Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-11
TENNIS REQUIRES
EARLY TRAINING
Players Make Mistake by Not
Getting in Condition in
the Spring.

One of the best things in the world for
lawn tennis player is TO get fit in the
early part of the season and keep in con-
dition until it closes. y majority of play
ers try to get in condition in the full
glare of the warm weather. and in doing
so undermine their vitality. and they
wonder why they are not able to stay
more than a couple of sets
An instance of the advantage CT being
in condition early is that Ct Richard H.
Parker. who recently won the Tri-State
champ ionship, and amcng these whom he
defeated was Wallace F. Johnson. Had
Palmer been in the same trim for the
New York state championships last June
as when he defeated Johnson he would
have surely annexed the title.
Another good thing for player, esIe-
cially beginner, is to practice the rlSht
way of making his shots. In discussing
this and other points Of the game an eN-
pert remarks:
Nearly every aspirant for lawn tennis
honors Is firmly imbued with the idea
that the only way he will ever get to ne
first-class player is through tournament
play, by meeting men with whose sts'e
he is unfamiliar and getting beaten by
some so-caled crack. But while 1t Is I'M
doubtedly an advantage for the novice 10
play against men much better than him.
self the notion that sufficlency OF
tournament play is all lie needs In time
to make him a champion or near cham
pion is an unfortunate delusion from
which too many young players are SUI
fering About as reasonably might they
hope to become great singers by sup
ing faithfully at grand opera.
.'There are several reasons why many a
man possessing all the physical attributes
requisite for a first-class player 1ails 10
become one. and the chief of these rea-
nile
wholly and fearfully sef-made-they have
never been taught the game. AS a result,
most of them do not know how to make
the simplest strokes properly, while the
rudimentary principles OF footwork, posi-
ton timing. etc. are wholly unknown to
them The novice at tennis seldom or
never receives any competent coaching
He picks up the game as best he can by
playing with other nOvices, during Whlcn
process he is certain to acquire great
many faults of style which later he finds
it almost impossible to get rid of, if in
deed he ever realizes the necessity OF do
ing SO.
1T would hardly be an exaggeration to
say that at least nine out of ten players
who take up the game are so badly handl-
capped at the start by this lack of skilled
coaching that there is practically no
chance of their ever acquiring correct
form of developing half the proficiency
they might have attained had they been
taken in hand early by experts and
taught correct methods of play.
Another almost insurmountabe OBJ
stacle to the. success of most tennis play
ers is their curious inability or unwill-
ingness to recognize their mistakes ana
to correct them. To the observer it some |
times seems as though the average play
err must leave what brains he has in the |
clubhouse when he goes out to play, for |
he so rarely acts as though he had them |
with him on the court. Again and again |
in a match he will be guilty of making !
the same stupid and fatal mistake-such |
as trying to volley from the back of the
court, or rushing wildly to the net after
an easy return. or sticking to the sort of
game which is only too plainly exactly |
to his opponents liking. The average
player. in short, uses everything but his
head In trying to win.
He is apparently too much concern
ed as a rule in trying to bring off some
favorite subsequently, Of highly
spectacular and risky kind-to give any
thought to anything else 1t Is as
though he were fatally obsessed with
the idea that he must win the point
in one particular way or not at ALL |
quite Oblivious to the fact that this
precise way may be the one least adapted
to the purpose. His main notion is to
end the point one way or another as
soon as possible. Seldom does he evince
the slightest disposition to plan ahead
FOR a shot, to try to work his op-
ponerrt out of position or to keep him
guessing as to just what sort OF stroke
to expect next.
"A contest between two players of
this kind is usually a sam-bang hit-or-
miss affair, which provides more
amusement than real interest for the
spectators
"In the early stages of any large
tournament one may see men who have
been playing tennis for years and years
commit errors of judgment
and faults of execution which make
their playing seem like that of the
yeriest tyro. These men have time and
again watched the best players of this
country compete; they are not deficient
in powers of observation or mental
acuteness, and yet to watch them one
would think them ignorant of the finer
points Of the game The adage that
YOU can't teach an old dog new tricks
seems to apply with peculiar force in
the case of players like these. Their
style. if such it can be called, was
formed long ago, and despite its Slar-
ing imperfections-of which they APP
near blissfully unconscious-they cling
tenaciously to it and rely vainly on
agility. steadiness or luck to give them
victory.
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