Evening star., 1915-06-06

up diagonally to his volleying position
rather than strai ight The advantage
of this is that it shuts off the usual
diagonal return of the service across
! the center of the net, which is the
| strongest return that most players can
make.
| This stroke has the advantage of
crossing the net at its lowest point
| (the net is three feet in the center
and three and one-half feet at the
sides), and therefore can be hit lower
and faster than when it has to pass
six inches higher to cross the barrier.
Coming diagonally also, it is a harder
stroke to handle for the rushing server
than il it comes straight at him, fol-
lowing the side lines down the court
If the server stands pretty close to
| the center of the base line to make
| his service his run to the net will be
very little diagonal and he will not
,, have to travel more than A few feet
farther than if he ran straight up. The
play disconcerts the adversarieS, even
when it is expected. and generally
forces the striker out TO make a weak
er return of the service than the other
formation permits. One weakness it
has is the danger of lobbing over the
net mans head. for this is more dam
gerous than similar lob over the net
man in the customary position.
Beals Wright's Theory.
Beals Wright. one of the first users of
this formation. calls attention in the
new book to what he believes to be
the error of using this position all the
time. Wright believes that it should
be used only when the server has his
! forehand toward the ALLEY; this is,
only when a right-handed server is
handed server to the left court. In
the opposite courts the regular for.
nation should be used, according to
Wright's theory.
velopment works in favor of the serv-
ing side, not against it. and it may be
necessary soon to strengthen the
striker-out and his partner by altering
the rules. as the other side is steadily
growing stronger every season. Ward
and Davis effort to stop the advan-
tage by lobbing was ruined by better
smashing, but there Is nothing in sight
today to prevent the server from win
ming nearly all the time, as he does
now in doubles.
Three schemes have been suggested
and are being talked over by the play
erS, any of which soon may crystalline
into a movement to alter the rules
Dewhurst has advocated shortening the
service court by foot or two to curb
the server: another scheme fathered by
server to one ball in double. but what
believe is the best of all is to widen
the alleys of the doubles court from
four and one-half to six feet on each
side.
This would not affect the singles
game in any way. would not upset fix
ed standards or length or methods of
service, but by adding three feet to the
width of the court for doubles. it would
help the strikers-out materially in
their effort to dislodse the serving side
at the net and make the battle for the
net position. into which all modern
doubles at once develop a nearly even |
affair. with a reasonable opportunity |
for either side. whether serving or not. |
to drive the others out or pass them |
In singles player Is able to cover, F,
with about even chances for success. |
I fwenty-seven feet of the net. but In |
doubles each partner now need cover |
only eighteen feet of the flet. If the |
court We're widsned. suggested each !
man would have to protect twenty feet |
and the doubles game would be more |
nearly on an even basis with singles |
than it is now.
The scheme is worth a serious trial, /
at any rate. and possibly It will have |
one this season.