The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1921-12-27
HOW TO
PLAY TENNIS
BY WILLIAM T. TlLDEN
Worlds Grass and Hard Court
Lawn Tennis Champion
Copyright 1921. by Public Ledger Co.
Breaks of Game often Decide Re-
suits of Close Tennis Match
N THIS article we will leave tn

SUITS OF OlOSe eHnIS mdtCn
I'm THIS article we will leave the
question of technique Of shots,
Il footwork and position, and turn
for a while to the question of what
the psychological influences are
which make or break a man during
a match.
The amount a person is affected by
outside influence or by the breaks"
of the game depends entirely upon his
temperament Cor in some cases tenn
perl. The more nervous a man is or
the more artistic or highly strung his
nature, the more he is affected by
these outside influences.
No man who plays tennis to win
and to be really good a nan must be
keen to win-ever goes through a
tournament Zone might almost say a
match) without losing his temper to
some degree. The mar who does not
feel it when things break against him
is not in a fit condition to play-he
is probably stale. 1t is not a fault to
lose ones temper, provided it does
not either hurt ones game or show
too much outwardly. 1t is worse h a
a fault, it is a tennis crime, to allow
ones temper ever to get the better of
one to the extent that it hurts ones
game. Thus, in looking at the affect
on a man of various occurrences in
tennis matches, one must always con-
slider the effect on temper.
Never gloom over the wonderful
shots made by YOU opponent, no mat
ter how important a point he takes
away from you. Simply give him full
credit for fine effort and go after the
next point.
Do Not Get Sore
Do not get sore at yourself to the
extent of growing Indifferent if you
miss shots hat you should make. If
you start missing, keep your mind fix
ed more closely on that shot each
time you play it. The more you think
about the shot o are making the
less time you have to gloom and get
peeved, because you are intent on
the next result and not on the past.
This depression from the real intent
of the article is only intended to get
this over. Do not blame yourself if
you get mad and play well. But
blame yourself severely if o get
sore and miss shots because you are
sore, or get sore and quit. He who
quits once never deserves serious
consideration again, for the habit
grows, and he is more apt to quit when
he gets up against it again.
The gutter is not needed in any
branch of sport.
Now let us consider several pecu-
liar effects on tennis players.
Effect of an Audience
Wallace F. Johnson, the Pennsylva-
mia State champion, claims that all
players are affected by a crowd and
usually to the detriment of their
game. If a man is truely sunk in his
W match and INTENT only on Win
ming it, it would make no difference
to him whether there were five or
5000 persons present. 1t is when the
ma is only half intent OF his match
= that the audience affects him. Then
, the brilliant man is made or broken
by the crowds. If he going well to
, open the chances are he will play a
great match, but if starts badly it is
seldom he can bring his mind out
from the audience and fasten it suffi-
GENTLY on his match to bring his
I game up.
These are not the most psychologist
cal effects in tennis. 1t is the impress
sion gotten from the interior of the
game that counts. These come from
first, your opponent; second, his
game it's style and consistency; third,
the breaks of the game.
There are certain type men who
CRATE on u nerves; every one has
some particular type which annoys
him. If our opponent happens to be
one of that group you will probably
have an unpleasant afternoon. The
remendy is the same old thing: train
your mind to follow the game and not
: the man. Your outlook should be no
more influenced by the reputation OF
, the player or by his personality than
t if you were rallying against a board
!, fence. r. N. Williams, I'd, should not
change your outlook, except to make
!, you work harder, than X z "Hitemab'
!, low" S%queedunk. After all, your abb
lily should not change, so don't lose
your nerve.
Your Opponents Game
This is a little bit harder to buck
up against and may be regarded as
the most potent factor of tennis psy
chology, because every time you turn
the ball it is brought to your atten
tion and you must seriously consider
it all times. If the style game youl
opponent plays suits you he will II
nine cases out of ten put you on the
= top of yours, but should it be a style
i you particularly dislike there is only
one ~remedy-as far as possible play
y9lr game o way, and under M
circumstance fall into playing his
If he breaks your game up, at leasl
make your game something different
from a poor imitation of his.
The Breaks of the game
Under this class comes the nos