A TENNIS STAR

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 28, 2 August 1923, Page 11

A TENNIS STAR

JOHNSTON'S FAJIOUS FQBE-BAND DRIVE.

The greatest conundrum that English lawn tennis history holds is> bow a player of William Johnston's comparatively frail build—he stands only sffc Sin, and turns the scale at just 9st— could attain such terrific speed in all his shots as he exhibited in some of hi* matches in 1920, says Alan E. Norman in the London "Daily Chronicle." Hi« fore-hand drive is the most epoch-mak* ing shot that has ever been produced. I well remember the historic victory over W. T. Tilden in the final of the London championships—after Tilden led him 4-3" in tha final set! Most champions are satisfied in the ability to return a Til. den service into court; but on that occasion we saw the Cdifornian David not merely returning these balls, but ac tually scoring lpve service games against the Philadelphian Goliath by hurricane lore-hand driving. Last year, in America, Tilden and Johnston met on five big occasions, and Johnston won four of the matches. Hia only defeat was in the final of the national championships. He was subset quently ranked second in America; but many think that his record entitled him to be at least bracketed first with Tik den. Johnston is a full-blooded advocate of the hitting school; He began to play at the age of 11, and at 16 yeara old ho won his first open championship. He is now 28 years old. Listen to hia advice: "I always was a, bit of a hither, even as a boy, and I am quite) sure that speed must be attained in your early; days. Ifc will never come with any facility later.. My advice to the keen youngsters who want to improve is: Cultivate your hitting powers, hit hard always. Never mind the early mistakes; go for your shot with pluck. Afterwards! you can always steady down; but once your game has become set it is next to impossible to speed up Youngsters must cultivate speed; that is the secret for success in the future."