COCHET’S STYLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17343, 16 July 1924, Page 3

COCHET’S STYLE.

WALL PRACTICE FOR TENNIS. FRENCH CHAMPION’S ADVICE. Henri Oochet, of the French Davi.9 Cup team, attributes liis phenomenal rise in the tennis world mainly to the fact that whilst still in his "teens he spent several hours daily ' ‘playing the wall.” In the course of an interesting article, he says: “At the age of six 1 was very fond of watching tennis matches, my greatest pleasure being to act as bull boy in order to watch the game better. The last player had no sooner left, the club than I was picking up any old racquet and ball I could lind and playing against the wall. In fact, every day when coming home from school I was running as quickly as I could, wanting to lose no time before starting to piay. i insist on this wall practice, wlucn J consider to be the best way to learn stoKes. The wall is a wonderful opponent—always there ready to send you back the ball. Playing against the wall, there is no desire to wm; one has only in view to learn and improve. And it is possible to study r any stroke in the game: one can play hard or soft, learn even to smash and volley. Playing close to the wall is a wonderful training for quick volleying. If one hits hard, the ball comes back much faster than it does on a lawn tennis court, therefore one learns to be always ready and improves one’s footwork. Having to hit the bail in every position, one acquires quickly a great steadiness. “To support my theory of the great benefit of wall practice, i will recall that a -winter of such training helped Wilding to learn and develop a new backhand stroke, and made it possible for him to reach championship honours. *‘l think that many beginners will quickly attain a certain proficiency if they follow the methods I will now atienrr.pt to describle. My advice wiU appear very simple, but A believe that it is in trying too difficult things that one deviates from the road to success. “<7fi a tennis court the beginner has too many things to think at the same tunc—he must hit the ball, hit it in the middle of the racquet, then send it back over the net and inside the opposite court. He must mind his grip, serving and footwork, and his improvement is very slow. “I believe that a beginner ought to play against a wall during at least six months before entering on a tennis court. Alter this practice, holding a racquet will seem to him quite natural. and ho will improve quickly. ‘This wall practice must bo done very seriously. Having learnt to hit back the bail, one will try to acquire good footwork and to play every stroke with the shoulders sideways to the net. The position of the shoulders at the beginning of tho stroke is much more important than the position o. tho feet. JVJost of the lawn tennis writers have given first importance to footwork, and told how the feet must be placed before hitting a hull. The;, are not quite right, because every stroke is played on the move in modem law'll tennis, and because, even if the feet arc correctly placed, the body lace the net, and therefore the swingmay be cramped. In my opinion, th*. position of the upper part of the bod.r only lb important-. If one gives all one’s attention to having the body sideways to the net, one will always be'able to play with a free swing and put ail the body weight in the etroko ACQUIRING A GOOI> STYLE. “When the beginner has learned, to hit the ball in the correct position, he will try to acquire a. good style. I am a firm believer in tho straight stroke—which allows better placing and is as fast as any if one hits it on the rising ball, ft is, in my opinion the shot of the future. The beginner will get simple and easy style in trying to suppress all the movements that are not necessary in his stroke production. Of course, he will not get it at once, and only after years of practice and study, will lie have acquired a great simplicity iu his style. The first benefit to follow will be a greater accuracy in his strokes. Re will be able to play like a billiard player, all his movements bending towards the direction he wants to give the ball. This simplicity of style will enable him to play with the minimum of effort. Effortless stroke production will pull him. through a hard five sets