Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-08-11
The Repshaw rBrother

Row THE FAMOUS LAWN TENNIS On AMPIoNs kCQUIRKr
THEIR Skill. AND ROW rHKN fI.sN.
London Sunday Times. July 20
On Monday the mai scene Of the lawn-tennis
championship was enacted at Wimbledon. and. In
the face OF improved play all round. we md pre-
cisely as was the case seven years ago. that the
brothers Renshaw are stln AZ the tor, and not
only at the top, but occupying the eminence
much by right OF undOubted Superiorify as ever
HAD lawn tennis been game that, after reaching
certain height had suddenly turned on the
down line and deteTtOrated. there would ue no
surprise at the position stil held 10y the
henshaws but exactly the reverse has been
The case, and at the present time there
are several players In the second rank who
come perilously close 10 championship IorIn While
there Is wonderful amount % class IN the third
rank, which now and then rises 10 tie occasion
and temporarily humlates the one immediately
above IL No. the superiority OF the RensAaws il
not due 70 tae feebleness OF the oppostioa hui to
the mastery way In which they Improve upon
al That their opponents DO 70 bring about their
discontinue IL h In vain that one cherishes some
mediately discovered that the Reushaws KNOW an
about H. and not only can execute II With greater
certainty but possess counter move which quick
ly causes one TO forget all about IN ones anxiety
10 avert defeat. There is absolutely no strokr Ia
the game which any one can execute better than
the Renshaws while no other player exists who
can execute them all.
II Is intensely amusing and Interesting 20 watch
how these clever players defeat every attempt TO
emulate their own tactics The vOeying OF the
Renshaws long since passed into prOyerb and
foolish people thought they could do nothing else
Consequently, the certain way 10 defeat Ih-m was
70 volley also. The yolleying was tried on ali
OCCASIONS whether the return was simple or
difficult, as matter OF course, the royal road 10
success being via the volley. But the tactic Was
soon found 10 be futile. Tor the players who Il was
said, could DO nothing but voley, In some niracuL
Gus way sent the ball nying past at great pace
TO the right or left according 70 con-
yenience, 10 the discontinue VI the Zoe.
Then there was the ''smash," OF which
such severity that the bound Of the bali carries
IL beyond the reach OF the opponent Again the
du1er found an inialllble panacea against defeat
'smash." the BAH and You are all night. have
seen men standing at a net having easy balls sent
them TO 'snash-" They forgot that, IN a game. an
possible, and THAT at least one half OF the battle
In the OF the ''smash" Is 10 play 20 lead
up 10 IT, People say now that 'Jhe Renshaw
smash Is dying out" IL Is scen sosrequenJly
for the simple reason that play has Improved al
around, and players play at better length than
they did II the ball Is kept low and good length
maintained, there can be no smashing
The latest phase which has been developed by
the increasing excellence OF the back play Il the
lob. This stroke Is considered 10 Oe sufficiently
brilliant by The ordinary player FOR him 10 become
perfect In IT, but Il Is the only way getting out
OF a difficulty. The opponent makes a line return
into the back-hand corner. or which he Justifably
ANTICIPATES a weak stroke viii DE made and runs
up 10 the net 10 yolley and Kill the ball deN-
ferrous lob 20 within yard Of the base line gets
out Of the dff1culty at once, but IL must b. good
length lob, aud not short one. Noo II dex-
ferrous at lObblng than the Renshaws FOre-hand
or back-hand, IL ~ ali one 10 them, and just when
you Jnlnk you have 'gOt" Renshaw he has .got"
you. Whether you take them stroke for stroke or
collectively they are lnimlJabe. FOR Il Is not posi-
Ss 70 DON'T 70 any player Sno a1es any one thing
powers, and IL becomes apparent how difficult u
Will be for any one 10 qualify for the position OF
their superior. OF their facilities Tor practice I
say nothing, for dozens of others enjoy the same,
and, moreover, take ful advantage OF H. such
rare qualities possessed by two people In almost
equal proportions presents state oI affairs that
Is Qute UNIQUE.