cool, and experienced, is the veteran of many +long seasons of match play. He is a master tactician, and wins +most of his matches by outgeneralling the other player. Burgnon +is brilliant, flashy, hard hitting, erratic, and inexperienced. +He is very young, hardly twenty years of age. He has a fine +fore-hitting style and excellent net attack, but lacks confidence +and a certain knowledge of tennis fundamentals. A few years' +experience will do wonders for him. + +The French style of play commends itself to me very highly. I +enjoy watching the well-executed strokes, beautiful mobile +footwork of these dashing players. It is more a lack of dogged +determination to win, than in any stroke fault that one finds the +reason for French defeats. The temperamental genius of this great +people carries with it a lack of stability that can be the only +explanation for the sudden crushing and unexpected defeats their +representatives receive on the tennis courts. + +I was particularly impressed during my visit to France by the +large numbers of children playing tennis and the style of game +displayed. The sport shows a healthy increase and should produce +some fine players within the next ten years. + +Keen competition is the corrective measure for temperamental +instability and with the advent of many new players in French +tennis I would not be surprised to see a marked decrease of +unexpected defeats of their leading players. + + +Japan + +A new element has entered the tennis world in the last decade. +The Orient has thrust its shadow over the courts in the persons +of a small group of remarkable tennis players, particularly +Ichija Kumagae and Zenzo Shimidzu, the famous Japanese stars. + +Kumagae, who for some years reigned supreme in Japan and +Honolulu, has lived in America for the past three years. Shimidzu +is a product of Calcutta, where he has lived for some years. + +No player has caused more discussion than Kumagae, unless it is +Shimidzu; while surely no man received more critical comment than +Shimidzu, except Kumagae. The press of America and England have +vied with each other in exploiting these two men. There was +unanimity of opinion concerning these two men in one respect. No +finer sportsmen nor more delightful opponents can be found than +these Japanese. They have won the respect and friendship of all +who have met them. + +Kumagae is the speedier tennis player. He came to America in +1916, the possessor of a wonderful forehand drive and nothing +else. Kumagae is left- handed, which made his peculiar shots all +the harder to handle. He met with fair success during the year; +his crowning triumph was his defeat of W. M. Johnston at Newport +in five sets. He lost to J. J. Armstrong, Watson M. Washburn, and +George M. Church. He learned much during his year in America, and +returned to Japan a wiser man, with a firm determination to add +to his tennis equipment. + +In 1917 Kumagae returned to America to enter business in New +York. Once established there he began developing his game. First +he learned an American twist service and then strengthened his +backhand. That year he suffered defeat at the hands of Walter T. +Hayes and myself. He was steadily improving. He now started +coming to the net and learning to volley. He is not yet a good +low volleyer, and never will be while he uses the peculiar grip +common to his people; but his high volleying and overhead are now +excellent. Last year Kumagae reached his top form and was ranked +third in America. His defeats were by Johnston, Vincent Richards, +and myself; while he defeated Murray, S. H. Voshell, Vincent +Richards, and me, as well as countless players of less note. + +The season of 1920 found Kumagae sweeping all before him, since +Johnston, Williams, Garland, and I were away on the Davis Cup +trip. Williams barely defeated him in a bitter match, just +previously to sailing. Kumagae left America in the middle of the +summer to compete in the Olympic games, representing Japan. + +Kumagae is still essentially a baseline player of marvellous +accuracy of shot and speed of foot. His drive is a lethal weapon +that spreads destruction among his opponents. His backhand is a +severe "poke," none too accurate, but very deadly when it goes +in. His service overhead and high volley are all severe and +reliable. His low volley is the weak spot in an otherwise great +game. Kumagae cannot handle a chop, and dislikes grass-court +play, as the ball bounds too low for his peculiar "loop" drive. +He is one of the greatest hard-court players in the world, and +one of the most dangerous opponents at any time on any surface. + +Shimidzu is to-day as dangerous as Kumagae. He, too, is a +baseline player, but lacks Kumagae's terrific forehand drive. +Shimidzu has a superior backhand to Kumagae, but his weak service +rather offsets this. His low volleying is far superior to +Kumagae, while his high volleying and overhead are quite his +equal. He has all the fighting qualities in his game that make +Kumagae so dangerous, but he has not had the experience. Shimidzu +learns very quickly, and I look to see him a great factor in the +game in future years. + +Both Shimidzu and Kumagae are marvellous court coverers, and seem +absolutely untiring. They are "getters" of almost unbelievable +activity, and accurate to a point that seems uncanny. Both men +hit to the lines with a certainty that makes it very dangerous to +attempt to take the net on anything except a deep forcing shot +that hurries them. + +With such players as Kumagae and Shimidzu, followed by S. Kashio +and K. Yamasaki, and the late H. Mikami, Japan is a big factor in +future tennis. 