PRACTICE, AND HOW TO IMPROVE
Players, even tournament players, often ask how they can improve. "I
have been at the same stage so long; what can I do to play a better
game?" That is not infrequently the question. Now I think many who are
very anxious to advance go to work in the wrong way. To my mind, the
great point to remember when you are practising is not that the match
must be won, but that all your weak strokes must be improved. We all
know our special failures; if not, some kind friend will soon point them
out to us. Tackle these doggedly in practice. Strokes naturally avoided
in a match should be given as much experience as possible in a knock-up
game. It is the only way. Many players make the cardinal mistake of
playing day after day in the same way; they starve all their weak
strokes and overdo all their best ones; in fact, they play in precisely
the same manner as if the occasion were an important match. If you do
this, you must always preserve those weak strokes; they are not even
given a chance to develop. I once asked a girl whom I noticed
continually running round her back-hand in a practice game, why she did
this. The characteristic answer came back: "I cannot take a back hand. I
should be hopelessly beaten if I didn't run round the ball." But what
does it matter if you are beaten fifty times in a practice game if you
are improving your strokes? That girl's back-hand could never improve;
she made absolutely no distinction between a practice game and a match.
In fact, it was very little of a _practice_ game to her. How can your
game improve, or move forward, if you make no effort to strengthen what
is feeble?
Practise, then, conscientiously, and with infinite patience; never mind
who beats you. Take each weak stroke in turn, and determine to master
it, and I think you will find that you will be amply rewarded for all
your painstaking work by a vast improvement and keener enjoyment in your
game. What greater delight than to feel a stroke you have always dreaded
becoming easier and less embarrassing each time you use it, to know that
you are genuinely advancing instead of making no progress and playing
the same old bad shots time after time? I am sure you will say such a
sense of achievement is worth all the trouble which must be faced and
all the patience which must be exercised.
Of course in match play it is quite different. You avoid your weak
strokes as much as you can; your object then is to win the game. But
after discriminate practice you will find, probably to your surprise,
that there are not so many weak spots after all to remove, that your
game is opening out and steadily advancing. Do not get easily
disheartened if you find improvement slow; for a game that is worth
playing at all is worth playing well, and to play lawn tennis well you
must go through a stiff apprenticeship. You must school yourself to meet
disappointments and failures; you must cultivate a philosophic spirit,
or you will never reach the goal of perfection. I need not say that if
you wish to go forward enthusiasm is essential. Lawn tennis players
never seem to me to be nearly so keen on their game as golfers. So many
of them appear quite satisfied to remain at a fixed stage. They will
certainly not get their handicap reduced unless there is an ardent
desire to become better acquainted with the science of the game. A
struggling golfer is never tired of learning talking about his
pastime--often, I admit, to the annoyance of people who are not so
obsessed. Nevertheless, he is on the right track; and being so
thoroughly absorbed and in earnest, he ought to improve. You will find
him buying every new book that comes out and poring over its pages. He
may play in a few competitions, but his time is more seriously occupied
with practice and improvement. He wisely deprecates the continuous
strain of match play. He prefers to acquire a working knowledge of the
game, to make the various strokes with some degree of accuracy, before
he pits his skill against others.
I think this lack of adequate practice is one of the reasons why there
is such a dearth of rising talent among lawn tennis players. Some of the
competitors one meets at tournaments have been for years at exactly the
same stage. They never pause to take stock of their game. They never
advance or cultivate a new stroke. They go from one tournament to
another, struggling to win by hook or by crook. Assisted by a generous
handicap, they may win a prize, and, apparently, they are satisfied. Let
me say, in regard to tournaments, that when you are taking your strokes
correctly and are really adding to your knowledge of the game, open
competitions are admirable, and are essential if the highest honours are
to be achieved. But tournaments can very easily be overdone, especially
by young players who have not completed what I may call
stroke-education.
