Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-06
is GREAT NECESSITY
FOR SUCCESS ON TENNIS COURTS
Tilden Explains Finer Points of Came as Developed
by Experts Throughout Country-Other
Comment on Turf Matters
By WILLIAM T. TILDEN, I'd
Philadelphia Champion for 1915.

often they get beaten in practice while
doing it.
Ill. The chop stroke back court game.
The same remarks which apply to the
ground stroke game just analysed apply
here, except that 1t is mere imperative
to so to the net since the chop is a hard
stroke to successfully play from the back
court.
". The "pat-ball" or steady game
When meeting man who plays this
most eXasperating style of tennis, start
out with two thoughts:
!. | won't play his game
,. | will attack all the time. Never let
steady player put you on the defensive
Hit consistently hard all the time and go
tc the net whenever possible. Keep the
game moving as rapidly as possible and
mix your shots as often as Is practical.
The notable examples of this style of
game are Norman Swayne Stanley Pear
son, Stanley Rogers and l.. C. Wister.
These men usually allow the other man
to beat himself, and seldom really put
the finishing punch in any match.
Thus we see that we must either force
the other man to play our game-thls
should be done whenever possible-or
adapt our same to meet the style of the
other man. Therefore 1t is good thing
to learn as many different strokes as
possible and learn TO mix them as easily
as possible.
In the foregoing it has been taken for
granted a man could vary mis- game. In
this we will take it for granted that we
have brain and then ,et us use II.
II is hard work. rapid thinking and
quick judSment which determines the
shot to be played when you have the
choice of two or more.
In general play the shot that comes
natural when all you need is 10 get the
ball back, but whenever you are out OF
position and the other man is in. hit for
the unusual and unexpected shot. and
since If you make 1t you score one for
yourself and take point away from your
opponent that he is counting on which
always has discOurag ging effect on him
while If you play the obvious shot you
not only waste method, but give the other
man an opportunity to make a kill which
gives him more confidence, If you must
lose point lose it trying for II and not
Just offering it up a sacrifice
The following points are we'll to bear
in mind:
~. Make the other man run when
ever possible.
(2. Shoot for this backhand as a rule
since that is the weak spot of most
games
t3). Aim to make the other man play
from position he does not wish 10. or
a shot he Is not used to.
CD. Always consider the psychological
effect of all shots. even the ones you
miss Remember that If you can get the
other man watching for the unexpected
and paying attention to your game in
stead of his own, tLat you have DESTROYER
his attacking, since that depends solely
on complete concentration TO the persons
own game who is attacking.
(5). AS far as possible never throw
away easy points by trying for the spec
tacular kin OF shot. 1t counts too much
against you I'm the psychology of the
game. A missed easy shot at a critical
time will often give the other man sufi-
cient confidence to pull the match out of
the fire while you are still wondering
just why you missed that shot
My next article will be ON court posi-.
tion.