Evening star., 1923-05-27

which have fought the most famous
players of the world, including the
Dohertys. Brookes, Wilding, iome of
our American champions AM many
famous statesmen. 1t is here hat the
King of Sweden, the King q Spain
and the ex-King of Portuga have
played so frequently and whre Su-
zanne Lenglen has gained sc many
brilliant victories.
Americans Go Abroad.
While the drive was being developed
in England. the leading American
, doubles players, the Clark brthers.
went abroad to compete in the british
tournaments. and were defeatd by
the Renshaw brothers. This wa Just
forty years ago. A year or two .fter-
ward Dwight was also beaten here.
1t was generally recognized tht al
fifteen below that Of the British Then
came an American, a man to Ihom
modern tennis owes a great dal-
Richard Sears-who introduced the
stroke of all others that has 1ade
American tennis what 1t is-thevol-
ley. This was the foundation o; our
present net game
Sears was at first severely critiized
for his use of the volley, as twas
considered by some players to beun-i
not waiting for the ball to bounc. he
was unduly hurrying his oppoeni
Sears, however, knowing he was
rlght, persisted in developing the rol-
ley, and succeeded in winning the
American championship seven on
secutive times, after which he ret.ed
The next improvement in the gme
was the Introduction of the Amer>an
twist service by Holcomb Ward, an
innovation that spread all over the
country. Brookes was the first pr
elgner TO employ it with success Egg
land during this time had kept toier
old base-line game. oblivious to he
changes going on elsewhere.
! Whirlwind Service introduced,
1t came as surprise to them, thee
fore, when in the first Davis cup con-
petition in 1900 they found themsefes
opposed to new type of game nd
were defeated in all five matchs
was due to Mclaughlin. who into
| duced the whirlwind service nowso
! generally employed. The terr1c
speed of modern tennis began WITH
this stroke, and the next ten yers
| saw the pace of the game increas,e
| in all strokes as PLAYERS learned+e
| take the ball on the rise.
| ;. william Johnston and r. y. WI
| IIams are largely responsible for 1e
osHeiopment of this type of play he
today and that played twenty Or
thirty years ago is speed. and tits
an a Ealnerlca that is chiefly responsible
for making the game into one of he
most strenuous of all modern spors.
conservative England has been slw
! 70 follow American improvemeps
She still clings to the old base-lie
game. the low-bounding ball and tie
moderately paced service.
Australia, France and Japan, n
| the other hand. have developed a
game of exceptional speed. and it s.
therefore. from one of these cou-
| tries t.,
for our most formidable opponens
! Half yolley Important.
| The last word in tennis develo-
| ment has by no means been sal
Speed and yet more speed is the pre-
! ent battle cry. The gradual intr-
! the world. and the almost universI
adoption of the fast American ba
all promise still faster game. i al
hoping for the. further developmeL
The possibility for increasing sped
through the use of this difficu.
stroke has been realized in Franc.
where, so much indoor tennis }
| ards uses it perhaps more than mos
| of our players. but he employs
usually when he should volley. ans
therefore, gains nothing. Tilden ca
aoes st this bu sh0t 9suS anS he he pSestl
step back and slice the ball.
| George Caridia of England devei
oped A game of terrific speed h
! specializing in this stroke, but as h
| rarely played in tournaments he ha
| never become we'll known on this sid
/ of the water. / have seen him bes
| Wilding four straight sets in prac
| tice. on a true wooden surface, wit
a minimum of effort, when Wildin;
was, in his prime. Young player
should learn the advantages to be
! gained in time. position and speed b.
| the regular employment of a fat
half volley. 1t can be made a power
| full aggressive weapon, but it is con-
! monty used merely as a means &
| defense. Speed is the essence of tn
| modern game, and / am sure that tR
game of the future will demand II
/ creased pace in every stroke.
| Copyright 1921