Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-18
BACKiAND STROKES ALWAYS
y MOST UNNATURAL POSITIONS
In English Tennis Play They Are Used
Defensively, But Have Become Part of
American System of Offensive Work.

stop. in order to discourage smashes
| that bound abrormally high.
! Do what you can to provide for like
contingencies, and do not have your
| backstop too near the base line. This
i is common error in many otherwise
| correct courts. 1t may sometimes be a
| question, as in private courts. of the
extent of ground at ones disposal. but
exhaust every possibility to get as
much space between the base line and
| the backstop as possible. If in your
! extend himself to reach the bound of a
| deep lob without colliding with the
netting, then it is too near. The court
| should give one ample room to ma Ike
deep ''recoveries.' Nothing clogs good
| players game like the constant feeling
that the back nets are cramping him.
| 1t has definite psychological effect.
! Twenty feet or so is u good distance.
| No trees should cast shadow on the
court or interfere in any way.
| Keeping Court in Good Condition.
Keep your court in good condition.
grass court cannot be used con-
stant1y as dirt court unless you have
room to shift it around your lawn. The
''upkeep" is more expensive. Beware
also of worm casts. A dirt or clay
court should always be swept and
watered before it is rolled. and this
whole process should be gone through
frequently. The amount of "upkeep''
you can afford will depend upon the
finances of your club. or upon your own
IL it is a private court: but. if you ex-
ercise discrimination in your times of
play and can enlist the services of an
experienced man to sweep, roll and re-
mark when necessary. it will highly
repay you. Practice on a lumpy, i'll
, marked court is almost worthless.
Asphalt or concrete courts have
painted lines. are easily swept. and.
with the proper drainage. dry almost
Immediately. A court should slope a
! little from the center to the sides.
! though almost imperceptibly. for drain
age. The upkeep of asphalt amounts
to almost nothing, but grass courts
cannot be clipped too closely and must
! never present a moth-eaten surfa ce.
The grass frequently has to be nursed
back to spots that go bare, as resod-
ding is not advisable.
In general, the judicious use of Gin
ders will help in draining a dirt or
grass court. The most tramDled parts
of the court are bound to be in the
vicinity of the net and around the base
line. and therefore these parts should
be particularly well drained. For good
drainage the courts should be raised
somewhat from the surrounding
ground if possible. Care should par
ticularly be exercised in draining and
wedding grass court. Clay courts
differ from dirt courts in having sub
gravel. A clay mixture supplies their
cohesion. The top-Gressing is clay in
stead of sifted gravel as in the other
case. But one type of dirt or clay
court shades into another. and there
are various kinds of top-dressing. Get
an expert to tell YOU what is suitable,
as well as to teach you the proper con-
struction.
Asphalt courts are hard on the feet.
and they will become soft with heat
or crack with frost. Concrete is even
worse on the feet. and hard on the
eyes as well. Both this type and the
disastrous cinder court wear out foot
wear and tennis balls very quickly; the
latter practically tears them to pieces.
The initial expense OF asphalt or con-
crete is, of course, a large item. de-
spite the simplicity of their demands
afterward in a suitable climate.
My experience on wood is not very
great. What little I have INDUCED in
was very satisfactory, particularly
when the wood was covered with can
vas In fact. 1 do not believe wood
/ court is very practicable without a
canvas cover. some other material
| to both deaden and slow the bound Of
| the ball.
| Copyright 1917. by George II. n"ran Company