1922 will again see Japan challenging for the +Davis Cup, and none but a first-class team can stop them. The +advent of a Japanese team with such players will mean that this +year we must call out our best to repel the Oriental invasion: so +competition receives another stimulus that should raise our +standard of play. + +The probability of journeying to Japan to challenge for the Davis +Cup is not so remote but that we must consider it as a future +possibility. + + + +CHAPTER XV. SPAIN AND THE CONTINENT + +Spain + +A new factor entered the arena of world tennis in 1921 in the +appearance of a Spanish Davis Cup team. Among their number is a +star who bids fair to become one of the greatest players the +world has ever seen. A scintillating personality, brilliant +versatile game, and fighting temperament placed this young +unknown in the first rank in one year of competition. + + +MANUEL ALONZO + +Seldom have I seen such wonderful natural abilities as are found +in this young Spaniard. Here is a player par excellence if he +develops as he gives promise. Alonzo is young, about 25, slight, +attractive in personality and court manners, quick to the point +of almost miraculous court covering. He is a great attraction at +any tournament. + +His service is a fairly fast American twist. It is not remarkable +but is at least more severe than the average continental +delivery. + +Alonzo has a terrific forehand drive that is the closest rival to +W. M. Johnston's of any shot I have seen. He is reliable on this +stroke, either straight or cross-court from the deep court but if +drawn in to mid-court is apt to miss it. His backhand is a flat +drive, accurate and low but rather slow and in the main +defensive. + +His volleying is at once a joy and a disappointment. Such +marvellous angles and stop volleys off difficult drives! Yet +immediately on top of a dazzling display Alonzo will throw away +the easiest sort of a high volley by a pitiable fluke. + +His overhead is at once severe, deadly and reliable. He smashes +with speed and direction. It is not only in his varied stroke +equipment that Alonzo is great but in his marvellous footwork. +Such speed of foot and lightning turning I have never before seen +on a tennis court. He is a quicker man than Norman E. Brookes and +higher praise I cannot give. I look to see Alonzo, who today +loses matches through lack of resource, become by virtue of +experience and tournament play the greatest player on the +continent. + +His brother, J. M. Alonzo, although nowhere in Manuel's class, is +a fine all court player as are Count de Gomar and Flaquer, the +remaining members of the Cup team. If Alonzo and his teammates +are an indication of the type of players Spain is developing a +new and powerful factor in the tennis world is entering the field +to stay. + + +Some Other Champions + +There are some individual players of interest from the countries +where tennis as a game has not reached a place worthy of national +analysation but who deserve mention among the great players of +the world. + +First among them comes Nicholas Mishu of Rumania. + + +N. MISHU + +What can I say of Mishu? As a tennis player he defies analysis. +His game is a freak. He adores to do the unusual and his game +abounds in freak shots that Mishu executes with remarkable skill. +He has many and varied services, underhand cuts, fore and +backhand, a "push" off his nose, and even one serve where he +turns his back on the court and serves the ball back over his +head. + +His drives are cramped in swing and hit with excessive top spin. +His footwork is a defiance of all rules. His volleying game looks +like an accident, yet Mishu produces results. In 1921 he beat A. +H. Gobert in the World's Hard Court Championship at St. Cloud. +Mishu is a winner. I don't know how he does it but he does. He is +above all a unique personality. Cheery, individual, at times +eccentric, Mishu is a popular figure in tournaments abroad. He +plays with a verve and abandon that appeals to the European +galleries while his droll humour and good nature make him a +delightful opponent. + +J. WASHER + +Belgium is represented by J. Washer, my opponent in the final +round of the Hard Court Championship of the World in 1921. Washer +is a fine orthodox tennis player. His service is a well placed +twist delivery of medium pace. He has a terrific forehand drive +that gains in effectiveness owing to the fact he is a +left-hander. Like so many players with a pronounced strength, he +covers up an equally pronounced weakness by using the strength. +Washer has a very feeble backhand for so fine a player. He pokes +his backhand when he is unable to run around it. + +His overhead is strong, speedy and reliable. His volleying lacks +punch and steadiness. He has had little tournament experience and +shows promise of great improvement if given the opportunity. + + +E. TEGNER + +Denmark is represented by a player of promise and skill in the +person of E. Tegner. This young star defeated W. H. Laurentz at +St. Cloud in the Hard Court Championship of the World in 1921 +when the latter was holder of the title. + +Tegner is a baseline player of fine style. His strokes are long +free drives of fine pace and depth. His service is hardly +adequate for first flight tennis, yet while his ground game +cannot make up for the lack of aggression in his net attack. +Tegner is not of championship quality at the moment but his youth +allows him plenty of time to acquire that tournament experience +needed to fill in the gaps in his game. He is a cool, clever +court general and should develop rapidly within the next few +years. + + +H. L. DE MORPURGO + +The Italian champion, H. L. de Morpurgo, is a product of his own +country and England where he attended college. He is a big, rangy +man of great strength. He uses a terrific service of great speed +but little control on his first ball and an exaggerated American +twist on the second of such extreme contortion that even his +great frame wears down under it. + +His ground game is of flat drives that lack sufficient pace and +accuracy to allow him to reap the full benefit of his really +excellent net attack. His volleying is very good owing to his +great reach. His overhead, like his service, is hard but erratic. +Unfortunately he is slow on his feet and thus loses much of the +advantage of his large reach. He seems to lack confidence in his +game but that should come with more experience. + + +A. ZERLENDI + +Tennis in Greece. No! not in ancient times but in modern, for +that little country has a remarkable little baseline star, by +name A. Zerlendi. This man is a baseliner of the most pronounced +type. He gets everything he can put his racquet to. He reminds me +irresistibly of Mavrogordato, seemingly reaching nothing yet they +all come back. I cannot adequately analyse his game because his +first principle is to put back the ball no matter how, and this +he carries into excellent effect. Zerlendi is a match winner +first and a stylist second. + + + +CHAPTER XVI. THE COLONIES + +Australasia + +The death of that sterling sportsman, Anthony F. Wilding, and the +natural decline in the playing powers of Norman E. Brookes, owing +to the advance of years and his war experiences, leave +Australasia (Australia and New Zealand) in a somewhat uncertain +condition regarding its tennis prospects. + + +NORMAN E. BROOKES + +Volumes have been written about N. E. Brookes