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Title: Tennis for girls
Author: Florence A. Ballin
Release date: July 5, 2025 [eBook #76443]
Language: English
Original publication: New York: American Sports Publishing, 1919
Credits: Carla Foust, Adrian Mastronardi, Thiers Halliwell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
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SPALDING “RED COVER” SERIES OF
ATHLETIC HANDBOOKS
No. 76R
TENNIS
FOR GIRLS
BY
FLORENCE A. BALLIN
NEW YORK
PUBLISHED BY
AMERICAN SPORTS PUBLISHING
COMPANY
45 ROSE STREET, NEW YORK
Copyright, 1919, by American Sports Publishing Company.
INTRODUCTION.
There are a number of books on tennis, but none has heretofore been
written for the young girl just starting in to play. It may be argued
that the game is the same for both boy and girl, therefore the same
book will do for both. This is true to a certain extent. But just as
there is a difference in the finished game, so there is a difference
in the early training; and I believe that, properly started, a girl’s
game may be developed to the point where it is much more like the boy’s
game than it is at present. Tennis is a game requiring a quick eye and
good judgment. Now a boy’s eye is naturally trained to judge a ball in
flight; he plays at some kind of ball game from the day he is strong
enough to toss one. His body, too, responds more readily to what his
eye tells him he must do. Therefore, a girl has to spend more time
and attention in developing her “eye,” and in learning to get quick
and accurate response from her muscles. There is no good reason why a
girl should not be as quick as her brother; it is merely a matter of
training.
HOW THE GAME IS PLAYED.
Tennis is a game to be played by two or four persons. Three may play,
by combining the two games, and having one play “singles” against the
other two playing “doubles.” But the game properly has two forms:
“singles,” wherein two persons play, one on each side of the net; and
“doubles,” with two people on each side of the net. This net, which
is 3 feet high in the center and 3 feet 6 inches at the sides, is
stretched taut from two posts, one at each side of the court, across
the middle of the court. The court has a perfectly smooth, level
surface, of clay, dirt, turf, or cement, as the case may be. (Indoors
the game is played on board floors.) It measures 78 feet in length
and 27 feet in width, for singles; 36 feet in width for doubles. The
court is laid out with white lines to mark the boundaries. These lines
are drawn with slacked lime or whitewash, or else marked out by tapes
which come for the purpose. Twenty-one feet from the net, on both
sides, a line is drawn, parallel to the net, to the sidelines of the
singles court. This space is in turn evenly divided by a line through
the center, running parallel to the sidelines, passing under the center
of the net. The four small spaces thus made are called the “service
courts.” The narrow spaces between the sidelines of the singles and
doubles court are called the “alleys.”
The game itself consists in one person (the server) putting the ball in
play by hitting (serving) it into the proper service court, and both
players then knocking it back and forth across the net until it is sent
either into the net or outside the boundary lines, or missed altogether.
The players take turns serving, each serving an entire game at a time.
The right to serve first is won by the player who calls the toss of the
racket correctly. The racket is spun about, one player calling “rough”
or “smooth”; that is, whether the lacing of colored gut is smooth side
up or not. The winner, if she chooses to serve first (instead she may
take the choice of courts, letting her opponent serve first), then
stands behind her baseline, to the right of the center, and, tossing
up the ball, knocks it into her opponent’s right-hand service court.
She has a second ball to try, provided the first is a “fault,” that is,
falls into the net or outside the correct service court. Many players
hold a third ball in their hand, or have it on the ground near them,
for if the ball strikes the top of the net and falls into the right
court, it is called a “let” ball and does not count one way or the
other. This is true only in serving, at all other times a “let” ball
is in play. The opponent, standing back of her service line, tries to
return the ball after its first bounce in the service court.
The ball is now in play, being knocked back and forth, until it is sent
out of court, or into the net, or bounces twice before being struck.
Once the ball is in play, it may be “volleyed,” that is, hit before
it bounces, but the service ball must first strike the ground inside
the service court. This is repeated, the server sending the ball
alternately into the right and the left-hand courts, from behind the
right and the left sides of her baseline, until the game is won. The
point is scored by the player who has last hit the ball into court. If
the server fails to send either ball into the proper court, she makes a
“double fault,” and loses the point.
The score is called as follows: the first point counts 15, the player’s
score which is zero (0) being called “love”; the next score, if
the point is won by the same player, is called “30-love,” the next
“40-love,” then “game.” If the opponent, in the meantime, scores, her
point is called as 30-15, 40-30, the server’s score always being called
first. If the points are even, the call is “15-all” or “30-all,” as
the case may be, instead of “15-15,” etc. If the points are evened at
40-all, the score is called “deuce.” Then one player has to win two
points in succession from the deuce point, the score going “deuce,”
“advantage server” (or “striker”), “deuce,” “advantage,” until the
player who has the advantage point wins the next one, and the game.
It takes six games to make a set, unless the games go to “5-all.”
This is equivalent to “deuce” in the point score, and requires two
consecutive games to make “set”--as 7/5, 8/6, 9/7. A match for girls is
always the best two out of three sets.
The ball on service is always tossed into the air and struck before
it bounds; a ground stroke is used to return the ball after it has
bounced; a “volley,” one wherein the ball has not struck the ground; a
“lob” is a ball knocked high into the air across the net; a “smash” is
a severe return of a lobbed ball. These strokes, their uses, and the
way to play them, will be taken up in subsequent chapters.
