Lawn Tennis COMMON FAULTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 47, 18 November 1937, Page 8

Lawn Tennis COMMON FAULTS

" Yolleyer.")

How to Volley and Play on Overhead Smash Visit of Stedman

(By

Tie volley is viewed witi unnecessary aiann by many tennis learners. If a tennis ball is -iit before it bounces, its approaci is not so difficult to watci, for tie variation is botuid to ie caused by spin Or uneven court surface upsets many ground strokes. c Tie most eommon volleying fault notieeable among inexperienced tennis players is tie use of a full swing. In making a volley all tiat is necessar.v* is a siort wristy snap witi the raequet; a player wio is handicapped by weak wrists can do quite well by merely pusiing tie racket at tie ball. WM'e tie same rules of footwork apply tc boti voileys and. ground shots, when lack of timo makes it necessary it ia not so difficult to make a volley ofC tie wrong foot, or wien t'acing the ( net. To allow the full use of tie wrist it is, iowever, iinportant tiat the racket head be kept parallel with or abov© the wrist, and when playing a low volley tie player siould stoop to make this possible. Beginners and others wio remember to hold their rackets tightly and push them at tie approaching ball will find the volley a surprisingly easy siot. Wien no one else is at iome it can be practised against tie wall of a room. Eurniture will prevent tie uso of the unnecessary swing 1 Overbead Smasb. Tie overhead smasi is a stroke at wiici few aciieve consistent success. Tie main points conductive to an effective "kill" are: — 1. To reach ti© correct court position so tiat tie ball will come down wiere you can conveniently iit' it. 2. To play a deep fast "serve" at tie dropping ball— tiere is tie wioJe opposing court at wiici to aim. 3. To watci tie ball until tie racket meets it. If tie opponents iave put up a very iigi or deep lob it pays to let bte ball land and play your overhead siot from its iigi bounce. When smasiiug from a position anywhere between the net and your own service line, try to play a decisive shot wien the -ball has to be taken from beiind ' tie service line, only an expert can expect to mako a "kill." In suci a case tie average player siould be content with an accurate siot wiici will force a defensive return, ^Forms pf Foot Paults. ' Mention of tio .* service brings td> miud the prevalence of foot faults. Ja Wellington, wiere a Lawn Tennis 'Umpires' Association has been formed, an attempt is being made to euforce striet diseipline in tiis respect. Tie followng extract from a Wellingtoi tennis writer's comments ou ranking matches is iliuminatiiig: ' ' Scarcely a player was exempt (from foot faults). bome wero foot-faulted innumerable times. All found tieir hitnerto most eifective services adverseiy aii'ected." As some of tie leading tennis players in New Zealand were under rcview, these comments show tiat non-observance of this. serving rulo ua common in even tie better grades of tennis. Tie most common forins of foot-faulfc

are: * I. Standing on tie line. Boti feet must be kept beiind tie base-line until the ball is struck. Changing tie position of tie feet as (it siould be tie left for a right-hand-the ball is thrown in the air.~ One foot ed .player) must be in coutinuous contaet witi the ground wiile the service is being made. 3. Swinging . tie rigit foot over the , line before the ball is iit. TMs fajitt is particularly common among men wio follow the service in to tie net! 4. Hoppiug off tie ground as tie racket is swung. Of * tiese common mistakes tie third is tie only one wiici gives tie server a definite advantage, but all four are against tie rules, If tie beginner learns to serve from a stationary position behind tie base-line he should dovelop a legal service. Stedman 's Visit. Allau Stedman, wio haR accepted an invitatiou from tie New Zealand Lawn iennis Association to visit New Zealand, will make a tour of tiis country to play exhibition matcies. Certain otier New Zealand players, including Dennis Coombe, will'be, sent witi Stedman to tie' country centres. In suci cases all travelling and iotel expensea are paid, and eaci player is allowed 10/- per day. In divulging tiis financial information tie autiorities iave made a wise move, as it is obvious tiat the players concerned will gain notiing more tian valuable experienee from tie exhibition matches played. Stedman and Coombe will probably pia? in Hawke 's Bay on January 26, but the Hawke 's Bay association has yet „o ratify tiis ■daie. •.