and his tennis +genius, but I would not feel right if I could not pay at least a +slight tribute to the greatest tennis player and genius of all +time. + +There is no need to dwell on Brookes' shots, his marvellous +mechanical perfection, his peculiar volleying style, his uncanny +anticipation. All these are too well known to need my feeble +description. They are but the expression of that wonderful brain +and dominant personality that lie behind that sphinx- like face +we know as Brookes'. + +To see across the net those ever-restless, ever-moving eyes, +picking the openings in my never too- well guarded court, and +know that against me is pitted the greatest tennis, brain of the +century, is to call upon me to produce my best. That is what my +match with Brookes meant to me, and still does to-day. Brookes +should be an inspiration to every tennis player, for he has +proved the power of mind over matter in tennis: "Age cannot +wither nor custom stale his infinite variety." + +Brookes is the most eminently just man on a tennis court I have +ever met, for no excitement or emotion clouds his eyesight or +judgment in decisions. He cannot abide bad decisions, yet he +hates them quite as much when they favour him as when they are +against him. I admit frankly I am a great admirer of Brookes, +personally and from every tennis sense. He is a master that I as +a student of the game feel proud to study under. + + +GERALD PATTERSON + +Australia's leading player, Gerald Patterson, is one of the most +remarkable combinations of tennis virtues and tennis faults, I +have ever seen. + +Patterson has a wonderful service. He has speed, direction, +control, and all kinds of twist. He hits his service consistently +hard and puts it in. His overhead is the most remarkable in the +game. He can kill from any place in the court. His, shot is +clean, with little effort, yet carries terrific speed. His +volleying above the net is almost faultless on his forehand. He +has an excellent forehand drive that is very severe and +consistent, but his backhand . . . Where in all the rest of +tennis history was there a first-class man with a backhand so +fundamentally wrong? His grip is bad, he pulls up on the ball and +"loops" it high in the air. I do not mean Patterson always misses +his backhand. He does not. He even makes remarkable shots off it +at times, but, if Patterson is pressed, his backhand is the first +portion of his game to crack, because it is hit inherently wrong. + +Patterson relies mainly on speed to win matches. He is not a +strategist, and finesse is not part of his tennis equipment. He +has a magnificent physique, and relies largely on his, strength +to carry him through a long match and win in the end. + +He is very quiet, and inclined to be somewhat careless on the +court, unless pressed, when his businesslike, determined play +shows what a great match player Patterson can become. He produces +his best game at the crucial moment of the match. Patterson is a +superior match player to his real tennis ability. His is not +truly a top-notch game. It has superlative features, but its +whole texture is not of the finest. + +Patterson owes much of his success in 1919 to Brookes, under +whose guidance he played. The absence of the master mind +directing his attack proved a decided handicap in 1920, and +Patterson's attack was not so certain nor sustained as in the +previous season. Patterson's game plus Brookes' strategy would be +a great combination in one man. + + +PAT O'HARA WOOD + +This young Australian is one of the greatest doubles players in +the world and bids fair to press the leading singles stars close. + +Pat O'Hara Wood is a player without a weakness, yet also one +without a strength. He is a typical all court player with no +outstanding feature to his game unless it be his volleying. Pat +Wood has a natural aptitude for doubles which at times seriously +interferes with his singles game. + +His service is a well placed speedy slice that he mixes up well. +It is not a great delivery but very effective. His ground +strokes, taken on the rising bounces, are flat drives, accurate +and varied as to direction but lacking punch. He does not hit +hard enough. He is a brilliant volleyer, cutting off at sharp +angles the hardest drives. His overhead is erratic. At times he +is deadly overhead but is prone to lapses into uncertainty. He is +remarkably quick and speedy of foot. His sense of anticipation is +magnificent. His generalship good, though not brilliant. It is +lack of punch, the inability to put the ball away, that keeps Pat +O'Hara Wood from the first flight in singles. + +Clever, blessed with a keen sense of humour, a sterling sportsman +and delightful opponent, Pat O'Hara Wood is a big asset to tennis +and a man who is needed in the game. + +J. C. HAWKES + +The youngest of the Australasian players and a boy of great +promise is Jack Hawkes. He is only 22 and young in the game for +his age. + +Let me state now I do not approve of Hawkes' style. His footwork +is wrong, hopelessly wrong and I fear that unless he corrects it, +it may keep him from attaining the place his natural abilities +promise. "Austral," the famous critic, describes him as "having +the genius of the game." + +Jack Hawkes has an exaggerated American twist service that, since +he is a left-hander, places an unnecessary strain on his heart +muscles. It carries terrific twist but little speed and does not +Pay him for the amount of energy he expends. + +His forehand drive is excellent, fast, deep, and well placed, yet +in making this he steps away from the ball, again wasting energy. +His backhand is a poke and very unreliable. To save it he runs +around everything possible, again causing unnecessary exertion. +His volleying is brilliant while his overhead is magnificent. + +Hawkes' waste of energy has cost him many a match, yet for all +the inherent defects in his game he is so clever in using what he +has, his tactics are so good for so young a player that I believe +he will be one of the leading players of the world in a few +years. Under the watchful eyes of Norman Brookes I foresee Hawkes +changing his footwork to at least a reasonable copy of the old +master. + + +J. O. ANDERSON + +This young player is again a promise rather than a star. He is a +big, rangy, hard-hitting type like Gerald Patterson. He is crude, +at times careless and unfortunately handicapped in 1920 and 1921 +by a severe illness that only allowed him to resume play in the +middle of the latter year. His ground strokes