PROFESSIONAL TEACHING.
It has been seen that the main object of the game of tennis is to
keep the ball in play and put it where the other person cannot reach
it. This entails more or less skill and accuracy in making shots.
The quickest way to gain this skill is, as in all things, to start
in right. Learn the correct way and form, whereby the best results
are obtained with the least effort. If a good professional is within
reach, the simplest and quickest method is to take a number of lessons
from him to get the fundamental principles of the strokes; then start
playing, keeping these instructions actively in mind until they
become more or less instinctive. A girl usually has to make more of
a conscious effort to acquire some of the fundamentals than does her
brother, for she is not accustomed to games involving a ball in flight,
nor to the quick muscular response required. She has to train both eye
and mind to their proper uses.
[Illustration: Lines M N and O P should extend only to the service
lines I J and K L, but the dotted lines show that the service side
lines may be extended to the base lines, as provided in the second
paragraph of Law 27.]
[Illustration: PLATE I.
Backhand grip, showing the thumb diagonally across the handle,
helping support the force of the stroke; the wrist well “behind”
the racket.
]
[Illustration: PLATE II.
Correct backhand grip--head of racket slightly up, but the racket
is in the same plane as the arm. (See Plate III.)
]
[Illustration: PLATE III.
Incorrect backhand position--the hand and end of the racket are
leading the stroke, the line of the arm and racket being that of a
wide V, instead of a straight line.
]
[Illustration: PLATE IV.
Forehand grip--palm of hand behind racket, head of racket up,
showing the wrist in an easy position, no strain as shown in
Plate V.
]
[Illustration: PLATE V.
Incorrect forehand grip--the head of the racket is dropped,
straining the wrist at “A.”
]
[Illustration: PLATE VI.
Forehand grip from the back.]
Many older players, who have taken up the game “any old way” and
believe in “just doing the best they can,” claim that professional
teaching is useless, as it makes a player “all form and no play.” Of
course, a professional cannot make a star player out of every pupil,
but he can make their best much better than it would otherwise have
been, much less tiring to the player, and more pleasurable to the
onlooker, by teaching them the correct form, the right way to handle
themselves and their racket.
Few start playing golf without taking lessons on how to drive, putt,
etc., or else reading the various articles that have been written on
how to play. There are just as many different strokes in tennis and
just as definite ways to play them in order to attain the best and most
consistent results. If the player knows the science of the strokes,
when she is off her game a little thought will soon find her error;
whereas if she is playing “hit or miss,” she will merely be disgusted
at being “off her game,” and have to trust to her lucky Providence to
get her “on” again.
A player who is “all form” has merely not carried her game far enough,
either has not played long enough or else has not in herself the
makings of a first-class player. But at least she looks well on the
court, plays a fairly consistent game and really fails only when it
comes to crack tournament play. As a matter of fact, she is a player
whom first-class players are always willing to play against, for she is
steady and has reasonable pace to her balls, making her a good opponent
in practise. Then, too, many people make this criticism of someone who
is taking lessons, when the pupil is really only just starting in, and
has to concentrate so much on how she is hitting the ball that she has
little thought left for strategy. Once, however, a player learns how to
stroke the ball correctly and how to handle herself on the court, the
rest comes rapidly. But the fundamentals have to be learned first, and
learned thoroughly, so that they become second nature to the player,
before there can be much thought of studying the tactics of play.
A professional, besides being able to give his pupil the required ball
again and again for the stroke under study, can also watch and tell her
what she is doing incorrectly. To pick up the game alone is, as in all
things, more difficult than to have someone pointing the way. However,
learning by oneself requires greater concentration and thought on what
one is doing, and insofar is all the better training.
The best way to begin without professional aid is to find a smooth
board wall against which the ball may be hit, with a level cleared
space in front of it. It is well to draw a chalk line the height of the
net, 3 feet from the ground, so that the player may become accustomed
to hitting the ball high enough.
By practising against this board for a while before playing any games,
the beginner can put all her attention on _how_ she is hitting the
ball. She has no opponent, no score, to worry her, and can become
thoroughly at home with the fundamental principles of the strokes. This
is the practise that a girl needs more than a boy, for it will give
her the necessary training for eye and body. She will learn to keep
her eye on the ball, to time her strokes correctly, and to use her
body easily and quickly in response to the demands of her eye. Above
all, she will be acquiring the habit of concentration, a habit most
important in tennis, and something that no one can teach.
The easiest and quickest way to learn to serve is to take a half
dozen or so of balls out on the court and practise hitting them in
the right way into the opposite service court, just as if a game were
in progress. In a very short time, the beginner will find that she is
ready to go out and hold her own against those of her friends who have
been “batting around” for some time but without any real thought as to
what they were doing.
It is best to learn the ground strokes first, the strokes used against
a ball that has bounced once. They are more easily practised alone, and
in learning to play them correctly, the fundamental principles which
are true for all strokes will be mastered. The player will learn to
concentrate on what she is doing, to keep her eye on the ball, to time
it in its flight, and to follow through, putting the weight of her
body into the stroke. The habit of keeping the _eye on the ball_, of
watching it throughout its flight, is a very necessary one to acquire,
and now is the time while there is no opponent to tempt the eye away.
Many players are so busy watching their adversary, to know just where
she is in the opposite court, that they do not know exactly where the
ball is, and have to take a chance at hitting it squarely. After all,
it is much more important to be sure of your ball, for if you do not
send the ball true, of what use to know just where your opponent is.
