HOW TO PLAY TENNIS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4361, 4 January 1922, Page 4

HOW TO PLAY TENNIS.

PSYCHOLOGICAL INFLUENCES.

THAT MAKE OF BREAK PLAYERS.

(Written by William T. Tilden, Champion of the World, for the Syd-| ney Referee.) The amount a person is affected by outside influences or by the “breaks*’ of the game depends entirely upon his temperament (or in some cases temper). The more nervous a man is or the more artistic or; highly-strung his nature, the more he is affected by these outside influences. No man who plays tennis to win—and to be really good a man must be keen to win—ever goes through a tournament (one might almost say a match) without losing his temper to some degree. The man who does not ffeel it when things break against him is not in a fit condition to play—he is probably stale. It is not a fault to ! lose one’s temper, provided it does not either hurt one’s game or show too much outwardly. It is worse than a fault, it is a tennis crime, to allow one’s temper ever to get the better of one to the extent that it hurts one’s game. Thus, in looking at the effect on a man of various occurrences in tennis matches, one must always consider the effect on temper. Never gloom over the wonderful shots made by your opponent, no matter how important a point he takes away from you. Simply give him full credit for a fine effort and go after the next point. Do Not Get Sore. Do not get sore at yourself to tjie extent of growing indifferent ifl you miss shots that you should make. If you start missing, keep your mind fixed more closely on that shot eacn time you play it. The more you think about the shot you are making the less time you have to gloom and get peeved, because you are' intent on the next result and not on the past. This digression from the real intent of the article is only.-intended to get this over. Do not/blame yourself if you get mad ,arid play well. But blame yourself severely if you get sore and miss shots bec.ause you are sore, or get sore and quit. He who quits one.') never deserves serious consideration again, for the habit grows, and he is more apt to quit when he gets up against it again. The quitter is not needed in _any branch of sport. Now let us consider several peculiar effects on tennis players. ' : Effects of Spectators. ; Wallace F. Johnson, the Pennsyl- i vani,a”State champion, claims that all t players are affected by a crowd, and ; usually to the detriment ofi their game. If a man is truly sunk in his ’ own match and intent only on wiri-> ning it, it would make no difference to him whether there were five or five thousand persons present. It is when the man is only half intent on his match that the audience affects him. Then the brilliant man is made or broken by the crowds. If he is going well to open, the chances are he will play a great match, but if he starty badly it is seldom he can bring his mind out from the audience and fasten it sufficiently, on his match to tang his game up. calmiects in tennis. It is the impression gotten from the interior of the game that counts. These come from, first, your opponent; second, his game, its style and consistency; third, the breaks of the game.

There are certain type of men who grate on your nerves ; everyone has some particular type which annoys

him. If your opponent happens to be one of that group you will probably have an unpleasant afternoon. The remedy is the same old thing; train your ■ mind to follow the game and not the man. Your outlook should be no more influenced by the reputation of the player or by his personality than if you were rallying against a board fence. R. N. Williams 2d, should not change your outlook,, except to make you work harder than X. Z. “Hitemablow” Squeedunk. After all, your ability should not change, so don’t lose your nerve. Your Opi>oniont’s Game* This is a little bit harden to buck up against, and may be regarded as the most potent factor of tennis psychology, because every time ypu turn the ball it is brought to your attention and you must seriously consider it at all times. If the style of game your opponent plays suits you he will, in nine cases out ofl ten.,, put you on top of yours, but should it be a style you particularly dislike there is only one remedy—as far as possible play your game your way, and under no circumstances fall into playing his. If he breaks your game up, at least make your game something different from a poor imitation pjf bis. , The Breaks of the: Game/ Under this class comes the most important of little-known tennis ta<r tics, “the use of the missed shot.”' The shots you miss have a remarkable effect on the other man, and to.: rapidly classify them one can say: First: All missed easy shots take away- confidence flrom you and give it to him. He can count bn you missing now and again.

Sec.ond : All hard shots you- miss, if you nearly make them and have trie! the unexpected and nearly impossible, will count for you, since it will havj him always looking for such a shot really coming over.

The more you make your opponent watch you, the more you take his mind off his own game, and the more he is apt to miss owing to lack of concentration on his own shot. So try the unusual, which will force him to notice you. An Early Lead Stimulates. The effect of an early lead cannot be too highly emphasised, provided you do not get careless and let up because you feel you are sure of winning. It is a very hard, discouraging road tp go, and tends tp make a person over-careful if he feels he is .far behind. So the effect on the mental attitude of your opponent by your taking three out of the first four games is most important; since it makes him feel he must win the fifth game to make it 3 —2 instead of 4—l against him, to have even a chance for the set. Try to put-ypur opponent into a mental hole in your match by jumping him, by getting him on the run.