are flat drives +fore and backhand. His forehand is a particularly fine shot. He +hits it with a short sharp snap of his arm that imparts great +speed and yet hides the direction. His backhand is defensive. His +volleying clever, accurate but soft. His overhand severe and +reliable. His service flat, fast and dangerous. + +He needs finesse, experience and season, with which he may well +become one of the greatest players as the fundamental +potentialities are there. + + +NORMAN PEACH + +The steady baseline game of England has its exponent in Australia +in Norman Peach. He has a beautiful driving game, with adequate +but not severe service, that one finds so much in England. At +times Peach will advance to the net but his volleying and +overhead are secondary to his baseline game. He is not a great +tennis player but is certainly one of high standard of play. He +is just below the first flight in Australia. + +R. V. Thomas is one of the finest doubles players in the world as +is amply attested by his win of the world's title in 1919 with +Pat O'Hara Wood and their two successive wins of the Australian +Championship in 1919-20. Thomas with his hard-hitting off the +ground, and his brilliant volleying is a fine foil for Pat Wood's +steady accuracy. + +Just a word about one veteran, a good friend of mine, who is +again playing fine tennis, Rodney L. Heath, hero of the famous +Davis Cup match in 1911 when he defeated W. A. Larned, is again +in the game. + +Heath with his long beautiful groundstrokes, forehand, or +backhand, his incisive crisp volleys and fine, generalship based +on young experience, is a notable figure in the tennis world. + +The mantle of Wilding and Brookes must fall on the shoulders of a +really great player. Who it will be is hard to say at present. No +outstanding figure looms on the horizon at the time of writing. + + +South Africa + +The 1920 South African Davis Cup team players, following their +disastrous defeat by Holland, journeyed to England for the +Championship and following tournaments, and I had the opportunity +of studying three players of great promise. The remaining two +were excellent, but hardly as exceptional as the former. + +Charles Winslow, the leading player in the team, has a remarkable +versatile game. He uses a high, bounding service of good speed, +which at times he follows to the net. His best ground stroke is a +severe chop, not unlike Wallace F. Johnson. He has a good drive +both forehand and backhand, which he only uses when pressed or in +attempting to pass a net man. He volleys very well, and covers +the net quickly. His overhead is very severe, steady, and +reliable. He is a fine natural player just below the top flight. +He is an excellent strategist, and mixes his shots very well. He +has exceptionally fast footwork, and repeatedly runs around his +backhand to chop diagonally across the court in a manner very +similar to Johnson. + +B. I. C. Norton, the South African champion, a youngster of +twenty, is a phenomenal player of extreme brilliancy. He has +everything in stroke equipment, drives, slices, volleys, and a +fine service and overhead. Unfortunately Norton regards his +tennis largely as a joke. His judgment is therefore faulty, and +he is apt to loaf on the court. He tries the most impossible +shots that sometimes go in; and in the main, his court +generalship is none too good. + +He is an irrepressible boy, and his merry smile and chatter make +him a tremendous favourite with the gallery. He has a very strong +personality that should carry him a long way. + +Louis Raymond, the left-handed star of the South Africans, has an +excellent ground game coupled with a good service and fair +volleying and overhead. His game is not remarkable. He is a +hard-working, deserving player who attains success by industry +rather than natural talent. His judgment is sound and methods of +play orthodox, except for a tendency to run around his backhand. + +C. R. Blackbeard, the youngest member of the team, and G. H. +Dodd, its captain, are both very excellent players of the second +flight. Blackbeard is very young, not yet twenty, and may develop +into a star. At present he chops too much, and is very erratic. +. . . . . . . + +There are many other players whom I would analyse if I had the +time or space; but in these days of paper shortage and ink +scarcity, conservation is the keynote of the times. + +Let me turn for a few moments to the women whose fame in the +tennis world is the equal of the men I have been analysing. + + + +CHAPTER XVII. FAMOUS WOMEN PLAYERS + +Women's Tennis + +The great boom that featured the whole tennis season of 1921 in +America found one of its most remarkable manifestations in the +increased amount of play, higher standard of competition and +remarkable growth of public interest in women's tennis. + +England has led, and still leads, the world in women's tennis. +The general standard of play is on a higher scale and there is +more tournament play in England than elsewhere. France, with +Mlle. Suzanne Lenglen, Mme. Billout (Mlle. Brocadies) and Mme. +Golding, forces England closely for European supremacy, but until +recent years America, except for individuals, has been unable to +reach the standard of women's tennis found abroad. + +Miss May Sutton, now Mrs. Thomas H. Bundy, placed American +colours in the field by her wonderful performances in winning the +World's Championship at Wimbledon more than a decade ago, but +after her retirement America was forced to content itself with +local honors. + +Neither Miss Mary Browne nor Miss Hazel Hotchkiss, now Mrs. +George Wightman, followed Mrs. May Sutton Bundy in her European +invasion, so the relative ability of our champions and Mrs. +Lambert-Chambers of England or Mlle. Brocadies of France could +not be judged. Mrs. Molla Bjurstedt Mallory followed Miss Browne +as the outstanding figure in American tennis when the wonderful +Norsewoman took the championship in 1915. Miss Browne, then +holder of the title, did not compete, so their relative ability +could not be decided. Throughout the period from 1900 to 1919 the +woman's championship event had been held annually in June. The +result was that the blue ribbon event was over so early in the +season that the incentive for play during July and August died a +natural death. + +Finally in 1920, at the request of the Women's Committee, +particularly on the advice of Mrs. George Wightman, the national +champion, and Miss Florence Ballin of New York, under whose able +guidance the entire