New Series Of Tips For Tennis Players: Improving Your Game

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 23, 20 February 1948, Page 5

New Series Of Tips For Tennis Players: Improving Your Game

(By “Service”) Now that tennis is in full swing in Whakatane once more and a public court functioning, some notes on various aspects of the game may prove of value to those enthusiasts who are anxious to improve their game. It is the writer’s intention to offer now contentious advice on various strokes, courtcraft, court demeanour, club membership obligations, and also any constructive tips that may apply to individual players.

First of all a few simple rules that every player should observe as befitting a good member of a club. 1. Try, particularly on club days, to appear in correct tennis costume. 2. Don’t linger behind a court where a game is in progress. Wait until the rally is finished before crossing, whether to get a ball or proceed to another court. 3. Return balls from other courtsas soon as a pause comes in your own game. 4. When returning the ball to the server do so along the ground and, if humanly possible, straight to him. 5. Smoking, while playing, is just not done. 6. When others are waiting don’t play singles but try and make up a double. Then commence your game immediately and don’t spend too long just rallying. ■ ' And now a rule of the game, namely the Foot fault rule: The server shall throughout the delivery of the service:— (a) Not % change his position by walking or running. (b) Maintain contact with the ground. (c) Keep both feet behind the base line until the ball is struck. Then at least one foot must not be moved and it is illegal to jump with both feet while serving. Many players in the club do not observe Rule (c) but to touch the base line with one or both feet is just as much a fault as a serve which is netted or out. Too many players in the Whakatane Club stand in the wrong position on the court. There are only two places on the court where you should stand—behind the base-line (about two feet) or right up at the net. To stand half-way to the net or actually anywhere mid-court is fatal. So if you are forced into this “No-man’s Land” in order to get a shot make a bee line, on returning the ball, either to your place behind the base-line and in the centre of the court, or else right into the net. This decision should be based on the severity and depth of your own return. Remember a deep (and by that I mean long) medium-paced ball is of far more value from an attacking' point of view than a short fast one.

Next week it is proposed to offer some advice on the forehand drive.' During the week-end Opotiki A team will be seen on the courts to try conclusions with our A team in the last game for the Dunlop Shield, while the B team will journey to Rotorua to play for the Morton Cup which is a challenge event. Following are the teams: — A Team: Bryers, Wylds, Wilson, Moore, Misses M. Howat, M. Hall, Mesdames Mole and Hall. B Team: Rutherford, Gordon, Hansen, Carrig, Misses V. Carter., Y. Mahy, I. Grant and .Mrs Hancock. 1 will end this week’s contribution with a quotation. Ellsworth Vines says: “The most important rule in tennis is to keep your eye on the ball.”