Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-11
Is Spelling TENNIS
No New Stars Are Arising 10 Grace
the Tennis Courts.
OLD PLAYERS In THE L1MEL1GHT
stasnation is Given as h Cause Of
Little Improvement In the An
Client Court Game in Eng
land and America.


NEW YORK, July 1o.-Neither here nor
abroad is there any great promise OF a
new phenom appearing in lawn tennis, and
for the time being America and England,
as well as other countries. must be con-
tented with what they have. Experts say
that this lean condition OF promising
youngsters Is due to the blight over civ
lizstion. for the player OF today is more
OF less Tapped in tennis luxury. In every
thing connected with the game he enjoys
a perfection of detail undreamed OF a gem
Grafton ago. The court is simply perfec-
tion, while the balls and racquets are be-
yond Improvement, and in most cases the
walls are encircled by green canvass so
as to shelter him and enable him to get
a clearer sight Of the balls.
But the tendency of ali this luxury and
perfection is hardly toward the production
OF a hardy race of players. When a game
is learned and strokes} mastered under
great difficulty the result is a viriIe
product, such as soft conditions could
not effect. Among the players whose
names figure in the early chronicles Of
the game there was q resourcefulness n
q%uickness Of eye which is seldom seen
nowadays, simply because the conditions
which produced and nurtured them no
longer exist. Uneven courts, uncertain
balls and irregular racquets make a much
greater demand upon the eye and in
genuity Of the player than modern condi-
lions.
Speaking of this aspect Of tennis, an ex-
pert says: 1T might be well for play
ers IL things were less easy, II they were
obliged to work harder at the game and
In a moro downright self-denying and hum
drum fashion. 1t might be well for them II
they were forced to get some OF their
practice up against a wall, as Mrs. Lambert
Chambers did when as Miss Douglas, she
learned the art of driving in lonely prac-
tee against the wall Of her fathers vicarage,
or like H. F. Lawford to gain proficiency
in base line play through the medium OF
a mail boy who from the far side of the
net threw balls for him to drive. That was
keenness, II you like, but Lawford went
further than that: he fastened q string
about a foot above the net and parallel to
II. and IL he drove the ball between the
string n the net he knew he wa hitting
q good length. but II above the string and
the net he knew that his balls were going
out. Small wonder that Lawfond won the
championship of 1887. How many players
Of the present day would take such trouble
to master one stroke7 Not many. I trow.
A. F. wilding was keen after this fashion,
practising strokes in season and out of
season and not suffering. anything to stlfle
his ever present intention TO hit q ball
about
Accuracy Essential.
IT have heard Of a lone enthusiast who
Vnxo c4tNa1 I0hhlp1 0p q fonn3a 1ot.rf all hu
himself. hitting the ball from one court to
another. then jumping the net and return
ing II and 30 On. There Ia seldom the
necessity perhaps, for such a desperate
form of practice and possibly little use An
It, but at least It would indicate the right
kind Of ardor. The best practice is not
always that which consists of a friendly
game with another player. This. too. often
resolves itself into mutual efforts to win
for the sake of winning. Regulations have
to be maintained, and IT would never DO to
lose to the player on the other side Of the
net and have him boasting about # in the
dressing room. Tha is unfortunately q
consideration which is all too influential
more especially in small and provincial
clubs. Practice II 1t is to be beneficial mus
be purely practice. The desire to win may
% DI8H0uI puL ~ Oo Va OAAg RNNS
airy Importance. Always the player should
go for the right strokes, leaving considera.
ton OF expediency to match and tourna'
ment play.
"For example, he should use his weak
backhand in practice as much as possible
and avoid running around and playing the
bali with his forehand. The whole object
Of practice is to strengthen the veal
-. LAk.- &Aa akr0n4 npaa and AaVa10r
the new ones. This object is defeated II
practice games degenerate into rivalry
between tho players. 1t may be dull, but
II is often profitable to take out a box
full of balls and practice serving and driv'
ing with no opponent on the opposite sid
of the net. And when playing singles
let the players see to It mat the single
posts are in their place. This is an I'm
~portant little detail, which in practice II
honored oftener In the breach than in the
observance.
This s~tagnation, which Ii admittedly
the condition OF English lawn tennis
seems also to be the condition Of the gam'
IN America. No nevs player Of brillian'
parts has arisen for years past. The sam'
prospers and grows just as It does here
players multiply and the standard Of skill
steadily mounts. but yet there is nj
change in the vanguard. Americans mus
still rely upon the players who have bat
tied, for her honor for several years pas
-I4arned. Wright. Clothier. Little. Alex
ander. etc"
H. A. Parker. the New Zealand player
who is to be here in the fall, is a playe
Of the first rank. Among his titles ar
the New Zealand. South Australia, ras
mania, Queensland and Victoria cham
pionshipa. His strongest point is hard hit
ting with an unlimited amount Of top spii
on the ball. yet II stays I'm the court
WHhen hit in this fashion the ball dips YER
, suddenly sitter crossing the net. somethinl
! which is very p~uEzling to the volleyer.