schedule was drawn up, the United States Lawn +Tennis Association moved the Women's Championship to September. +Miss Ballin, following the successful system used in the men's +events, organized a schedule that paralleled the big fixtures on +the men's schedule and placed in operation "a circuit," as it is +called, that provided for tournaments weekly from May to +September. Miss Ballin, together with Mrs. Wightman, organised +junior tournaments for girls under 18, along the lines used for +the boys' events. The response was immediate. Entry lists, which +in the old days were in "the teens," jumped to the thirties or +forties, in the regular events. Young girls who, up to now, had +not played tournaments, fearing they lacked the necessary class, +rushed to play in the Junior girls' events. From this latter +class came such a promising young star of today as Miss Martha +Bayard, who bids fair to be national champion at some not distant +date. + +It was a tremendous task of organization that Miss Ballin and her +assistants undertook, but they did it in a most efficient manner. +Mrs. Molla Bjurstedt Mallory lent her invaluable assistance by +playing in as many tournaments as possible. She was a magnet that +drew the other players in her wake with an irresistible force. + +1920 saw Mrs. Mallory's first invasion of Europe since her +American triumphs. Misfortune was her portion. She was ill before +sailing and, never at her best on shipboard, a bad voyage +completed the wreck of her condition. She had little time for +practice in England and it was a player far below her best who +went down to crushing de feat at the hands of Mrs. +Lambert-Chambers in the semi- final round of the World's +Championship at Wimbledon. + +Defeated but not discouraged, Mrs. Mallory returned to America +and, again reaching her true form, won the championship with +ease. She made up her mind the day of her defeat in England that +1921 would again find her on European courts. + +The season of 1921 in America opened in a blaze of tournaments +throughout the entire country. Mrs. Mallory showed early in the +year she was at her best by winning the Indoor Championship of +the United States from one of the most representative fields ever +gathered together for this event. + +Early May found Mrs. Mallory on the seas bound for France and +England. The story of her magnificent, if losing, struggle in +both countries is told elsewhere in this book, but she sailed for +home recognised abroad as one of the great players of the world, +a thing which many of the foreign critics had not acknowledged +the previous year. + +The trip of the American team to France, and particularly the +presence of Mrs. Mallory, coupled with the efforts of the +Committee for Devastated France, finally induced Mile. Suzanne +Lenglen, the famous French World's Champion, to consent to come +to America. The announcement of her decision started a boom in +the game that has been unequalled. Out in California, Mrs. May +Sutton Bundy and Miss Mary Kendall Browne, our former champions, +heard the challenge and, laying aside the duties of everyday +life, buckled on the armour of the courts and journeyed East to +do battle with the French wonder girl. Mrs. Mallory, filled with +a desire to avenge her defeat in France, sailed for home in time +to play in the American championship. + +What a marvelous tournament this proved to be! In very truth it +was a World's Championship. Mrs. May Sutton Bundy, former world's +champion, back again after fifteen years with all her old charm +of manner, much of her speed of shot and foot, and even more +cunning and experience; Miss Mary K. Browne, brilliant, +fascinating, clever Mary, with all her old-time personality and +game that three times had carried her to the highest honors in +American tennis; Mrs. Mallory, keen, determined and resourceful, +defending the title she had held so long and well; the young +players, rising in the game, struggling to attain the heights, +and finally looming over all the figure of the famous French +champion of champions, Suzanne Lenglen, considered by many +competent critics the greatest woman tennis player of all time. + +The stage was set for the sensational, and for once it occurred. +The God of Luck took a hand in the blind draw and this resulted +in all the stars, with the exception of Miss Mary Browne, falling +in one half. Mile. Suzanne Lenglen was drawn against Miss Eleanor +Goss, while Mrs. Mallory met Mrs. Marion Zinderstein Jessop, her +famous rival, in the first round, with the winners of these +matches to play each other in the second. + +Unfortunately illness prevented Mile. Lenglen from sailing at her +appointed time. She arrived in America but one day before the +tournament was to start. The officials of the United States Lawn +Tennis Association wisely granted Mile. Lenglen another day's +grace by holding her match with Miss Goss until Tuesday. Mrs. +Mallory, playing brilliantly, crushed Mrs. Jessop on Monday. + +Then came the deluge! Miss Goss, taken suddenly ill, was forced +to default to Mlle. Lenglen on Tuesday and Mrs. Mallory was +called upon to meet the great French player in Mlle. Lenglen's +first American appearance. + +There is no question but what it was a terribly hard position for +Mlle. Lenglen. Mrs. Mallory was physically and mentally on the +crest. She had lived for this chance ever since Mlle. Lenglen had +defeated her at St. Cloud in June. Now it was hers and she +determined to make the most of it. + +The two women stepped on the court together. Mlle. Lenglen was +obviously and naturally nervous. Mrs. Mallory was quietly, grimly +confident. Her whole attitude said "I won't be beaten." Every one +of the 10,000, spectators felt it and joined with her in her +determination. It was an electric current between the gallery and +the player. I felt it and am sure that Mlle. Lenglen must have +done so too. It could not fail to impress her. The match opened +with Mrs. Mallory serving. From the first ball, the American +champion was supreme. Such tennis I have never seen and I verily +believe it will never be seen again. The French girl was playing +well. She was as good as when she defeated Mrs. Mallory in France +or Miss Ryan in England, but this time she was playing a +super-woman who would not miss. One cannot wonder her nerves, +naturally overwrought, broke under the strain. + +Mrs. Mallory, in an exhibition of faultless, flawless tennis, ran +through the first set 6-2. It was at this point Mlle. Lenglen +made her mistake. + +She