This is the cause of the many “scratch” shots made on the courts, balls
hit with any part of the racket, strings or even frame, instead of
with the center of the stringing. A player must learn to keep her _eye
on the ball_ all the time, in order that her shots may be clean and
true, and of the maximum speed, through having her racket squarely
behind the ball. This habit of keeping the eye on the ball develops and
includes the _habit of concentration_, another very essential habit
to form if one is to play first-class tennis. No one can do her game
justice if she allows her mind to wander the least bit from the matter
at hand. If she begins to think of the audience, or the umpire, or any
of the thousand and one things that are liable to distract a player,
her mind is not wholly on her stroke, her eye will waver, and a scratch
shot is the almost inevitable result. Proper footwork too, which plays
such an important part in getting the proper swing of arm and body,
comes only with constant thought. In time this keeping the eye on the
ball, and using proper footwork becomes so nearly second nature that
the player may use her powers of concentration on the problems of
strategy which advanced play require. But at all times she must keep
her mind as it were within the boundaries of the court and not allow it
to wander.
GRIP OF THE RACKET.
First, the grip of the racket must be considered. If the player will
realize that, as far as possible, she must have her racket, with face
turned slightly up, parallel to the net when hitting the ball, she will
probably hold the racket in the grip most suitable for herself. Lay the
racket slanting across the palm, so that the butt rests at the base
of the palm, a little to the left, and the handle crosses the first
knuckle of the first finger. Close the fingers about the handle, and a
comfortable, firm grip is obtained. A very slight shift is made by most
players in taking a backhand shot, the thumb being slipped diagonally
across the handle, giving a better control over the racket.
The racket, as mentioned above, should always be _parallel to the net_
at the time that it meets the ball, direction being given to the ball
by following through with the racket in the desired line of flight of
the ball. The face of the racket should be slightly “open”; that is,
turned upward a little, not tipped towards the ground, which position
is called “closed,” and the racket itself should be almost parallel to
the ground. It is well for the beginner to exaggerate this last and
keep the head of her racket well up, to overcome a natural tendency to
let it drop too low. If the position of the racket varies all the time,
the player will have to consider whether the head is higher or lower
than usual and make due allowance in her strokes. But if she always
keeps it about the same, she will know from habit just where it is. The
more instinctive a player can become as to the elemental parts of the
game, the more attention she can pay to the finer points. Therefore,
from the very start try to hold the racket correctly, both as to grip
and general position, so that in time you need not think about your
grip at all.
[Illustration: Miss Eleanor Goss at the start of her service.]
[Illustration: Mrs. Raymond serving. Note the height to which the ball
is thrown, also the general balance of the body.
E. Levick, N. Y., Photo.
]
[Illustration: Mrs. Edward Raymond at finish of service. Note how the
weight has been shifted to the left foot.
E. Levick, N. Y., Photo.
]
[Illustration: MLLE. SUZANNE LENGLEN,
Famous Young French Player.]
STROKES--THE DRIVE.
Having a firm, but not tight, hold of the racket, try to make a full
swing with it through the air. Stand sideways to the practise board, or
the net, put the arm out straight, parallel to the net, then swing it
up and back as far as possible, and then down and forward, describing
a circle through the air. Finish the swing as far in front of the body
as possible, letting the head of the racket be the leading point. It is
this last part of the swing that controls the flight of the ball, both
as to direction and to length, and so is most important. _Always follow
through._ The preliminary swing gives the greatest amount of speed
with the least effort, because of the momentum which is gained. A long
follow through gives a deep ball (one in the back of the opponent’s
court), and controls the direction more surely than does a short snap
shot. The beginner should therefore spend plenty of time and attention
getting a full, free swing.
Swing the arm and racket around and forward several times without any
ball. Then, standing sideways to the net or board, with the left foot
forward, drop a ball opposite the body and swing the racket so as to
meet it at the top of its bound, following forward with the racket in
the direction that the ball is to take. The whole body should swing
forward from the hips, the weight being shifted from the right foot to
the left as the arm goes forward.
Few girls, until recently, used this full swing, although it is very
important that they should use it, as it is a great saver of energy,
speed being given to the ball, not by hitting it hard, but by the
impetus gained through the preliminary swing together with the weight
of the body which is behind the stroke.
A straight forehand drive, used principally against a low bouncing
ball, starts with the full swing and finishes out and up, the face of
the racket open and drawn slightly across the ball at the finish of the
stroke. A topped drive finishes with the wrist and racket turning over,
so that the face of the racket is towards the ground. This turnover
starts the ball spinning around on its own axis, giving it “drop”; that
is, causing it to drop rather sharply to the ground when it has reached
the limit of its outward flight. This marked downcurve makes it much
easier to keep the ball within the limits of the court and so is very
useful.
The backhand drive, which should not be neglected, but rather should
receive more attention at the beginning because it is a little more
difficult to make, is based on the same general principles. Grip the
racket, having the thumb diagonally across the handle, keeping the
wrist well in towards the body--there is a tendency on the backhand to
let the wrist break, point out towards the net, and so lead the swing,
which must be guarded against. Stand sideways to the net, the right
foot forward, and swing the arm, wrist in and elbow nearly straight,
across the body, making a circle as before, with the head of the racket
as the leading point. Then follow through forward, shifting the weight
of the body onto the right foot and swinging forward from the hips. As
in the forehand, there are two ways of finishing the swing, producing
two different drives: one, the straight drive, where the racket goes
out and up, sliding slightly across the ball; the other, the topped
stroke, where the racket and wrist turn over as the arm swings forward.
