Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-29
PARET EXPLAINS ART OF
RACQUET WELDING
1t Is Perfectly Honorable to Take
Advantage in Match Play of
Weakness at Any Time
or Stroke
THE hidden skill of the lawn-tennls

THE hidden skill of the lawn-tennis
expert lies as well secreted from
a the eyes of most observers as that
of the billiard master, says ]. Parmly
Paret in Country Life of America.
This is a feature of lawn tennis that
is well understood by expert players. II
is only the less experienced players that
one sees smashing at balls from back
of the service line, and trying for i'm
possible passes. Such play is for the
grandstand, not for the score board.
1t is an excellent maxim to keep In
mind that to win tennis matches, one
should never attempt to Kill difficult
balls, and d'never miss an easy kill. The
best plan of campaign is to keep the op-
ponent constantly In difficulties by
forcing him as much as possible, by
placing the ball at his weakest point
and keeping him embarrassed in his
strokes, and the chance will soon come
for the easy killing stroke that wins the
game. AS the antagonists returns
weaken, it becomes easier to get him
further into difficulties, and the next
weak return pounced upon for an easy
kill
1t is perfectly honorable as well as
legitimate to take advantage in match
play of the weakness of an opponent, at
any particular point or stroke. Fre-
quently one meets an antagonist who
plays we'll in most departments of the
game, but has one fatal weakness.
Most frequently this lies in the back
hand play, but I have often seen the
forehand stroke the weaker point Of a
tournament expert.
When you discover the weak spot, the
knowledge should be turned to profit,
and this is where the "heady" player
has the advantage, for he sooner dis
covers the weakness, and better knows
the way to make profitable use of it.
Attacks Weak Spot
If your opponent volleys well, do not
let him volley; if he volleys poorly,
draw him up to the net with a short
ball. and make him volley. Some play
ers smash very badly, and to them an
experienced expert will promptly lob,
while the weaker side of an antagon-
lists play will be used constantly for
the attack.
The good general always attacks the
weakest spot in the enemy's lines, and
| it is generalship that wins most tennis
matches, not Drawn or grandstand
strokes.
A few years ago, in the New York
state championship tournament met a
local player from up the state whose
| friends thought he was a world-beater
And so he was with one stroke, fore
hand drive that made the balls sail past
me as though they came out of SIX
inch gun.
But this clever player could hit the
ball only on his right side, and a few
experimentally placed returns soor
showed me his backhand weakness
After that it did not take much skill
or much head work to place every bal
to his back-hand side, and the match
was easily won.
Yet after the match was finished thf
man was bitterly disappointed because
he had not "played IN, to his form,
and his friends declared that he surely
would have beaten me II he could have
gotten his stroke in
In another match recall. my oppon'
ent told me after he had lost that h'
could have passed me easily at the me-
If l had been in my proper position
But | maintained that my proper posi-
ton was as near as l could get to thu
spot where the next return would come
This player had previously dlscov
| cred, could not pass across court from
his back-hand side, so ! took grea
pains to place my returns to his sid
Of the court and over the straight-lin'
only answer to this attack.
Can Use Finesse
Finesse can be used in other depart
ments of the game beside the attack
Take the two dissimilar styles Of drivinf
off the ground, with the lift stroke (s'
often misealled the "Lawford') and thu
undercut English style that makes tn,
/ ball spin backward like q draw shot II