had trouble getting her breath and was obviously feeling the +strain of her tremendous exertions. She defaulted the match! Mrs. +Mallory walked from the court conqueror, clearly the superior of +the much vaunted world's champion. + +It is regrettable Mlle. Lenglen defaulted, for if she had played +out the match, everyone would have made full allowance for her +defeat, due, it would be said, to natural reaction from her +recent sea journey. No one would have been quicker to make +allowance for Mlle. Lenglen than Mrs. Mallory herself. The whole +tennis public deeply regretted an incident that might well have +been avoided. + +Mrs. Mallory was the woman of the hour. She marched on to victory +and successfully defended her title by virtue of victories over +Mrs. May Sutton Bundy in the semi-final and Miss Mary Browne in +the final. + +Marvellous Molla! World's Champion in 1921 beyond shadow of +dispute! + +It is deplorable that the quite natural reaction and nervous +upset, coupled with a return of her bronchial illness, forced +Mlle. Lenglen to return to France before she was able to play her +exhibition tour for the Committee for Devastated France. Possibly +1922 will find conditions more favorable and the Gods of Fate +will smile on the return of Mlle. Lenglen to America. + + +MRS. FRANKLIN I. MALLORY (Molla Bjurstedt) + +One of the most remarkable personalities in the tennis world is +Mrs. Molla Bjurstedt Mallory, the American Champion and actually +Champion of the World, 1921. + +Mrs. Mallory is a Norsewoman by birth. She came to America in +1915. In 1919 she married Franklin I. Mallory, and thus became an +American citizen. + +It is a remarkable game which Mrs. Mallory has developed. She has +no service of real value. Her overhead is nil, her volleying is +mediocre; but her marvellous forehand and backhand drives, +coupled with the wonderful court-covering ability and fighting +spirit that have made her world-famous, allow her to rise above +the inherent weaknesses of those portions of her game and defeat +in one season all the greatest players in the world, including +Mlle. Suzanne Lenglen. + +Mrs. Mallory, with delightful smile, never failing sportsmanship +and generosity in victory or defeat, is one of the most popular +figures in tennis. + + +MRS. THOMAS C. BUNDY (May Sutton) + +It is said "they never come back," but Mrs. May Sutton Bundy has +proved that at least one great athlete is an exception to the +saying. Fifteen years ago, May Sutton ruled supreme among the +women tennis stars of the world. + +In 1921 Mrs. May Sutton Bundy, mother of four children, after a +retirement of over a I decade, returned to the game when Mlle. +Lenglen announced her intention of invading America. If Mlle. +Lenglen's visit to our shores did nothing more than bring Mrs. +Bundy and Miss Browne back to us, it was well worth while. + +Mrs. Bundy in 1921 was still a great player. She has a peculiar +reverse twist service, a wonderful forehand drive, but with +excessive top spin, a queer backhand poke, a fine volley and a +reliable overhead. Much of her old aggressiveness and speed of +foot are still hers. She retains all of her famous fighting +spirit and determination, while she is even more charming and +delightful than of old. She is a remarkable woman, who stands for +all that is best in the game. + + +MARY KENDALL BROWNE + +The return of another former National Champion in 1921 in the +person of Mary K. Browne, who held the title in 1912, '13 and +'14, brought us again a popular idol. The tennis public has +missed Miss Browne since 1914 and her return was in the nature of +a personal triumph. + +Mary Browne has the best produced tennis game of any American +woman. It is almost if not quite the equal in stroke technique of +Suzanne Lenglen. She has a fast flat service. Her ground strokes +are clean, flat drives forehand and backhand. She volleys exactly +like Billy Johnston. No praise can be higher. Her overhead is +decisive but erratic. She couples this beautiful game with a +remarkable tennis head and a wonderful fighting spirit. + +Miss Browne is a trig and trim little figure on the court as she +glides over its surface. It is no wonder that her public love +her. + + +MRS. GEORGE WIGHTMAN (Hazel Hotchkiss) + +The woman to whom American tennis owes its greatest debt in +development is Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman, National Champion 1909, +'10, '11 and 1919. Mrs. Wightman has practically retired from +singles play. Her decision cost the game a wonderful player. She +has a well placed slice service, a ground game that is +essentially a chop fore- and backhand, although at times she +drives off her forehand. She volleys remarkably. She is the equal +of Mary Browne in this department, while her overhead is the best +of any woman in the game. + +Hazel Wightman is as clever a court general and tactician, man or +woman, as I have ever known. She has forgotten more tennis than +most of us ever learn. She is the Norman Brookes of woman's +tennis. + +It is not only in her game that Mrs. Wightman has stood for the +best in tennis, but she has given freely of her time and ability +to aid young players in the game. She made Marion Zinderstein +Jessop the fine player she is. Mrs. Wrightman is always willing +to offer sound advice to any player who desires it. + +Mrs. Wightman and Miss Florence Ballin are the prime factors in +the new organization of woman's tennis that has resulted in the +great growth of the game in the past two years. + + +MRS. JESSOP (Marion Zinderstein) + +There is no player in tennis of greater promise than Marion +Zinderstein Jessop. She has youth, a wonderful game, the result +of a sound foundation given her by Hazel Wightman, and a +remarkable amount of experience for so young a girl. She has a +beautiful fast service, but erratic. Her ground- game is +perfectly balanced, as she chops or drives from either side with +equal facility. She volleys with great severity and certainty. +Her overhead is possibly her weakest point. She lacks the +confidence that her game really deserves. + + +HELEN WILLS + +The most remarkable figure that has appeared on the horizon of +woman's tennis since Suzanne Lenglen first flashed into the +public eye, is little Helen Wills of California, Junior Champion +of 1921. She is only fifteen. Stocky, almost ungainly, owing to +poor footwork, her hair in pigtails down her back, she is a +quaint little person who instantly walks into hearts of the +gallery. + +The tennis this child plays is phenomenal. She