GROUND STROKES FORM THE BASIS OF EVERY GAME OF TENNIS

Southland Times, Issue 23652, 29 October 1938, Page 15

GROUND STROKES FORM THE BASIS OF EVERY GAME OF TENNIS

By 1

DONALD BUDGE

No. 4

The ground strokes constitute the basis for every player’s game. I would say that about three-quarters of the balls hit in any match have first been allowed to bounce. Even an inveterate net player is forced to take many shots from the ground, and is able to attain his position at the net only through a sound attacking stroke off the ground. The ground strokes consist of the forehand drive, the backhand drive, slices, chops and lobs. While I am going to attempt to describe my own style of stroke production I do not believe that it is the best or the only style that should be used, but merely that it is the best suited for my own purpose. Many of the fundamentals I shall mention apply to each of the three orthodox styles. The base of all tennis is one’s position in the court. This heading can be subdivided as follows: position while waiting for the ball, position while preparing to hit the ball, position as the ball is being hit, and position after the ball has been hit.

The player should face the net while awaiting his-opponent’s shot—with his weight on his toes, and his eyes properly “glued” to the ball. As soon as he is able to ascertain where the ball will land in his court, that is on which side and approximately where, he should move close to that spot. The method ot moving about the court depends on the quickness of the player’s eye and his ability to anticipate his opponent’s shot. I prefer a sideskipping method. In this way I am able to keep my eye on the ball and maintain my position facing the net. However, I am often forced into a regular run to retrieve an opponent’s shot when I find that he has placed it too far away from me to reach by skipping. I like this method because it makes me feel on my toes. The second position necessitates almost the reverse of the first position. As the player prepares to deal with the ball he turns until his body is at right angles to the net. This is because in stroking the ball he must transfer his weight from the back part of the body to the fore part. The side stance is just as necessary to accomplish this in tennis as it is in boxing, where the fighter throws his punch, or in u-icket while batting or bowling. If there is any doubt about this try to throw a ball with the body facing the direction the ball has to go and you will see how little speed results. As the player assumes this position he must be sure to have his weight well forward on his toes. It is very difficult to shift the. balance properly if the weight is on the heels. If the player is making a forehand shot, the left foot will be closer to the net,' if a backhand is in order, the opposite must be the case. The weight should first be thrown on the foot or side nearer the net. As the player prepares to stroke the ball he should shift

his weight rhythmically from the front to the back foot or side. Sometimes he is able to do this better by slightly turning his body to keep balance. After having made this preliminary back-shift, which should be in conjunction with the back-swing of the racket, the player once again makes a shift. As he strokes the ball he transfers his weight from the back of his body to the forepart. This movement gives the shot all the benefit of the body weight. This shifting process must be made smoothly or tragic results will follow. Further, if jerky movements are used it is difficult to govern the direction of the ball. After the ball has been hit the player should be in the original, facing the net position. His weight, however, should be forward, so that he may keep moving to the net, if he desires, to force the attack to his opponent. If he decides not to continue forward he can catch himself and once again await his opponent’s reply. The next step to consider is the position of the racket during the back-

swing, the impact and the follow through. The back-swing, preceding the stroke, may be patterned after either of two schools: (a) The Tilden school, of long back-swings or (b) the Continental school of short back-swings, which has Cochet and Perry as leading disciples. The purpose of the backswing is two fold. It puts the racket through a preliminary which gives it initial momentum and it lines the racket up with the height of the ball. In learning the game it is not surprising that I was taught the long backswing. Tilden and Johnston were at the top then and all young players wished to imitate them. I believe that the greater control is obtained by using the long swing. But the wonderful effect of the element of surprise makes me think that both methods should be used. When a player has lots of time I suggest that he uses the Tilden style. If he is being pressed, wishes to stage a surprise attack or wishes to conceal direction, I suggest that he take the gamble on the Continental style.