When you are practising, remember to practise head-work as well as
strokes. Cultivate thinking about the game. Never mind asking an
experienced player for advice. Most people who play the game well are
anxious that every one should improve; they want them to get more
enjoyment out of the game, and they want the general standard of play to
advance. As a rule they never mind giving a helpful hint. Do not
hesitate, therefore, to ask for that help. Discuss the game with your
friends and find out all you can about it. Read all the excellent books
that have been written on the game from time to time. I have often
noticed that beginners will willingly pay their entrance fees for open
events at tournaments, when they know very well that nothing but a
miracle will take them through the first round. Yet the same players
grumble at the expense of purchasing books dealing with the game. The
book would most probably help them a great deal, whereas the one
solitary match does them no good. It is over so quickly, the difference
in the class of play is so great, that the beginner hardly hits the ball
at all.
A good way of practising is to play up against a brick wall. In my own
case I found the method very useful. It helps one to keep the eye on the
ball, to time well, and place with accuracy. Another good way of
practising is not to score, but to get some friend to hit or even throw
the ball where you want it. Systematic stroke-play like this for half an
hour a day, finishing up with a game which brings into play the stroke
you have been developing, is bound to improve your game. I know of one
champion of England who always practised in this way. Any new stroke
that had to be mastered was passed through the mill and assiduously
exercised until perfection came. If no friend were available for the
purpose, the butler had to devote an hour a day to throwing the ball in
the given direction.
To come to the various strokes, I do not mean to enter into these
elaborately. There are now so many good books in the market that deal
exhaustively with this subject, such as "The Complete Lawn-Tennis
Player," by A. Wallis Myers, that I shall not aim at covering old
ground.
The first and foremost stroke to be learnt is _The Fore-hand Drive_. A
good fore-hand is one of the chief assets of the game; a good length
must be one of the first things to cultivate. The ball must be sent as
near the base line as possible. Do not at first try to get a severe
shot, but practise getting a good-length slow ball until you are very
accurate at that. You will find that pace and direction will come
afterwards. When making a fore-hand drive stand sideways to the net.
Your left shoulder should face the net, your left foot should be in
front of your right. Wait as long as possible, for the ball. By this I
mean, do not rush in to it; wait for it to come to you. Stand well away
from it, sideways and lengthways. Swing your racket slowly back to about
the level of your shoulder, then bring it slowly forward, and
simultaneously transfer your weight from your right foot to your left.
This transference of weight, let me add, is most important, and can
only be achieved by careful practice. If it is transferred too soon or
too late, the whole power of the stroke is lost.
[Illustration: THE FORE-HAND DRIVE BEGINNING MIDDLE FINISH]
The ball must be hit firmly and cleanly with the centre of the racket.
Feel as if you were literally sweeping it along--your movement must be
so perfectly timed--to the place you wish it to go, not forgetting to
follow well through with your arm and shoulder in a line with the flight
of the ball. Great muscular strength is not needed to play well. _Timing
your stroke, transferring your weight at the right moment, and following
well through at the finish_--these are the chief secrets of good and
powerful strokes. Do not be content merely to watch the ball, but keep
your eye fixed on it until the last possible moment, following it right
on to the centre of your racket. Until you have tried this you cannot
realize how difficult it is, or how greatly it will improve your stroke;
and it helps to complete concentration, which to my mind is one of the
chief attributes of success.
_The Back-hand Drive_ is taken in the same way as the fore-hand, only
with your position reversed. Here, too, you must not face the net, but
stand sideways. This time your right shoulder must face the net. The
position of your feet for a back-hand stroke is most important; it is
where so many beginners go wrong. Take a step towards the ball with your
right foot in front of your left, and with your weight at the start of
the stroke on the ball of your left foot. Swing your racket well back,
with its head raised above your wrist, and hit the ball firmly with the
centre of your racket. Be transferring your weight all the time from
your left foot to your right, and follow well through in the direction
of the flight of the ball. When playing a back-hand across the court,
from corner to corner, let your arm and shoulder on the follow through
be extended as far as they will go, and your body brought round to face
the net.
