The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1922-01-06
HOW TO
PLAY TENNIS
BY WILLIAM 7. TILDEN
Worlds Grass and Hard Court
Lawn Tennis Champion
Copyright 1921. by Public Ledger Co.
Backhand Stroke is Weakness OIL
Most Players
"A THE very opening of this arti-
Gle it will be well to get several

IA L NE very ODGuIlS VI Ihio III
~ Gle it will be well to get several
IN g~eneralities before us at once.
In the average tennis game, and Ger
tainly with all beginners, the back
hand is a weak stop, and in almost
every case is protected so far as pos
sible. The tendency is to owe up
and protect this part of the game and
so far as possible, to eliminate it
from play. This is a very bad error,
for the only way to develop a back
hand is to use it consistently and
equally with the forehand.
To most players the backhand is a
purely defensive shot. There are
only two players who rely on their
backhand to pass a net player with.
One is Theodore Roosevelt Pell, the
other is R. N. Williams, I'd. They
both score often off their backhand,
yet their shots are totally different.
PelIs shot, the most remarkable
backhand in the world, is a fast drive
hit just as the ball starts to fall from
the top Of it's bound. 1t is hit with a
full arm swing and a great deal of
top" the weight travelling into the
shot as Pell almost jumps into the
ball.
It is a wonderful piece of absolute
control of footwork, yet withal is
very e%rratic, because he relies on ter
rife force to beat the other man. 1t
is generally a straight shot, seldom
angled.
Williams shot, on the other hand,
is hit on the rising bounce with a
very short swing, the racquet meeting
the ball full face, and a wrist turn
putting the top" on it. Williams can
hit either straight or cross court from
either side seemingly equally well,
owing to the shortness of the swing
allowing him to change direction at
the last minute. The remarkable part
is the speed with which Williams can
hit cross court and hold the ball in
court.
But let us all remember that we
are not yet Pells and Williamses, and
therefore let these trick shots alone.
Fol marvellous as these shots are,
they are individual and unique and
should not be copied until the funda-
mental backhand ground stroke be-
comes second nature. Once that is
accomplished then we can begin to
work out the peculiar shot which will
become an attacking power.
Do not shield your backhand, never
form the habit of running around a
ball to get in on your forehand. To
do so only weakens your backhand
and lays you open to easy attack,
since your position will be bad.
Do not chop your backhand until
you have acquired the fiat ground
stroke or drive. No less an authori-
tu than I'm L ID r1pcf G az an
equiVocally: Never chop your back
hand under any circumstances" DR..
Dewhurst ought to know, for there is
no greater authority IN tennis
strokes in America today than he.
Chop is Tabooed
The reason for this advice against
the chop stroke is not that it is neces-
sarily a bad shot, but that it lacks
pace. Today pace is an absolute ne
cessity, since the surest way to pass
a mar at the net is pace plus fair di
rection. The very nature of the CHOP
stroke in itself tends against great
speed, and the result is that it is an
easy shot to Volley once it is reach
ed.
Do not think that this is advocating
facing the cover off" every ball you
hit. Far be it from that. 1t merely
is advising the development of a uni
form speed, and the uniform speed o.
a drive is greater than that of a chop
The only great chop stroke back
hand today is Wallace f. Johnson
Pennsylvania State champion; bu'
even his shot lacks pace, anC
a net man causes Johnson a grea.
deal of trouble.
Defensive Stroke
Make your backhand first defensive
from the point of security and steadi
ness; do not miss often off it unit
you begin using it extensively. WheI
you begin doing that expect to miss
for the shot that score most Otter
and is the strongest attack will ma
turally go wrong most often because
of the chances you take in trying Il
score.
Now, the technique of the back
hand ground is made UP of tire,
things first, footwork; second