Evening star., 1915-05-23

nent and successful business men in
every community where there is a club.
providing. of course, they are physical
~ able to stand the rigors OF the game.
quently wisely deduce that there must
be something to tennis which they
haven't diagnosed, and proceeding to
the diagn osis always brings new dew
otee to the altar of the courts
1t will be admitted that college foot
ball cannot be classed as genteel nor
in any sense womans game, and,
further. that the men who play it can
hardly be questioned as to their pro-
nounced masculinity. vet IS per cent of
the college foot ball graduates are ten
mis- men and play the game almost ex-
ciusively after they leave college This
applies in degree almost equally as
marked to college base ball. aouatics,
basket ball and track stars
1t is thoughts of this nature that
have, in recent years. caused many busi-
ness men. still young and active and
with strong desire to remain so to
investigate lawn tennis. AS a rule, they
have quickly grasped its manifest ad-
vantases and in nearly every case have
Joined the healthy. active cohorts of the
courts.
Seeing the game played at the country
clubs by skilled players has, of course
revised the hideous impression left by
the picnic performers and created a lure
too compelling to resist. The compet-
tive play of the cracks always gives the
novice an inkling of some of the neces-
sary attributes in the makeup of a sue
cessful player. The skill necessary and
the great amount Of patience. practice
and Intelligence needed to acquire it in
any considera BILE degree are made plainly
apparent, but 1t requires the actual com
petitive play through years of intelli-
gently collected experience to really give
one any idea of the many and exacting
requisites in the makeup Of a success
full tennis player.
Basic Requisites of Tennis Skill.
The basic requisites in the makeup of
one seriously essaying tennis develop
ment might be divided into two classes:
First physical fitness; second
brain-mental fitness. Under the head of
physical fitness the first necessity is
that the successful tennis player must
be strong. not abnormally So but pos
'sessing the stamina to enable him to
pursue his opponents shots to every
section of the court throughout from one
to three hours grilling play and also the
strength to deliver the punch necessary
to give his strokes speed and impart
sting to his shots. that they may reach
their destination in the shortest possible
time and be of sufficient speed to make
tHelF return dlfncuit. Stamina is essen
tfal, too. that the brain may work at
top efficiency throughout. for when one
hass physically in tennis match, the
brain frets at the physical shortcomings
and is. as consequence. unable to full
nj Its regular functions as efficiently
There have been many players in the
history of the game who have lacked
only physical fitness to become cham
pfons. In many cases they were par
excellence in strokes and tactics but
failed to reach the apex of tennis
achievement because they hadn't the
stamina to play A sustained high-class
game throughout a hard-foGght and pro-
tracted match.
Under the head of mental fitness comes
all the prerequisites of actual play This
starts with the fundamental knowledge
of the game and its objects, strokes
footwork and tactics. These should be
studied and acquired in the order given
as they are of Importance in that Sc
quence.
OF course. stroke is the first essen
tial and no player can hope TO climb to
the upper rungs of the tennis ladder who
doesn't cultivate a stroke. player may
meet with fair amount Of success by
the pursuit of slapping at or pushing
the ball. II he is a persistent and tire
less plugger. but by following this meth
cd. he degenerates into a mere getter
and while he may frequently win, and
in doing 80 extract the resultant bene-
fits Of exercise. he does not reap any
proportion of the pleasure from his play
that accrues to the player who acquires
a stroke and cultivates good form