serves with the +power and accuracy of a boy. She drives and chops forehand and +backhand with reckless abandon. She rushes to the net and kills +in a way that is reminiscent of Maurice McLoughlin. Suddenly she +dubs the easiest sort of a shot and grins a happy grin. There is +no doubt she is already a great player. She should become much +greater. She is a miniature Hazel Wightman in her game. Above +all, she is that remarkable combination, an unspoiled child and a +personality. + +There are many other players of real promise coming to the front. +Boston boasts of a group that contains Mrs. Benjamin E. Cole +(Anne Sheafe) who has made a great record in the season of 1921; +Miss Edith Sigourney, who accompanied Mrs. Mallory abroad, Miss +Leslie Bancroft and Mrs. Godfree. There are Miss Martha Bayard, +Miss Helen Gilleandean, Mrs. Helene Pollak Folk, Miss Molly +Thayer, Miss Phyllis Walsh and Miss Anne Townsend in New York and +Philadelphia. + + +France + +MLLE. SUZANNE LENGLEN + +There is no more unique personality, nor more remarkable player +among the women than Mademoiselle Suzanne Lenglen, the famous +French girl who holds the World's Championship title. Mlle. +Lenglen is a remarkable figure in the sporting world. She has +personality, individuality, and magnetism that hold the public +interest. She is the biggest drawing card in the tennis world. + +Mlle. Lenglen's fame rests on her drive. Strange though it may +seem, her drive is the least interesting part of her game. Mlle. +Lenglen uses a severe overhead service of good speed. It is a +remarkable service for a woman, one which many men might do well +to copy. Her famous forehand drive is a full arm swing from the +shoulder. It meets the ball just as Mlle. Lenglen springs in the +air. The result is pictorially unique, but not good tennis. She +loses speed and power by this freak. Her backhand is beautifully +played, from perfect footwork, with a free swing and topped +drive. It is a remarkable stroke. Her volleying is perfect in +execution and result. She hits her overhead smash freely with a +"punch" that is as great as many men. It is as fine an overhead +as that of Mrs. George Wightman, the American Champion. + +Mlle. Lenglen's speed of foot is marvellous. She runs fast and +easily. She delights in acrobatic jumps, many of them +unnecessary, at all times during her play. She is a wonderful +gallery player, and wins the popularity that her dashing style +deserves. She is a brilliant court general, conducting her attack +with a keen eye on both the court and the gallery. + +Mlle. Lenglen is not outstanding among the women players of the +world, in my opinion. She is probably the best stroke player in +the world to-day, yet Mrs. Lambert Chambers, Mrs. George +Wightman, Miss Elizabeth Ryan, Mrs. Franklin L. Mallory (formerly +Miss Molla Bjurstedt), Miss Mary Browne, and Mrs. May Sutton +Bundy are all in her class in match play. There is no woman +playing tennis that has the powerful personality of Mlle. +Lenglen. Her acrobatic style and grace on the court form an +appeal no gallery can resist. Her very mannerisms fool people +into considering her far greater than she really is, even though +she is a wonderful player. + + +MME. BILLOUTT (Mlle. Brocadies) + +Second only to Suzanne Lenglen in France is Mme. Billoutt, +formerly Mlle. Brocadies, once the idol of the Paris tennis +public. This remarkable player has as perfectly developed a game +as I have seen. Her actual stroking is the equal of Mlle. +Lenglen. Her strokes are all orthodox, flat racquet ones. Her +ground game is based wholly on the drive, fore- or backhand. She +has grown rather heavier in the last few years and consequently +slowed up, but she is still one of the great players of the +world. + +England + +In marked contrast to the eccentricities of Mlle. Lenglen one +finds the delightfully polished style of Mrs. Lambert Chambers. +Mrs. Chambers has a purely orthodox game of careful execution +that any student of the game should recognize as the highest form +of tennis strokes. + +Mrs. Chambers serves an overhead delivery of no particular +movement. She slices or "spoons" her ground strokes, forehand or +backhand. She seldom volleys or smashes. Her only excursions to +the net are when she is drawn to the net. + +It is not Mrs. Chambers' game itself so much as what she does +with it, that I commend so highly. Her change of pace and +distance is wonderfully controlled. Her accuracy marvellous. Her +judgment is remarkable, and the way in which she saves undue +exertion is an art in itself. She gets a wonderful return for her +outlay of effort. + +Hers is a personality of negation. Her manner on the court is +negative, her shots alone are positive. She is never flustered, +and rarely shows emotion. + +Mrs. Chambers is the "Mavro" of women as regards her recovering +ability. Her errors are reduced to a minimum at all times. To err +is human; but at times there is something very nearly inhuman +about Mrs. Chambers' tennis. + +ELIZABETH RYAN + +The English-American star Elizabeth Ryan is another player of +marked individuality. Born in California, Miss Ryan migrated to +England while quite young. For the past decade "Bunny," as she is +called, has been a prominent figure in English and Continental +tournaments. + +Miss Ryan has a queer push-reverse twist service that is well +placed but carries little speed. She chops viciously forehand and +backhand off the ground and storms the net at every opening. Her +volleying is crisp and decisive. Overhead she is severe but +erratic. She is a dogged fighter, never so dangerous as when +behind. Her tactics are aggressive attack at all times, and if +this fails she is lost. + +Although Miss Ryan is an American by birth she must be considered +as an English player, for her development is due to her play in +England. + + +MRS. BEAMISH + +This English player is an exponent of the famous baseline game of +the country. She drives, long deep shots fore- and backhand, +corner to corner, chasing her opponent around the court almost +impossible distances. Her service volleying and overhead are fair +but not noteworthy. Another player of almost identical game and +of almost equal class is Mrs. Peacock, Champion of India. Her +whole game is a little better rounded than Mrs. Beamish, but she +lacks the latter's experience. + +Among the other women in England who are delightfully original in +their games are Mrs. Larcombe, the wonderful chop-stroke player, +whose clever generalship and tactics place her in the