First practise the swing alone until it feels free and easy. Then drop
the ball in front of you, but slightly nearer the net than in the
forehand drive, where the ball is taken opposite the body, and stroke
it, making the full swing as in practise and following through in the
direction in which the ball is to go. In practising all these drives,
be sure to stand far enough away from the ball. The elbow should be
only slightly bent to get a full swing--if the ball is taken too close
to the body the elbow will be cramped, and so hamper the swing.
[Illustration: Miss Eleonora Sears at finish of overhead smash.
© International Film Service, N. Y.
]
[Illustration:
Miss Eleanor Goss running forward to meet the ball with a full
sweep of her racket in a forehand drive. All her weight is
going into the stroke.
]
[Illustration: Miss Martha A. Guthrie beginning a forehand drive.
© International Film Service, Inc., N. Y.
]
[Illustration: Mrs. Barger-Wallach finishing a straight forehand drive.
E. Levick, N. Y., Photo.
]
SERVICE.
Having practised the ground strokes till the swing feels easy, the
beginner should go on the court with a number of balls. Standing
sideways to the net, behind the baseline, she should make a half circle
back, with arm and racket extended, bringing the racket up over the
head. Here the racket is dropped behind the head and swung in a small
circle from left to right--much as an Indian club is swung--then up
and out in the follow through. The ball is tossed high in the air and
struck as the racket reaches the top of its swing. Then the racket
follows out with the ball just as far as possible, as in the ground
strokes. The various cut services depend on the way the face of the
racket meets the ball, how it cuts around or over the ball. It is best,
however, for the beginner to practise a straight service until she is
well grounded in the fundamentals. Meanwhile she should try to place
the serve not only in the correct court but also in some definite part
of that court. A well-placed service will prove as effective as any
fancy serve for ordinary play.
Remember these points while practising: get a full swing, hit the ball
at the highest point possible, and follow through as in the drive,
here, too, getting the weight of the body into the stroke.
THE LOB AND THE VOLLEY.
With these shots well in hand, the beginner has all she needs to start
in playing. But there are still the lob and the volley to take up. If
she is starting to learn with some friend, it is well to spend a little
while each day practising lobbing, the one to the other.
Because girls formerly spent most of their time lobbing the ball, now
they have gone to the other extreme and consider it beneath their
dignity to lob at all, that “lobbing is not playing the game.” However,
a good lob at the right time is often a “lifesaver.” It gives the
player time to get back into position if she has been drawn far out of
court returning the ball, and also it gives her a chance to get her
breath if she is being hard pressed. In doubles, and against a net
player in singles, it is indispensable, as will be shown later.
A lob is merely a ball knocked up into the air, with a slight forward
movement. It should be high enough to be out of reach of the net
player and deep enough to force her to run away back for it. If it is
too short--that is, too close to the net--the opponent will “kill” it,
smash it back so hard that it is almost impossible to handle, or else
put it close to the side lines near the net, where it is hard to reach.
Lobbing is an art which comes only with practise. The player should
again and again hit the ball firmly upwards, watching the result of the
shots, seeing whether they are deep enough, etc.,--gaining through this
constant practise the necessary touch.
While one player is practising lobbing, the other will be learning how
to return the ball. To smash it, stand sideways to the net, left foot
forward, and swing at the ball as it drops, just as in serving. It is
best to be directly under the ball for a smash. Do not try to hit it
too hard at first, and be careful to _keep your eye on the ball_. This
practise is splendid training, both for learning to keep the eye on the
ball and for timing it so that it is struck at just the right second.
[Illustration: Very good illustration of Miss Bjurstedt at finish of
“topped” forehand drive.
American Press Association Photo.
]
[Illustration:
Miss Ballin illustrates incorrect finish of forehand drive. The
racket has been carried across the body instead of forward, and
the weight has been thrown back on to the right foot instead of
forward with the stroke. Contrast this with the picture of Miss
Bjurstedt finishing a forehand drive.
© International Film Service, Inc., N. Y.
]
[Illustration: Miss Molla Bjurstedt finishing a fast backhand drive.
© American Press Association.
]
[Illustration: An exaggerated “topped” backhand drive shown by Miss
Ballin.
E. Levick, N. Y., Photo.
]
There remain the various volley shots to consider. Volleying is a
branch of tennis which girls are apt to neglect, but which is really
very important and not at all beyond the powers of a girl to conquer.
In doubles, net play is indispensable, if half hour rallies are to
be avoided, and in singles it is a great aid as a point winner. A
girl cannot rush the net continuously, for she has not the necessary
endurance or speed. But many times she has a chance to finish a point
at the net or else is drawn in by her opponent with a short ball. Here,
with no time to get back, it is necessary that she be able to handle
her volley shots properly. It requires a quick eye, level head and
ready muscular response to make a good net player. Practise at the net,
therefore, helps one’s other strokes, through the deftness and agility
acquired.
But the ground strokes must be in good working order before a player
can develop a net game, for she must be able to place the ball deep,
with sufficient speed, and in the right place, in order to give herself
a fair chance to run in. Two beginners can, however, get splendid
all around training if the one practises volley shots while the other
is driving from the back court. In volleying, more than in any other
stroke, the player must concentrate; keep her eye on the ball, try to
anticipate her opponent’s shot--foresee where it is going to cross the
net, and think and act quickly but deliberately.
