Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-15
NJ MAURICE E. McLouaHL1N
tAmerica,s Greatest Tennis Player.

tAmerjca's Greatest Tennis Player.
Tennis doubles is a study in itself
There Is such wide difference be.
tween team play and singles that they
may be considered as distinct from
each other as is tennis itself from
cricket or lacrosse. OF course. the
rules Of the game are exactly the same
except that the territory Is larger
and two men alternate the service on
the same side Of the net. There is nc
difference in stroke technique. But a
good team player, while needing all
the strokes that the individual has
use for. employs them with another
object in view. He must remember at
all times that he has partner. In
singles he seeks only to win the point
In doubles he tries much of the time
to "set up" the point for his partners
Kill" The first class doubles player
must be absolutely unselfsh on the
court Just as a foot ball player, re-
luctnnt to yield the ball to a comrade
achieve long run to his own per-
sonal glory, often losses away the
chance for goal. SO the tennis player
who is greedy of laurels will. in a
doubles match, make futile trials at
aces" rather than place his partner in
line for an easy kill.
A man can be a good singles and a
good doubles player at the same time
or he may be excellent at doubles and
poor at singles. and vice versa. Usu-
ally he is content to play well at one
OF the two and does not attempt the
other with any great ambition. Singles.
should say. is far preferable for the
beginner. 1t brings out a mans in
dividnality far more than is possible
in the game with a partner.
Greater Variety Of Strokes.
To become an expert doubles player
demands specialization in the peculiar
Necessities. I venture to say that
doubles requires a greater variety Of
strokes. because the ball is necessarily
more in play between four men and
consequently more situations arise
which call for widely different kinds
OF stroking. Doubles brings the lob
be experts at this method of defense.
aYtd. in the English and Australian for
nation. which / shall presently ex-
plain, the half-volley is Of much value.
The understanding of position is very
important In the game of four. A great
many doubles players do not under
stand this. For one thing they do not
volley close enough to the net. In the
pair game shots are, in general, played
shot that drops quickly / othe oppo-
nent's feet is moro effective than in SIM
giles. The short-length shot is at a
premium also. The constant endeavor
H. for a team to play Its returns to pref
vent its oppohents having the down
stroke. ..s.....ss5e
In an effective doubles team the men
have worked together long enough to
come to mutual understanding as to
who takes the ball under certain deA-
mite circumstances They are really
unconscious of their teamwork. They
are simply components Of well-oiled
machine.
doubles champions for four successive
years. may be cited as attaining the
perfection Of. team work. Each APP
pears to know intuitive1y what the
other Ii going to do. Theirs Is team
work not only in action, but in antici-
pafion- Their minds work together.
They cover the net position wonder
fully. we'll. Not only does Hackett know
intuitively what Alexander .is going to
DO. and Vice versa. but their brains
ponents' intentions. Thus. one will
ieave his own court entirely unprotcct-
ed to assist In covering his partners
halt against an attack not yet under
On this naaryelously intuitive team
work rested the fame Of the uncon-
Qderable Dohertys. AS an English
friend once expressed It to me. they
wore pretty snug players at the mel.
Perfect Understanding.
Naturally, to attain this high degree
Of doubles eficiency there must be q
perfect understanding between the two
men and each must be thoroughly ac-
Quainted with the others game. its
strength and Its weakness. Annoyance
On the part Of one is bound to affect
<hn al - = . vtv0 al % q
own game. Harmony must rule. Dur
ing an actual contest there should be
little spoken between the men. and
what II spoken should always be IN
the nature Of encouragement rather
than Of criticism.
Another factor in the excellence of
the Hackett-A1exander type Of combi-
nation Ia that Hackett, q cool and
steady player. always the same under
all circumstances, serves as the ball
ance wheel Of the team. Alexander. on
the other hand. 10 more temperamental
and rises to tremendous heights of brill
liancy. at such times scoring outright
point after point It 10 in Alexander's
lesser moments that the strength of
Hackett's game is felt. He bridges over
the gaps Of depression in his partners
game and proves in time Of need his
possession of many invaluable doubles
strokes. The two have tonge-and-
srooyed their game through years Of
association.
Behr is the brilliant member Of the
Pe,l-Behr combination, though Pclrs
backhand work IL. of course, marvel
Gus. But Behr also Is the more erratic
OF the two. AT his best he Is superb.
but Pell has his work cut out for him
on Behr's of day
In general believe that the players
Of doubles team should be of differ
eht types-that is. when their different
styles Of play more or less balance. It
is easy to see that against team in
which both players are Of the same type
their opponents will md 1t easier to
gauge their game, for the enemy has
really only to get used to the methods
Of one man to have the whole box of
tricks. whereas in the cae of team
Of different and balanced styles there
would be two individuals to watch and
fofestall throughout the whole match.
The Ideal Balance.
OF course. the ideal balance comes
when both players are about equally
rounded out in the doubles game-in a
combination such as that Of Wildina
with Brooies. wherein strength was
equally divided and handicapped by no
weaknesses. In the great majority OF
cases. however. each player possesses
strokes some Of which are doubles
strength and some a doubles weakness
But II the strength Of one player def
nitely offsets certain weakness on the
part Of his partner proper maneuvering
Will. with practice. protect the weakness
OF each by the strength OF each, and II
will be very dff1cult to hammer such q