[Illustration: THE BACK-HAND DRIVE BEGINNING MIDDLE FINISH]
_The lob_ is a most important and useful stroke and should be constantly
practised. It is by no means an easy stroke to play really well and
accurately. It is generally a defensive shot, and makes your opponent
move from the net, unless she intends to be beaten by it. I am speaking,
of course, of the singles game. It is a useful stroke for giving you
breathing time if you are made to run about much, or for enabling you to
get back into position if you have been forced out of it. It is nearly
always best to lob to your opponent's back-hand, since the majority of
players are weaker there.
There are three kinds of lobs: (1) _The high lob_, sent well out of
reach of your opponent's racket, but with the disadvantage of taking
some time to reach the ground. Although it moves your opponent out
of her dangerous position right up at the net, there is time for her to
run back and return it. (2) _The low lob_, which only just passes over
your opponent's racket--a much more risky shot than the high lob, but
with the advantage of falling much quicker. If you succeed in getting
the ball out of her reach, it is almost certain to be a winning shot,
because she will not have time to turn and go after what is a very
fast-dropping ball. (3) _The lob-volley_ is one of the prettiest strokes
and a most effective one. It is very difficult to accomplish with
success; there is always great risk of not getting it out of your
opponent's reach and having it killed outright. It is generally played
with an under-hand stroke by hitting the ball before it has reached the
ground, and lifting it well over your opponent's head. It should be a
high lob. The racket must be grasped firmly and held nearly, horizontal
for this stroke. In playing lobs the racket must come well underneath
the ball, which should be struck very truly in the centre of the
racket.
_The Half Volley_.--This stroke has great possibilities, and is
efficacious both in attack and defence, although chiefly used for
defence. The ball must be hit immediately after it has bounced; in fact,
within a few inches after its impact with the ground. For attacking it
can easily be seen how useful this stroke can become; the time gained,
as compared to waiting for the ground stroke, is invaluable. But it
wants a perfect eye to play it with any facility; the majority of
players do not watch the ball long enough. Lack of confidence is another
reason why this stroke is not used more on the offensive.
_A short drop shot_ from the back of the court, or, in fact, from any
position in the court (but I think more effectively used from the back
of the court), is a very paying stroke to have at your command. It is
difficult to be accurate with this shot, and it needs much patient
practice. Yet it is one on which trouble may very profitably be
expended, for it often turns the tide at a critical moment.
I remember playing one match where I used this stroke a great deal.
Owing to its success--my opponent never even attempted to reach it--I
won ace after ace. At the end of the match my opponent indignantly
upbraided me. "I cannot admire your length," she protested. Neither did
she think it was "fair to play sneaks," adding, "Anybody could win if
they cared to play like that." In her opinion it wasn't tennis! I'm
afraid I did not take this censure very seriously. As the object of the
game is to put the ball as far out of reach of your opponent as
possible, I could not see what difference there was between making her
run from side to side of the base-line or to the net and back again.
Both methods as regards placing are just as good tennis, and should be
used judiciously in turn. But this sort of argument did not appeal to my
opponent; she still thought any one could win who cared to play that
"unsporting game." Perhaps the incident caused her to think a little,
and it may be she tried the stroke in her next match. If so, I am quite
sure she did not find it so easy to play accurately as she had imagined.
The danger of this stroke is that unless it is just in the right spot,
instead of giving you an advantage it will be a very easy ball for your
opponent to score off. If it is short, it will find the net; if hit too
far, it becomes a bad-length ball and will get the punishment it
deserves. It is difficult to explain how this stroke should be played. I
think it is best to stand very close to the ball and get rather in front
of it, drawing the racket across it from right to left--stroking the
ball, as it were, rather than hitting it. It requires a delicate touch,
and can be very deceptively played. Your opponent is kept in the dark
until the last moment, when the ace has probably been won.
