Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-24
To Toss Ball High and Follow
Through With Racket Es-
sentiaI in All.
POSITION on THE COURT
IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT
Returns Cannot Properly Be Made
Unless It Is Carefully Taken.
Other Facts of Interest.
FIFTH CHAPTER.
BY JAMES BURNS.

| 1t is essential to toss your ball well
above Your head in serving. The height
varies according to a players style of
| service. 1t is important not only to toss
the ball well up. but also to toss it the
same way all the time. and at the same
! angle. The player thereby gets the cor
| eye on the ball.
start the racket well back for the
stroke. The players feet should be well
apart but balance preserved The grip
Ior serving varies, but the fingers should
always be spread apart. Do not hold
the racket too tight, as it prevents you
from having free wrist play. The more
wrist play the better the chance of keep
ing the ball in court
In serving a player follows through
on his stroke-that is, the racket is not
checked when it meets the ball. To get
power. behind the ball 1t is necessary
to avoid having your body and muscles
frightened or strained to have the stroke
uniform.
Have your left shoulder face the net
in serving. Many players face forward.
The standing position (or stance" as
they say in golf also varies according
to the kind of a serve the player wishes
to use. Standing sideways, the player
meets the ball over his left shoulder.
This produces more or less cut on the
ball. For a fast straight service the
player meets the ball more in front of
him. If you want to make a fast cut
service it is best not to- toss the ball
too far On your left. Keep it more to
the right and serve off your right
shoulder.
In a. break or twist service the player
throws the ball well back, that is. more
directly over his head. to get under the
ball. The player should feel the ball
on his racket the same as in topping
stroke before deciding TO twist or pull
down on the ball to cause it to break"
when it strikes the ground.
Master One Service.
Master one kind of service before start
ing another. though, of course. to
play a good game you must use various
tactics to confuse the opponent But in
learning take one at time.
When serving hard straight ball do
beforehand where YOU are going to at
tempt to place the ball or your opponent
will be there to meet it, A hard straight
service is considered easy to return il
the opponent knows where it is going
to be.
The first service even if not hit hard,
but we'll placed in court. is generally bet
ter than even good second The server
has the striker guessing on his first bali.
On the second the opponent seems. to
gain more confidence for the return.
In serving try to SO place the ball that
you will have the advantage and force
the opponent to make a weak return.
Study your opponents weakness in re-
turning. If he is weak on back hand,
for instance. keep playing to his back
hand, and SO on.
Try to catch the striker off balance
when serving. Make your opponent ex-
tend himself to return your service
Practice makes perfect. There is no
reason why player cannot get his sec
ond serve in as good and hard as his
first 1t requires only patience, conf
dence and will power
Knowing that there are hardly two
services alike players should learn to
judge their opponents services. One
should judge beforehand. where the ball
will bound before deciding to take up
certain position to receive it. There are
twists, breaks, cuts and shoots on the
ball which players have to judge. Many
players seem to stand in the same posi-
ton to return all the different services.
For instance, they. receive high bound
ing ball as they would straight service
that bounds low. If the receiver has a
quick eye it will be advisable to receive
a high bounding service about three feet
inside the base line. Meet the ball on
the rise and return it with a top. 1t also
could. be chopped back. The first method
is preferred, as a player can get more
depth to his ball, while in a chop stroke
he gets only placement.
By standing three feet inside the court
and meeting the ball on the rise you have
the advantage over your opponent as the
return is much quicker
In case your adversary has break
to his high bounding service hit the ball
very hard. BY hitting break service
ball too easily it spins off the racquet
Hitting hard kills the spin.
On a straight. fast service it is best to
stand back of the base line and be sure
to return the service with good height
and depth othe ball. A low-cut service