In volleying there is very little preliminary swing, the racket being
raised and drawn back only a little, then forward and slightly down
across the face of the ball. Never hit up in volleying. If the ball
has fallen below the level of the net--a predicament to be avoided
where possible by stepping up and hitting the ball before it drops--the
racket is drawn more sharply under and across the ball. Direction is
given by drawing the racket through in the desired line. The wrist
should be firm, and the shot made with precision. A loosely held racket
and loose wrist result in the stop-volley-shot, one a beginner should
leave alone, for it requires a great deal of practise and a very keen
touch.
Cut may be used in any stroke in tennis. It consists merely in hitting
across the surface of the ball one way or another, during the follow
through, according to the cut desired. The chop stroke is one in which
there is practically no preliminary swing, a sharp cut being given the
ball at the moment of striking it; the shot is very similar to the
ordinary volley shot. It is advisable, however, for the beginner to
leave the cut game alone and develop a good drive and service.
Once the fundamentals of the game become instinctive she can experiment
with different shots, and study the science of the actual play. But
until she can consistently place the ball where she wants it, with the
desired speed, there is no use learning what tactics to use.
PLAYING THE GAME.
In the beginning a player, whether she wants to go into tournament play
later or not, should spend her time learning to swing properly and
to follow through; to keep her eye on the ball, and time her stroke
correctly, trying always to hit the ball at the top of its bound, thus
saving time; to get her footwork right, that is, always be in such a
position that the weight of the body can go into the stroke. She should
try in practising always to put the ball into some definite part of the
court, in order to acquire “control” of the ball. Just hitting it hard,
with very little idea of where it is going, is of no use in playing.
Let her learn to place her ball well and get good length, that is, keep
the ball well back in her opponent’s court, and she will soon find that
she can get the desired speed when she wants it.
Most beginners try to make a point out of every shot--“ace” every ball.
This is, of course, impossible and results in a wildly erratic game,
of no interest to the opponent and little advantage to the player,
for all idea of _how_ the ball should be played is lost in the desire
to _hit it hard_. Rather play with the idea of keeping the ball in
court, placing it where it seems most difficult for the other side to
return it. By watching the result of these efforts the beginner will
soon gain a knowledge of court positions, where to put the ball and
where she should be herself for the return. This, however, comes under
the heading of science of lawn tennis, on which subject a number of
interesting books have been written. It is better for the beginner
not to bother too much about that, but rather to develop her strokes,
learning to be on her toes every minute, eye on the ball, every bit of
her concentrated on the work in hand. As less attention is required by
the actual making of the strokes, more can be given to the tactics of
the game.
It is a good plan, where possible, to watch experienced players on
the court, see how they plan their shots, keeping their opponents in
trouble and themselves out of it. A girl cannot, of course, gain much
from studying those boys who rush the net on all occasion, for she has
neither the speed nor the endurance necessary for this style of play.
But let her watch those men who play a good all around game, see what
their general style of play is, what balls they go in on, what they do
when they get to the net, when they stay back, etc., and adapt what she
sees to her own style of play. There is no reason why she should not
develop a similar all around game, enabling her to make a good showing
against the best of the players, provided always that she is well
grounded in the fundamentals of the game, keeps her eye on the ball and
is alert mentally and physically all the time. Even in doubles there is
no reason why, with practise, girls cannot develop a good game, taking
the net as the men do and so putting an end to the interminable rallies
which mostly constitute “girls’ doubles.” The net position in doubles
is more tenable than in singles, for the passing shots are much fewer
and more easily guarded against; and as for the lob, which seems to be
the deterrent factor in most cases, there is no reason why girls cannot
go back under a lob, provided they will go sideways and not try to run
backwards, a very difficult feat. There are a few teams of girls who
take the net position and hold it successfully, thus proving that there
is no real reason why other teams may not try the same tactics and so
gradually do away with the present deadly monotonous form of women’s
doubles.
GENERAL TACTICS.
For the benefit of those who have no opportunity to watch good playing
and so work out for themselves the general tactics of the game, and
since those who have that chance can watch more intelligently if they
have some idea of what is being attempted, the following general
summary has been written. If you do not know what to look for, it is
difficult to gather much about the general tactics of the game just
from observation. But with more or less knowledge of the ground work
of the game, the student can learn a great deal from watching others,
seeing what they are trying to do and how they are doing it.
Singles is the better game for the beginner to start with, for she
is playing all the time and so gets much more practise in “strokes.”
For the girl beginner it is particularly useful, for it necessitates
constant attention on the part of the player; she must be on her toes
and working every minute of the time. Thus she develops the habits
of concentration and alertness, which will later prove invaluable to
her.
[Illustration: Miss Bjurstedt caught in a difficult position--a
backhand half-volley.
© Underwood & Underwood, N. Y.
]
[Illustration: Mrs. Raymond taking a backhand shot.
E. Levick, N. Y., Photo.
]
[Illustration: Miss Eleonora Sears making a backhand shot taken on the
run.
E. Levick, N. Y., Photo.
]
[Illustration: Miss Eleonora Sears at the net finishing a backhand
volley shot.
