TENNIS AND TONE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2515, 17 July 1915, Page 12

TENNIS AND TONE

P. 'A'. ;Vai]e, formerly of New Zealand, an _ acknowledged tennis expert, is out with a book 1 called "Modern Teiinis," in which ho asserts that tha player should aim to perfect his'strokes and use them always rather than to become a master of and.employ court tactics in tuornament matcncs. The New York "Evening Sun," commenting on tho Vaile theory, says as follows:— ■ "To tho ordinary amateur and to tho Watcher at tournaments it is probably not tho strokes that count, most in making the game a pleasure to watch or to attempt* Court tactics form the favourite point by which tournament players gain favour. We prefer to see an adversary overwhelmed by conspicuously clover. placing of tho ball, and ueitner speed nor accuracy can give quito the same thrill that comes with seeing tho ball sent whero it cannot possibly bo returned. "Tennis and music are in this respect twins. The master instructors in music teach tone production, while tho hearer places liis emphasis on interpretation. If there wero no concert-goers to demand expression from tho performers. concerts, supposing them to continue, would tui-n into insufferable productions of tone perfection. It may bo that tennisj as an art, owes sonicthing to the-gallery also. In case tho gamo wero played only in seclusion by experts immured in courts with high and windowless walls the most wateliable of two man games might evolve into a contest of strokes, in which the best man, or rather -tho best wrist, must sooner or later win oil tho strength of perfection-."