Lawn Tennis and How to Play It

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 244, 5 January 1928, Page 7

Lawn Tennis and How to Play It

By RENE LACOSTE (Exclusive to THE SUN > XIII. BASE-LINE PLAY It may be that when you play good, orthodox strokes in a good style, you will still find yourself being defeated by players who in these respects are admittedly your inferiors. That, if it happens, will be because you have not only to master the strokes—you have also to know from where to play the ball, where to send it, and also what kind of spin to give to It. Every rally is started by a service, but every service is followed by a return of service, and this return is almost equally important. The skill of a player is always seen from the ease with which he handles a difficult service or kills a weak one. Your return of service can be either offensive or defensive, and you must know when each kind of return is to

be employed. Patterson’s service cannot be returned in the same way as Borotra’s. nor Borotra’s in the same way as Shimidzu’s.

If your opponent follows his service to the net, you must always attack. Against Borotra, for instance, —ou must strike the ball as high and as soon as you can, and play hard downward to his feet. Striking the ball on the rise, in this way, implies standing inside the baseline to await the service, and although it increases the chance of error, it also increases the speed of the stroke, and it leads to more dangerous across-court returns. From time to time you should vary your play with a hard and long drive along the side line, although acrosscourt play is always easier, and it gives your opponent less chance .’or a kill. Always keep the ball as low over the net as you can, for it is better to force your opponent to play a low volley or a half-volley than a high one! THE ATTACK You can also attack if your opponent delivers a weak service, and does not follow it to the net. You can then return hard across the court, to win the point outright, or to prepare an opening, or else you can send a long drive to the centre or along the side line, and follow it to the net. By these tactics you will run less chance of being passed than if you play short across the court. A good service usually bounces higher and faster than a drive in play, and you will get the strongest return against it by learning to drive at the height of your shoulder, with a rather short swing. While you are awaiting the service, stand so that you can get your feet easily and quickly into the correct position for either forehand or backhand play, and remember that you should always move to the ball rather than plav it while standing still. When 'the ball Is in play, and your opponent is at the net awaiting your return, play exactly as you \\ ould in returning the service of Borotra or any other player who follows his service to the net. Strike the ball on the rise, hard and downward, trying either to strike his feet, to pass him across the court, or to out-drive him along the line. , . _ , When you get a chance to attack, hit hard, mixing your long drives with a few returns across the court, especially if your opponent, like Jacob or Degomar, is weak at volley ing, or dislikes playing at the net. At first you should imitate Suzanne Lenglen, and learn above all to keep the ball in play. Then you should acquire accuracy by practising every kind and variety of ground stroke. Last, you should learn the value of attack, not merely to win, but also as the best

means of defence. And all the time, play hard, and rely on speed. THE USE OF SPIN

Spin is less necessary in driving than it is in serving, and although a slight spin is needed to keep the ball within the court, generally speaking spin should only be used as a variation, and to worry your opponent.

Top spin will make the ball drop directly after passing the net, and therefore while it increases the margin of safety, it allows of harder hitting, and is useful in trying to hit the feet of a man at the x net. A topped ball bounces very high, and therefore while a. long and fast top spin drive like that of "Washer is very difficult to handle, one that is short and **oft can easily be killed.

The first time I beat Washer, at Nice in 1924, the court was wet after a whole night’s rain, and I easily won the first two sets by playing a sliced backhand in reply to his backhand. The undercut spin of my shots on the wet court kept the ball so low that Washer could not manage his drive. Then the sun came out, and the court quickly dried, with the result that I lost the next/two sets. Happily for me, rain then fell, and the match was temporarily stopped, and when we came back a little later my undercuts on the now-wet court gave me' the match.

Some players, H. Kinsey for instance, impart a terrific amount of twist to their ground strokes. Last spring Feret, who two days before had beaten Richards, was beaten by Kinsey’s mixture of loop drives, fast chop strokes, and slow drop shots. The drop shot is either a chop or a sliced drive, in which the wrist is drawn backwards and downwards just after the impact. Played well, it makes the ball bounce low and backward, just over the '*et. It is a very difficult stroke to play, and it can only be played on a rather short and slow return. In most cases where it wins the point could have been won more easily with a fast arive. Loop drives carrying a heavy top spin can be successful once in a match, and drop shots can out-tire your opponent. But it is by orthodox, straight strokes rather than ornamentations that you will win in the long run, for they are the basis of every sound game. (Next week —Volleying).