E. Levick, N. Y., Photo.
]
“Service,” that is, serving the first game of the set, is a great
advantage in the boy’s game, for if he has a good service he will
speedily be camped down near the net, thus putting his opponent on the
defensive. First service is also an advantage to the girl, even though
she cannot rush the net. For one thing, it helps to get all her muscles
in play, to limber her up; so much so that if one is not to serve the
first game, it is well to send over a few service balls during the
knock-up or practise just before the game starts. The server, even in
the baseline game, has a certain advantage, for a good serve can often
be so placed that it will put the opponent on the defensive, so that
she has to be content merely with getting the ball back and the server
then has a good chance for a winning shot.
It must not be gathered from this, however, that points are always won
so quickly. The game is one of manœuvring until one side or the other
is drawn into such a position that the ball is out of reach or very
difficult to return.
This manœuvring is done by so “placing” the ball that the opponent is
eventually drawn out of position, or off her balance; that is, is in
such a position that she cannot make her stroke properly. It is easily
seen, therefore, why it is of such importance to be able to place the
ball approximately in any desired spot. Speed alone is of no use, for a
player of any experience can soon learn to handle a fast ball. Accuracy
plus speed, of course, enables the player to get her opponent into
difficulties more easily, for there is less time for court covering,
but a fair degree of accuracy must first be attained; the greater the
accuracy the more chance that the stroke will be effective.
This is often illustrated when two players--one steady and able to
place the ball where she wants, the other speedy but lacking in
control--are pitted against each other. The steady one will usually
win, for her percentage of “outs” and “nets” is much smaller, owing to
the fact that she is seldom out of position and is playing her shots
with care. In fact, there is no use hitting every ball hard anyway.
Vary the speed so that the opponent will have to pay more attention to
timing her shots, allowing her that much less thought for the actual
play of the point. Rather reserve your speed for shooting a fast one
into an opening in the opponent’s court, which you have made by getting
her out of position. An “opening” is that portion of the court that the
opponent, owing to her position, cannot protect.
The server should try to place the ball in that part of the service
court which seems to bother her opponent most. Put it where it must
be returned by a backhand drive if that seems to be the opponent’s
weak shot, or vary the corners into which you hit the ball. It is well
to try to keep the ball as near the service line as possible without
“faulting,” for the greater depth to the ball will give the server
just so much more time to get ready to return it. If you are not going
to rush the net on service--and it does not seem advisable for girls
to try it, as it is too tiring--stay back of the baseline to receive
the return of service. Remember in playing that whenever you are not
well inside the service line, “playing net,” you should stay behind
the baseline. Otherwise you will find the ball bouncing at your feet,
and very difficult to handle. If you are behind the baseline, however,
all the balls will bounce in front of you, and you can judge them more
easily. If you find that the return is to be short, you can simply step
forward to meet the ball. Having returned a comparatively short ball,
either get back behind the baseline or move closer to the net, so as to
be able to volley the next ball and finish the point.
A volleyed ball should always be returned very deep and with a wide
angle, unless it is so short and wide of angle that the opponent
cannot reach it. (The word “angle” in tennis is used in speaking of
the relative position of the line of flight of the ball to the net.)
A short ball puts the volleyer at the mercy of her opponent, for
the ball comes back so quickly that it is extremely difficult to
anticipate. Then, too, there is more chance of a passing shot.
To handle the net position successfully the player must keep cool and
not be in too great a hurry to hit the ball, and when she does hit it,
must do so with a firm wrist and steady forward sweep of the racket.
She must not get upset by her errors. Even if at first a great many
balls are missed there is no reason to get discouraged, for it is no
more disastrous, though more noticeable, to lose a point at the net
than it is to lose it from the backcourt. Watch the good men players;
they miss many volley shots, too. It is only because a girl tries so
few that her mistakes are so prominent.
If the player has been drawn to the net on a short ball, or has made
her own shot deep and well placed with the idea of going to the net,
she must be on the lookout for a lob on the return. This lob is a
perfectly good weapon for the opponent to use, although girls have
a tendency to scorn it at present, owing to its former abuse. By
carefully watching her opponent, the player will soon be able to tell
from the way she handles her racket whether she is going to lob or not.
Even if she does try one, a perfect lob--deep enough so that it cannot
be killed and low enough that the player cannot run back and return
it--is very difficult to make. It requires much practise and a very
keen touch. If two or three short lobs are successfully smashed, the
opponent is apt to fight shy of that particular form of defense and
will go back to the passing shots to try to win the point.
From the other point of view, if the first few lobs are too short or
too high, the player should try several more, endeavoring to correct
her error, so that in an emergency she will not be afraid to use the
lob. Furthermore, not all short lobs are successfully smashed. The
opposing side may miss it entirely or may return it in such a way that
it can be easily handled--either not severe enough or not well placed.
Several unsuccessful smashes will go far toward upsetting the player,
for in no stroke is self-confidence more needed and sooner lost than in
smashing.
This is a department of the game that girls have very much neglected,
but, as has already been shown, it is one that is very important,
not only for actual use in the game but as training for both eye and
judgment. The smash must be hit at exactly the right second, pretty
well in the center of the racket. There is no reason why girls cannot
learn to smash. They have fought shy of the stroke because they have
not been willing to devote the necessary time to practising it, and in
part because a bad smash is so conspicuous an error. A good smash is
a pretty sure point winner and is a constant menace to the would-be
lobber; so is well worth cultivating. Indeed, without good overhead
work it is rather useless to attempt net play, for the opponent has too
obvious and sure a method of defense in her lob; and the player who
deprives herself of this form of the game loses much of the thrill of
the game. With the inveterate baseline player the game resolves itself
into a patient striving for openings--and so loses much of its snap and
vigor.