front rank, +and Mrs. M'Nair, with her volleying attack. + +Women's tennis in England is on a slightly higher plane at this +time than in America; but the standard of play in America is +rapidly coming up. International competition between women on the +lines of the Davis Cup, for which a trophy has previously been +offered by Lady Wavertree in England, and in 1919 by Mrs. +Wightman in America, and twice refused by the International +Federation, would do more than any other factor to place women's +tennis on the high plane desired. This plan has succeeded for the +men, why should it not do as well for the women? + + + +ILLUSTRATION CAPTIONS + +{PLATE II. FOREHAND GRIP. FRONT VIEW. Notice the straight line of +the arm, hand and racquet, the flat racquet face, the natural +finger position on the handle. The racquet is in position to hit +a forehand drive. + +FOREHAND GRIP, BACK VIEW. The line is straight, the head of the +racquet slightly in advance of the hand. The pose is at the +moment of contact between ball and racquet.} + + +{PLATE III. THE COMPLETED SWING OF THE FOREHAND DRIVE. Notice the +body position, at right angles to the net, the weight on the +front or left foot, having passed from the right foot with the +swing, just at the moment the ball is struck. The racquet is +carried to the limit of the swing and falls into the left hand at +height of the shoulder. The racquet face has passed over the +ball. The reader is looking through the strings. The stroke was +made with the far side of the racquet from the camera. The eye is +following the ball in its flight. The whole movement is forward. +The tendency in hitting a forehand is to stop the swing too soon. +Notice the full follow through to the extreme limit of my swing. +The hitting plane in this picture is too high, the shot having +been made almost at the shoulder. The correct hitting plane for +the forehand drive is along the line of the waist. Play all +drives at this height if possible. Step back to allow the ball to +fall waist high if necessary rather than play it at the shoulder. +Hit your forehand drive decisively but do not attempt to kill +every shot. Be accurate first and attain speed second.} + +{PLATE IV. BACKHAND GRIP. FRONT VIEW. Note the hand on top of the +racquet handle, yet retaining the straight line of arm, hand and +racquet Is in the forehand. The change from the forehand grip is +one quarter circle of the handle. The knuckles are up and +directly towards the opponent. The head of the racquet is +advanced slightly towards the ball. + +BACKHAND GRIP. BACK VIEW. Notice the line of arm and racquet is +straight and the hand on top of the handle. The thumb in my +stroke is around the handle, but may be placed up the handle if +desired. Personally, I do not use it, and do not advocate it, as +it tends to detract from the freedom of the grip.} + +{PLATE V. COMPLETION OF THE BACKHAND DRIVE. Notice the feet are +firmly set, with the weight on the right foot, to which it was +shifted from the left with the swing. The racquet has struck and +passed over the ball, topping it. The body is at right angles to +the net, the left arm extended to aid in perfect balance. The +whole movement is forward, while the eye is on the ball, in its +flight. The stroke in the picture was off a high bounding ball +which accounts for the racquet's position being above the wrist +in order to bring down the ball. The perfect backhand drive is +off the waist, and the racquet passes along that hitting plane. +Meet the ball well forward on the backhand, at least in front of +the right hip. This will obviate the common error of slicing off +to the sideline and will tend to pull the ball, into court. The +locked wrist, with no turn is essential on all backhand shots +below the shoulders. It insures solidity of impact and adds pace +to the return. I believe in all beginners playing their backhand +shots cross court until they have fully mastered the footwork and +locked wrist swing. The common error of slicing the backhand +cannot be too strongly emphasized and condemned and cross +courting the shot tends to avoid it.} + +{PLATE VI. THE FOREHAND VOLLEY. Notice the body at right angles +to the net, the left foot advanced to the shot, the weight evenly +distributed on the feet, the wrist slightly below the racquet +head, the racquet head itself slighly{sic} tilted,,{sic} to lift +the volley, and the whole movement a "block" of the ball. The +wrist is stiff. There is no swing. The eyes are down. watching +the ball. The left arm is the balance wheel. The body crouched +and the knees bent.} + +{PLATE VII. THE BACKHAND VOLLEY. The body position and weight +control and balance are the same as in the forehand volley. The +crouch is more pronounced as the hitting plane is lower. The head +of the racquet is firmly blocked by the stiff, locked wrist. The +eyes are centered on the ball, which has just left the racquet.} + + +{PLATE VIII. DAVIS CUP CHALLENGE ROUND, 1921 +Zenzo Shinddzu. Japan and William T. Tilden 2nd. America, just +previous to the opening of their terrific match in which Shimidzu +led by two sets. 5-4 and 30-0, only to have the American finally +pull out the Victory.} + + +{PLATE IX. DAVIS CUP CHALLENGE ROUND, 1921 +William M. Johnston. America and Ichiya Kumagae. Japan, take the +court for the opening match before a gallery of over 12,000 +people. Johnston won in sequence sets, scoring the first point +for America.} + + +{PLATE X. FAMOUS DAVIS CUP DOUBLES TEAMS +NORMAN E. BROOKES AND GERALD L. PATTERSON Australia, 1920 +R. M. WILLIAMS, 2ND AND WATSON M. WASHBURN America, 1921 +M. E. MCLOUGHLIN AND T. C. BUNDY America, 1914} + + +{PLATE XI. FAMOUS DAVIS CUP STARS +NORMAN E. BROOKES Australia +ANTHON F. WILDING New Zealand +BEALS WRIGHT America +W. A. LARNED America} + + +{PLATE XII. +THE 1921 AUSTRALIAN DAVIS CUP TEAM +J.O. Anderson, J.B. Hawkes. Norman Peach and C. V. Todd. + +THE 1920 AMERICAN DAVIS CUP TEAM +R. N. Williams, 2nd, W. M. Johnston, Captain Samuel Hardy, W. T. +Tilden, 2nd and C. S. Garland.} + + +{PLATE XIII. FORMER CHAMPIONS OF AMERICA +R. NORRIS WILLIAMS 1914 and in 1916 +WILLIAM M. JOHNSTON 1915 and in 1919 +MAURICE E. MCLOUGHLIN 1912 and in 1918 +ROBERT LINDLEY MURRAY 1917 and in 1918} + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Art of Lawn Tennis, by Tilden + diff --git a/1451.zip b/1451.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0a6fd1d --- /dev/null +++ b/1451.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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