_The Service_.--I should, as a rule, advise an overhead service. At the
same time, an underhand cut service is very useful as a change. Variety
of stroke and tactics should always be encouraged.
For an _overhead service_ stand sideways to the net, with your left foot
just behind the base-line, the left shoulder facing the net, and the
right foot a little to the right of and behind the left. Throw the ball
high up over your right ear, bend your body well back and your right
shoulder down. Raise the racket at the same time as you throw up the
ball, hit it with the centre of your racket, bringing your body forward
with all its weight on to the ball, and transferring your weight from
the right foot to the left at the moment of impact. Bring your racket
right through, and finish a little to the left of your left knee. At
the time you throw the ball into the air the left shoulder must be
facing the net, and as your racket hits the ball and follows through to
your left knee your body should be brought round to face the net.
[Illustration: BEGINNING OF SERVICE MIDDLE OF SERVICE]
Do not at first attempt a fast service; keep your ardour down until you
have gained a mastery of the ball and can vary its direction. Place is
always better than pace; this applies, generally speaking, to other
strokes besides the service. Try to cultivate a second service which
bears a likeness to the first. That is to say, if you have served a
fault (and the best players in the world cannot be absolutely sure that
their first delivery will not pitch just over the side-line or
service-line or hit the top of the net), do not be contented with a soft
and guileless second which has no length and which gives your opponent
an excellent chance of making a winning drive. Most players are weaker
on their backhand. Remember that fact and place your ball accordingly.
It is a good plan, when serving from the right-hand court, to aim for
the spot where the centre line bisects the service-line. Length and
direction will both be good, and in nine cases out of ten your opponent
will be required to move to make the return--always a point in your
favour.
Remember that variety in service, as in tactics and general play, is
essential. However fast your service may be, if its pace and placing are
stereotyped, a good deal of its efficacy is lost, since your adversary
knows what to expect, where to stand, and the kind of stroke suitable
for return. It is better to possess a variety of slow services, if they
have good length, than to own one fast service which has no particular
merit except speed. And, of course, the faster the ball comes off the
racket the more liable is it to go astray. Another reason why you should
temper zeal with discretion is that a vigorous service will tire you out
like nothing else, and in a long match stamina should be judiciously
preserved. You never know when an extra spurt may not be required to
turn the scale in your favour. I have often noticed the difference in
length and sting between the service of some players at the beginning of
the match and in the third set, and I am sure that one of the reasons
why so many matches are ultimately lost after a promising start is the
decline in the service, in its sustained vigour and in its length.
By the way, why do many lady players, even those who compete at open
tournaments, stand several feet behind the base-line when serving? Are
they aware that the length of their service is probably just so many
feet short of what it ought to be and that they voluntarily give
themselves an extra journey to recover short returns, even if they reach
them at all? You will never find expert players, who appreciate what I
may call the geometry of the court, penalise themselves in this manner.
Yet the habit, for some reason or other, would appear to be on the
increase.
_Low Volleys_.--For these strokes the head of your racket should be
above your wrist, your elbow low down, and your knees slightly bent. You
should, in fact, stoop so that your eye is level with the flight of the
ball. The late Mr. H.S. Mahony used to say that if girls would only bend
down more to the ball they would be able to volley much better. You
should not swing back as far for a volley as for a ground stroke, nor
relax a firm grip of your racket, remembering to follow through to the
place you wish the ball to go. In overhead work it is most important to
remember the oft-repeated maxim: "Keep your eye on the ball." Watch it
up to the moment of striking. Do not always "smash" every overhead ball
when a well-placed volley will win the ace just as well. It is a waste
of much-needed strength, and there is a greater risk of making a
mistake. For a _smash_ the right shoulder should be down and well under
the ball, the head and weight well back, the weight transferred at the
moment of striking from the right to the left leg, the body balanced
with extended left arm, and the body-weight brought right on to the ball
as it is hit. Finish to the left of your left knee as in the service.