A girl must, however, as a rule, play the major part of her singles
game from the back court, going to the net only when drawn in or
when she has a fair chance to finish the rally. Of course, there are
exceptions to this, as to every rule. Some good players, for instance,
play the net game consistently. But most girls will find that they
cannot last through a three-set match with this style of play, it is
too tiring. But they should be able to vary their backcourt game by
going to the net occasionally. In order that they may handle the ball
properly when they have the chance, a good deal of attention should be
given to the volley and the smash while practising.
When in the back court try to return the ball where your opponent
cannot easily reach it--keep it near the sidelines instead of returning
it down the center of the court, a habit formed through fear of putting
the ball out. Make your opponent run, that she may tire the more
quickly and may often be off her balance when she has to hit the
ball. But do not be afraid to run for the ball; be on your toes every
minute of play and do not be afraid of a long rally. Many players feel
that they are not playing well unless they finish the point quickly.
This leads to a wild hitting of the ball in an effort to smash it
through the opponents defense, and the percentage of errors is very
high. Keep the ball in play, trying to force the other player “out of
position”--either off balance by sending the ball where she does not
expect it or by forcing her far out of court on one side or the other,
then sending the ball into the unprotected space. Of course, a certain
amount of speed is always necessary, for on a slow ball, no matter how
well placed, the opponent can usually get comfortably into position for
the return. The point to bear in mind is that speed without placement
will seldom win a point.
[Illustration:
Miss Marion Zinderstein at the finish of a chop volley shot.
Note her position, as shown by the side line behind her, relative
to the net; also the firmness of her grip.
]
[Illustration: Mrs. Edward Raymond in an unusual illustration of the
half-volley shot.
© American Press Association.
]
[Illustration: Miss Edith B. Handy finishing a cut service.
E. Levick, N. Y., Photo.
]
[Illustration: Miss Eleonora Sears about to chop the ball. Note
position of the arm and racket.
© International Film Service, Inc., N. Y.
]
All of the foregoing is particularly true in doubles. If a player is
not out of position, she should be able to handle almost any swift
ball. In doubles it is very difficult to get the opponents out of
position and the possible openings are much fewer and harder to make.
That is why when four girls are playing, all in the backcourt, the
rallies are so long and monotonous. Each side is trying to out-manœuvre
the other and make a hole through which to shoot the ball. But with
two persons on guard, these holes are not easily made and the rally is
more apt to end in one side finally either netting the ball or putting
it “out.” Points are seldom won. This is good training in accuracy and
steadiness, but the fun and excitement is mostly minus.
If, however, net play is introduced into the game, the story is quite
different. More and more this fact is being recognized and girls are
devoting more attention to their volleying. At present many teams are
composed of one net and one backcourt player. Against two backcourt
players this is a very effective combination. However, it forces the
backcourt player to carry most of the burden. The girl at the net is
too apt to take only those balls which are right on her racket. Instead
of which she should try to return everything within possible reach, so
as to save her partner as much as she can. These returns should be, as
in singles, either very deep and wide, or else close to the net and
very much crosscourt. This latter is the more effective in doubles,
for the deep shot is too easily returned when there are two players
guarding the back territory. The baseline player must always keep the
ball deep (near the baseline), for otherwise she is putting her partner
at the mercy of the other side. She must be ready to cover practically
all the back court. But, on the other hand, she should not back her
partner too closely on the latter’s shots. Many girls come right in
behind their net partner, as if sure she is going to miss, thus almost
making her miss the point solely through lack of self-confidence.
The baseline player must guard her own side, but she must be on the
constant lookout for a lob over her partner’s head or for a wide
crosscourt behind her partner. Then she must cross over to return the
ball, her partner likewise crossing to cover the unprotected court.
The net player, however, must take as many chances, try for as much as
possible, in order to assist her partner--not be content, as many girls
are, to take only the inevitable, sure shots.
This combination is productive of much more interesting and much faster
tennis than is the baseline combination. But it is less effective than
the baseline combination when matched against a team that takes the
net. Then the backcourt player has no choice but to lob, and if that
be short, the net player is practically helpless. She cannot hope
to return the expected smash, the ball comes too quickly for her to
anticipate it (guess just where it is coming and be ready for it) and
with too much downward force for her to handle it, even if she could
get her racket on it. She is also at a disadvantage, for she stands
a fair chance of being hit by a fast drive. It is very hard to drive
successfully through the opponents, for with two persons covering the
net the openings are very small, down the center being about the best
chance, for then there is apt to be confusion as to who should take
the ball, whereas the openings for the net players are proportionately
large. They have an easy chance to volley the ball deep and very wide,
behind the opposite net player, or else very short and wide, to the
other side of the court.
The disadvantage of the all-net game comes from the lobbed ball. Girls
are very much afraid of “being lobbed.” But, by carefully watching
the opponent’s racket, a lob can usually be foreseen, and the players
ready to go back under it. This anticipation is the result only of much
practise and of keen concentration on the game. Moreover, even if a few
lobs are counted against the net players, of what matter so long as the
percentage of points thus lost is not too great? The advantages gained
by taking the net will usually more than offset this disadvantage. If,
however, the opposing team are lobbing unusually deep and accurately,
it is well for the net team to change their tactics and stay back for
a while. But do not be afraid of a possible lob, and stay back after
the first ball missed. The chances of a lob being either out or else so
short that it is an easy kill are in your favor; give yourself a fair
trial before staying back.
