MOST IMPORTANT STROKE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 111, 6 November 1937, Page 23

MOST IMPORTANT STROKE

- It is not an exaggeration to say that the forehand drive is the most important stroke in a tennis player's equipment, states an exchange A good forehand drive has won countless matches and many players have based ;■ their whole career invlawn tennis on a reasonably sure' shot on that wirig. Strangely enough the forehand is one department. in which most players rather fancy themselves. -.They will admit a weak backhand, and an unreliable smash, but tell them that their forehand is all wrong and you. are their enemy for life. '~■■■• The forehand swing is an easy, natural movement, yet it is surprising how many different styles there are in producing.it. On asphalt courts the top-spin drive has always been the most effective. It may be valuable « this stage to discuss the faults generally committed in bad forehand driving, The player's feet are often wrongly placed. The left.foot should be well towards the net and the right foot almost in a straight line behind it. This will ensure a good body turn towards the sideline. " ; . -

Mtiny. players consistently hit the bail over the baseline., because'they are striking it too. far in front of them..lf you turn towards the sideline and wait till the ball is almost in front of the body before striking, then much more force can be put into the blow with much less danger of hitting toe ball out. If the ball is pulled consistently •over'the left-hand sideline, it is because the feet are placed diagonally

match against Australia in Sydney "on December'M^lT*.and! 18 V .v;i.-: i .■:.■■'; - , Australia wiiLhave to^put her^strongest team in th*; field for the ;flxture, as only two Tests will be played. Probabiy; Quist,"; rtcG'rath; and, Bromwich will be Australia's team, with the possible addition of Crawford. v .'■■>;. The ' German players, yon Cramm and Henkel, will arriv^ in Brisbane, and if they adhere to the original plan, will meet an Australian team in that city on December; Vt arid,,lß. , Suggestions have been made-that, a Test match be staged in Brisbane, ; but under these circumstances the tourists would have to be kept in Brisbane until December 27 and 28. It is not thought that this would be acceptable to the ■visltonr.-:1 -'"."*"'■■:•'■":'--."v- ''■ ■•'■■ ".;' ■■■:^:t Sydney was chpien for the Test against; Germany oh December V §m 28, and: the orftina||prbitanjme-prob-ably "will^^^^y^jj ; ■ v;.: -y:'6