LAWN TENNIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 258, 29 October 1921, Page 18

LAWN TENNIS.

'•Oomo on, boy, pick your feet up aiv 11rit swinging oil' t-lie wrong loot.. ' Everyone vvlro li;is ever received sinslo day's coaching in tennis Oms ha something of this kind ye.lled 'it hin mitl 'has sulkily wondered why the oil-he fellow was so nas'ty. It was your ow foot yon were hitting off of. awl wli, [■ouMii't von ■hit oil' wither one you fel like? It was none of his bu'siues: ifosh! " writes W. T. Tildcn. Well. .possJbly so, yet ho was on there to twirti you the correct stroki and no stroke can he made correctly i your weight is badly placed or you feet in wrong position. Therefore though thev were your feet, still th position was up to your coaeher. .1 dealing with position tJie matter wii be taken up in regard to variou strokes. From either count the forehand driv or ground stroke depends 011 tlire things: (1) Keep your eye on tihe Ixil (2) position of feet and its relation t' your weight, (3) 'position in the court. The only one we need to -consider to day is footwork and weiglit position This will also bold true of all tile oihe shots taken upA forehand drive may be made twi ways—either straight down the line o cross court. The last shot goes dowi tire line, the slower shot cross court, th' sharper the angle the slower the slw must bo to stay in .the court. To hit down the 'line, the line of tin toes of 'liotli feet should be iiearl; jparallel to the line of driving the bal .and both feet making a straight angt :to it; the left foot should 'be about 1: | I'o IS in.'hes in advance of the right, am j the •weight should rest on the back (o right) foot until the moment of hitlin: the ball, when it should shift with flu shot, on to the front for left) foot, tliu. putting the full force of your body snti the ball, 'llhis shot needs plenty of to] spin, and can he 'hit very hard, but ; moderate, sure p-aec is .preferable. An) shot to 'be. of any real value must go ii better than 50 per cent of the tiuic: played or it will be losing for you. The vross-eoi.'rt ofMiand drive is mad; in the same manner as regards tin question of weight, but the front (01 left) foot is extended in front of am over nearer the side line than tin straight shot, and a distinct pull givei to the .ball by the swing on to that foot This shot should 'become slower as its angle grows greater, since speed wil cam it out over the opposite side line This shot, so remarkably developed I>\ Theodore lloosevelt l'eil, is capable o 'two types of footwork, both good, 0111 'safe ami sure, one erratic, but makin; the Shot much more severe- The s-afi • I footwork is t'he 011 c to acquire and wi! 1i he it'llc only one taken up now. Tin ''other will <i:c explained when writing 01 1 j fell's famous shot. ; ' To hit down the line from the righl f court the position is merely reverset > from (lie forehand s!iot to the w 1.111: 1 place, the line from tilre iheels bein: ' parallel to the side line and the weighi 3 going from the left (in this case the ' back foot) 011 to the right (or fronl 3 j foot).

To <lrive cross-court backhand f.rom the right- court, imagine a line drawn corner to corner from your right hand, back line court corner, to vour nents, set your feet as directed for the |straight shot, and hit an fclie =;une manhier. It is merely a questran of facing ! dia-ronaily across the court instead of ,'down the line. ; To hit down the line from the second or left court, the weight travels from , i-hc back (or left) foot on to the front ' (or .riir'ilt) with tihe shot, the fe-jt malcr imr «"right angle witii the side line and i. the line of the toes being parallel with |it.'