New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-08-19
MARY browne ON
TENNIS METHODS
Gives Expert Opinion on Play Of
Miss Helen Wills
By MARY X. BROWNE

Omitted Press Staff Correspondent
White Plains. N. Y, Aug. 80
Copyright, 1927, by United Press)
Editors note: Tennis finesse is
still somewhat OF q mystery to the
average fan. The strength, weakness
and methods of the outstanding
players often go unobserved whereas
IN intimate knowledge Of these
things would, I am sure. give the
spectators greater appreciation
and consequently q greater enjoy
ment of the play.
have prepared a series OF three
articles designed to familiarize the
public with the play Of some of the
outstanding players who will COM
pete for the women's national tennis<
championship of the United States
beginning Monday, August %.
First, let us start with Helen
Wills, who by all odds is favored to
regain her title. Helen Wills was
aptly described as 1.-The girl who
plays like a man, but runs with the
mincing steps of girl" In just this
and weakness of Helen's game de-
picted. Her strength of the power of
her strokes and her weakness in her
poor footwork.
Helen Wills has never been noted
for her speed in covering the court.
Nott, 40 Ho~ cJ@ r1
it is a credit to Helens intelligence
the way she has improved her game
along lines which have nearly null
ned her weakness. She has learned
to hit the ball SO hard and accurate
! ly, she puts her opponents on the
defensive SO much that scarcely any
of them can make her run.
! She has learned to anticipate and
to start sooner, also she plays closer
in which helps her reach all points
OF her court with the minimum
amount Of running.
Yet, it is this weakness Suzanne
Lenglen would pick out, II these two
were to meet. Suzanne told me that
Helen runs efficiently from side to
side on the baseline, but that Helen
cannot run well forward and back.
/ Therefore, the best tactics to en-
ploy against Helen are the acute
fore court angles, and the drop shots
followed by deep baseline shots and
| lobs.
The difficulty lies in the fact that
| ch pyhioh offanfiVe
against Helen Wills are the most
difficult shots in tennis to control,
and they are still not a part OF the
equipment of the ordinary player
and of only few of the very best.
! The men make better use Of the
forecourt than the women and the
varsity boys at the California Uni
versity defeat Helen by these short
angles, which draw her up, then
j they send her back with a deep re-
turn.
The best direction for a service
delivery or to prepare for an ad-
vance to the net against Helen is
one directed straight at her. Helen's
coordination of mind and feet are
not so quick. She does not get out
of the way. However, Helen's serv-
| ice and her strokes are SO severe
and her length SO good that her op-
ponents can rarely get set to launch
this attack. Helen's weakness is in
! her heel like Achilles, and it is a
very small and obscure target.
Helen's methods of winning is by
using the deep swift drive to the
corners and then occasionally vary
| ing her return with a shorter, slow
er drive. The shorter drives can not
| be hit with as much pace as the
Ilonger ones and keeps them in
swift straight service slow cut
service placed to the outside service
line. You will note that this service
! draws her opponents well out of
court, thus opening up large area
of her opponents court for her next
return.
The slow cross court drives make
the same openings, but Helen's start
! with the services gives her the jump.
1t is interesting to watch Helen
serve, you can soon detect which
service she is about to play by the
way she brings her racquet up, and
the way she throws the ball. See If
you can tell. She telegraphs it if you
There is a fatal error which Helen
can make and that is to slow down
her entire game. In that event, she
is bound to get into difficulties. for
| Mrs Mallory, Mrs. Godfree and our
Joan Fry are as steady as Helen
when the balls are coming slow, but
1t is when Helen steps on the gas
| that she makes them eat her dust.