San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-04
REQUIREMENTS
. To PLAY GOOD
TENNIS NAMED
Combative Spirit Placed as
First Essential by Walter
Camp.
PATIENCE COMES NEXT
Coordination, Speed and
Endurance Are Other
Essentials.
PATIENCE COMES NEXT
Ry WALTER CAMP.

an enormous growth of interest in
tennis in the last year and a remark
able increase in the number playing
the game. These facts have resulted
in many inquiries to the writer as to
the oualifications-that is, the natural
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. for success in
this sport.
1t is true that in any game OF this
kind, those lucky few who reach real
top ranking not only have the natural
qualifications but have been able to
expend the time necessary to bring
their games to highest perfection. What
we are more concerned with are the
qualifications a man needs to have to
NAV really good tennis, even though he
has not the necessary time or leisure
IN set ont TO he national champion.
Tennis differs from golf in that the
latter is competitive and the former
il combotiye. In any combative sport
there must be the spirit of personal
rivalry highly developed. a man WIN VIII,
none of this spirit may make recoru
medal scores in golf. but he may not
succeed in tennis. Thus at the Dase
must be the aggressive spirit OF con-
quest.
Must BE Persistent.
Then, followin, in the next grade OF
qualification are patience and persist
ence, 1t requires both of these tac-
tors TO master the strokes and acquire
that basic form which is needed for
future progress.
Perhaps quite as important and neces-
sary as a complement to these attrl-
butcs is quick muscular coordination
This can be acquired but where It is
natural it starts the player off with a
far better chance.
The court must be covered on the
defensive, and this means that PLAYER
must diagnose instantly the direction
of his opponents shots for this counts
equally with the speed OF foot-work'
This faculty is best illustrated by the
fact that many are deceived into think
ing that it is anticipation or guessing
where the shot will be placed. The
truth of it is that the superior player
Immediately after his own stroke gets
into the most satisfactory position in
his court as speedily as possible, but he
does not, as n rule, make an attempt
to guess. and thus be drawn into such
n position that if he guessed wrong
he has no chance of a return.
Stamina Final Requirement.
Finally, the player must have
stamina. This he may have naturally
but for a large part it can be built up
by careful training. This is an es-
sential. for in a fivc-set match endur'
ance counts tremendously. The man
who can keep up his speed wins out
over the man who tires.
One would then sum up the qualiti-
cations as, first. q highly combatiye
spirit: second, patience and persistcncy
in practice; third, coordination and
speed. and fourth, endurance.
AS illustrating these qualifications,
We have Maurice Mclaughlin. a man
typical of the highly combative spirit
This attribute was n pre-eminent fac
tor in his play always. He also possess
ed sDced and coordination. Norman
Brooks. his competitor in that memoir
able match Mt Forest Hills. had a less
mcrcurial spirit but still strongly com
bative. patient and persistent. He
had not the speed of Mclaughlin, and
it is doubtful if ut his age he was the
equal of the younger man in endur-
ance.
In William Johnston CLittle BilD
we have another example of the high
" combative spirit. Both Johnston
and Mclaughlin in the latter part OF
their careers showed patience and per-
sistency in practice. Johnston with
half dozen more pounds weight would
probably have his endurance markedly
increased.
Tilden Well Equipped.
William Tilden (Big Benz possesses
the combative spirit. and. in fact, all
the qualities. Norris Williams some
times impresSes one as more interested
in making the stroke land he GER
tainly has n most marvellous control
over the BALI than in defeating his
opponent.
So much for the examples of the
qualifications. To return 10 the aver
age man or woman who wishes TO deter
mine whether the sport is one for
which he or she is qualified, it will not
take very long on the courts to find
out whether the first qualification is
present.
1t will take considerably longer to
determine whether there is sufficient
patience and persistence in the prac-
tice of strokes. With the first two,
the speed and endurance can be ac-
guired. D.
1t has been a rather remarkable
thing that tennis shows the great value
of home, competitor. The instances
are remarkable of brothers, like the
Dohertys. the Wrcnns. the Kinseys,
the Andersons and others developing
their game on account of the fact that
there is always match at hand or an
opportunity for practice. Then, too. the
instructive rivalry between brothers
often furnishes the SPUR necessary 10
make each work to the limit in the
hope of acquiring more skill in order
to defeat the other. Probably a con-
venient neighbor would answer the
same purpose. but, as a rule. rivalry
is more highly developed between two
brothers than with any outsider.
1t is also an excellent plan TO see
good tennis. because it has been stated
that there are more bad tennis players
than bad players in any other sport.
The force of good example in this
game is inestimable, for players may
go on playing very bad ball or making
wild swipes indefinitely unless they
have an opportunity TO see a perfected
stroke and good form.