LAWN TENNIS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 300, 15 September 1937, Page 15

LAWN TENNIS

Opening of New Season

HINTS FOR PLAYERS

(By

Forehand.)

With the opening of another tennia season it may not be out of place to give a few hints to intending players on how they may improve their game and so obtain the maximum of enjoyment. It is not given to everybody to become champions, but it is possible, whatever the standard of play, to improve 'by paying attention to a few principles. Anybody who, having certain minimum requirements, is determined _ enough to practise regularly and intelligently can reach to a standard autliciently high to play a good game. These minimum requirements are good eyes, a good physique and strength of will to concentrate. The first thing for even the ordinary player to do is to look the part of a tennis player. This is easily done. It merely involves going to the courts in the recognised tennis colour—white. The colours of a rainbow are out of place on the tennis court, although they look well off it. See that your clothes, particularly your shoes, are comfortably fitting. Next to your appearance is the necessity for arming yourself with good equipment. Nearly all makes of rackets, if you are prepared to pay the price, are longlasting and able to give the service required of them. The main thing to bear in mind in selecting a racket is that you are to use it, not the person who sells it to you. Do not let yourself be persuaded into buying a racket unless you are certain, after swinging it, that it feels as though it was made for your use and your hand. The handle ought to fit into your hand like your hand fits into a well-fitting glove. The racket ought not to be too heavy—how heavy will depend on your strength and the firmness of your wrist. If you are a slow thinker and your reflexes are slow a light racket is beet. For a woman 13 to 13J ounces ie heavy enough; for a man 134 to 14 ounces; some men even use 13 ounces. Whenever possible play with new balls. Stroke Principles. You are now ready to go on the court. When there try and remember to follow out certain fundamental principles. For all ground strokes they are :— 1. Keep your eyes on the ball. 2. Play all your strokes with your body turned sideways to the net, and transfer your weight from the back foot to the front foot as you bring your racket forward on to the ball. 3. As far as possible hit the ball at the top of its bound; for most strokes this would be about waist high. 4. When hitting the ball keep a firm grip on your racket handle to prevent it from slipping round. 5. Stand away from the ball eo that your arm is at comfortable stretch at the moment your racket makes contact with the ball. 6. Make your swing from the shoulder, and with the whole arm; let it be free and easy, not cramped or stiff. 7. Keep the wrist locked at the moment of contact of racket and ball. 8. When you hit the 'ball do not check the racket, but let it follow through after the ball and finish across the body for the forehand drive, or away from the body for the backhand stroke. There are a variety of grips for all the strokes. For the forehand the one most advocated is ,that in which the racket and the forearm are practically in the same straight line, with the palm of the hand well behind the handle. If that grip does not feel comfortable, then get as close to it as you can. For the backhand the hand is shifted round so that the knuckles come on top of the handle, and the ball is hit with the opposite face of the racket to that used for the forehand. It is not advisable to play the backhand with the same grip as for the forehand, or with the Same racket face. In playing the backhand you may give extra support to the racket by placing your thumb up the handle. But if this does not feel comfortable you need not do so, Jbut wrap the thumb tightly round the handle. General Principles. When playing the ball on the backhand, hit it sooner than for the forehand. For the .forehand the best place is on a level with the buckle of your belt; for the backhand somewhere about on a level with your front foot. Don’t run in too close to the ball, and so cramp your stroke. Don't make your shot with your body facing full to the net. Be sideways to the net for all strokes.

If you intend to make yourself a baseline player, see that your central base is from three to six feet behind the middle of the backline. If drawn from there to a short ball, get baek to that base as quickly as you can after playing your shot. Don’t stand still watching the effect of your shot. The ball may come back and you will be out of position to deal with it. If you can’t get back go right in close to the net straight behind the ball. The (position for a volleyer is from three to six feet from the net, and in such a position that you can cover the straight return shot. But watch out for the angled shot. Don’t play your strokes with your weight on the back foot. Have it going forward on to your front foot and into the stroke as your racket makes contact with the ball. Don’t be afraid of the backhand stroke. Hit the ball with confidence with a sweeping motion. The Service. The rule about standing sideways to the net is as essential for the service as it is for any other stroke. Don’t be afraid to throw the ball a little higher than you can reach with your racket at comfortable stretch. You must learn to hit the ball in the centre of your racket with the arm at comfortable stretch — not stiff. Throw the ball up in front so that if you allowed it to drop it would fall on your left shoulder (if you are a righthanded player) or on your right shoulder (if you are a left-handed player). Learn to serve both balls at a reasonable pace to enable you to maintain consistent accuracy and placement. Don’t serve a hurricane first service that has no hope of going in court, and then make the second service a mere pat-ball. To the women this advice is offered: If you feel you cannot make a success of serving overhand, serve underhand. Most women would be well advised to adopt this type of service. In all strokes go for accuracy of placement before blind speed. Regard the smash as a service into all the court instead of into a portion of it. Hit the ball in front of your head with your arm at comfortable stretch. Always smash deep. If you find you cannot drive past the player at the net, try lobbing him. Don’t hurry the stroke. Play it easily and smoothly, and endeavour to send, the ball just high enough to be out of his reach, so that it will fall near the back line. It is better to lob too deep than too short. Don’t fool when on the court. Play the game seriously, and concentrate. If feeling tired and unable to do yourself justice, stop playing. You will only do your game harm by continuing in this mood.