It is easier for girls to develop a net doubles game than a singles
game, for doubles is naturally a much less tiring game. There is less
court to cover, the service comes less frequently, and the odds are
more in the net player’s favor. The best women players are more and
more inclining towards the net position in doubles, and by so doing
are broadening and developing their whole game, improving the quality
of their singles as well, through their increased familiarity with net
play.
MIXED DOUBLES.
Opinion as to court position in mixed doubles seems to be divided in
the minds of the men who play it, some men preferring the girl to take
the net and stay there under all circumstances, letting the man do his
share of the net play, and all the backcourt work. Others insist that
as a girl is naturally a baseline player, her job should be to guard
the back court while the man plays at the net. This latter seems the
more logical of the two plans, for it gives both players their natural
positions. Furthermore, a man is usually much more effective in his
volleying than the girl, no matter how good she may be. But as girls
develop their net play, devoting more time to their volleying and their
overhead work, both in singles and in doubles, they will quickly learn
to do their fair share of work in mixed doubles and not merely occupy
a small portion of the court. They will play it as a regular doubles
game, with both partners up or back together, making it much more
interesting for all concerned.
TOURNAMENT PLAY.
Tournament play does not appeal to everyone. But those who enter into
it find that it improves their game a great deal. They become much
more keen, they have to develop greater concentrative powers, they
become used to dealing with many different styles of play, they learn
“never to say die,” for no match is won or lost until the last point is
played. This, however, is an advanced form of play that is well covered
by a number of interesting books and that has no place in a “book for
beginners.”
It often has been said of girls that they are not “good sports.” This
was no doubt more or less true in years past. But as girls go more and
more to boarding school and college, play on teams and generally have
to consider themselves a small part of a big whole, they are learning
how to behave in the field of sports, to take what comes with a smile.
Remember, before all things, no matter how trying the circumstances,
always be a good sport.
[Illustration:
ACCEPT NO
SUBSTITUTE
THE SPALDING TRADE-MARK
GUARANTEES
QUALITY
]
SPALDING CHAMPIONSHIP TENNIS RACKETS
The National Men’s Championship was won with a Spalding Hackett &
Alexander Racket, (No. HA as listed below) used by and named for these
famous players.
The National Women’s Championship was won with a Molla Bjurstedt
Racket, (No. MB as listed below) made by us under special direction of
this great Norwegian player.
SPALDING HACKETT & ALEXANDER MODEL HA
No. =HA.= Has depressed throat piece, rawhide reinforcements inside
and out at bend, supplemented with gut throat winding. It has a full
bow frame, no bevel. The handles are four-sided, all cedar, either 5,
5¼ or 5⅜ inches in circumference. The stringing is of best quality
Spalding Autograph gut, by our most expert stringers. Without cover.
Each,
[Illustration: No. HA]
[Illustration: No. MB]
“MOLLA BJURSTEDT” AUTOGRAPH MODEL MB
No. =MB.= Built with depressed throat piece, gut throat winding.
Full bow frame, no bevel. The handle is of cedar, four-sided, with
small size grip. Weight 13¼ ounces and slightly over or under. It is
made specially for women and is identically the same model as used
for the past two seasons by this famous woman champion, Miss Molla
Bjurstedt. Best Spalding Autograph gut only is used, strung as are
other Spalding highest grade rackets, by our most expert stringers.
Without cover. Each,
In the complete Spalding tennis line is a racket to suit the
requirements of every kind of player.
[Illustration:
PROMPT ATTENTION GIVEN TO
ANY COMMUNICATIONS
ADDRESSED TO US.
A. G. SPALDING &. BROS.
STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES
FOR COMPLETE LIST OF STORES
SEE INSIDE FRONT COVER
OF THIS BOOK
]
=PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.= For Canadian prices see
special Canadian Catalogue.
[Illustration:
ACCEPT NO
SUBSTITUTE
THE SPALDING TRADE-MARK
GUARANTEES
QUALITY
]
SPALDING “TRADE-MARK” TENNIS RACKETS
[Illustration: No. XF]
[Illustration: No. 6]
[Illustration: No. 7]
[Illustration: No. 4X]
=No. 6. The Nassau.= Black depressed throat with oak
reinforcement. Frame of white ash, highly polished, with
combed Spanish cedar handle, leather capped. Stringing
is of good quality gut. (Reg. U. S. Pat. Off.). Ea.,
=No. 7. The Oval.= Oval shape, with extra stringing in
central portion; good quality gut. Gut wound shoulders.
(Patented Jan. 3, 1905). Each,
=No. XF. Fairfield.= Black throat. Frame of selected ash.
Wound shoulders. Good quality gut strung. Each,
=No. 4X. Ace.= Depressed throat. Frame of selected ash.
Gut strung double in central portion. Each,
[Illustration:
PROMPT ATTENTION GIVEN TO
ANY COMMUNICATIONS
ADDRESSED TO US.
A. G. SPALDING &. BROS.
STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES
FOR COMPLETE LIST OF STORES
SEE INSIDE FRONT COVER
OF THIS BOOK
]
=PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.= For Canadian prices see
special Canadian Catalogue
[Illustration]
* * * * *
Transcriber’s note
Duplicate illustrations from the original have been removed in this
version.
Minor punctuation errors have been changed without notice.
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