Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-07-16
FIRST
REQUISITE OF
CLASS Tennis

,, Pace always tells in tennis, H. NJ
Doust writes in the London Globe. II
| is direct expression of the personality
OF the player-a remark best Illus
trated by a study of the methods OF
the Renshaws, who practically reyo-
| lutionized the game in 1SS0-90.
Pace entails the high overland SER
| vice-play common to all ranks of
players nowadays. Without the high
overland service and its attendant
| lob variations tennis degenerates to
mere game of shuttlecock. In this
respect British players excel, for the
American service is generally SLOW
err" but often it becomes more dead
ly by reason of the formidable ''cut, >
| which causes the ball to actually
swerve in the air and to drag" or
rebound slow from the ground. This
twin effect has distinct advantage.
The play is earnestly cultivated in
high quarters even by players who
are opposed to the smashing yolley
game, since it gives the server more
time in which to follow up his serve
by running into a position approx
mately close to the net. from which
he can then develop the smashing
game
Net Is Vantage Point
In both games 1.-THE singles and
doubles) all players aim. or should do
so, to get within yard or two of
the net as soon as possible. Thence
develops the smashing volley so fatal,
yet so seldom seen at other than clas-
steal events. The player should seek
to get comparatively close to the net,
whether serving or receiving the
serve, the object in all cases being to
volley before the gravitational pull on
the ball becomes apparent. That
this is the correct and only play can
be adjudged from the fact that if the
rest happens beyond stroke or two,
most players. even inferior ones (they
are acting unconsciously) will be
found to have drawn into the net AT
least this is mostly so. An examina-
ton of players positions in eight
games out of ten will clearly bear
out this point. 1t is one well worthy
of study For some the service lines
possess fatal attraction
Yet the volley, pure and simple, is
only the prelude to still deadfier play.
Rapid and low volleying. clearing the
net maybe by but an inch or two, can
always be met by players who take
the trouble to practice the art. It is
when the volleying becomes varied by
the attempt on the part of one player
to place the ball out of reach of the
other that the science of it all be-
comes apparent This '1obbing," as
1t IS termed, calls for the greatest
skill and judgment 1t is the high
overland play. combined with the
lift" or top" placing the ball be-
hind ones adversary and well at the
back of the court, which is so discon-
certing to follow, and has given many
a pretty coup de grace to an other
wise evenly divided bout of volleying.
Raeket Often Betrays q "LOb.
Good ''lobbing' is difficult-at leask
1t would appear so from the attempts
one often sees in the great majority
of games. Unless judgment drawn to
a fine art accompanies the swing of
the racket, and the eye never re-
moved from the ball even for the
thousandth part of a second, the
lob will send the ball out of court,
or else just drop it short enough to
permit the opposing player to kill ii
by playing a smashing volley 1t is
essential that the racket does not be-
tray the intention to play a LOB. "
This defeats the whole object, and
permits the opponent to correct his
position-that is, should it prove or
be thought necessary.
In all play the primal object should
be to serve and return the serve so
as to permit of gaining a fayorableI
position within yard or so of the
net and to so regulate pace as to |
drive ones adversary into least |
favorable one-that is away from the
net toward the base line; and from
that initial advantage the successful
player can. given other things equal.
severely punish his opponent by sud-
denly reyerting to the smashing vol
ley which so invariably wins.
Get Position. Then s.Smash,
The smash stroke is really essen |
t1al to win. The game thus resolves /,
itself into three parts: 1. The en-
deavor on the part of one PLAYER toll
secure the more favorable position. |
2 The following M with the smash |
volley. 8. The success of the smash
stroke or win BY means of a well |
directed and judiciously placed lob
"A good player Invariably stakes his
chance overhead. Yet few indeed can
hope to, win without resorting at |
times to GOOD overhead play. The
hurting, clustering Thasterful smash |
stroke is similarly played to the over
head. with the exception. however,
that the position from which lit is |
PLAYED has no definitely fixed dis
tance from the net 1t requires in !
stinctiEe judgment and absolute |
mathematical precision, and its play
Is always in direct relation to the side !
ines and less proportionately to sne |