The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, September 21, 1902, Page 11

THE SUNDAY CALL. 11 \ NIS'I.FESSONSFORBEGINNERS e T ‘BY*BERTHA' GARDNER: “TENNI/- CHAMPION:AT" GOLDEN GATE:FARK: @ that the beginwer will understand them, ¢hough It Is best to cut the ball just over YN both the chop and the cut are executed tne net. It takes long practice to make fir\.ofi in much the same manner, with a half g perfectly. (" “downward, half horizontal slash at the perhaps, however, the most difficult ball, which is neither the drive, the Vol- giroke of all s the back-hand drive— R which means a swift return frfpm the E left side. Plenty of force can be got into the stroke by anybody, but it re- quires great skill to place the ‘ball at will with a back-hard drive. And that, by the way, is a point that must ndg be overlooked. Learn how to lace the ball properly and accurately. Indeed, the beginner should learn first o all where the court is. That sounds @‘,}.-Lr_; S —= D, =T N §X\ TR W) S childish imitation of has done won- Bvery girl ought that she learned thinking now es for dainty efforded, nor of the 4 opportunities for There o speak of those things arned them for herself in the ping-pong craze, and t of the game. onary influence of ping- tself that is so surpris- degree—a far greater supposed ping- for the sudden and in the courts ING-PONG, ugh it is an hour of any day t crowded with players g as most They play the ball hap- of all ages of the beginners do 1 gll over the court, driv hazard everywhere but prescri freedom of move- ned in every 1 to success in ee e of appropriate costume ’ ur first consideration. This s i hould not ook n dressed, but your s n ve s0 loose that w for a high volley the r seams s at the 1 shoes, or a skirt p one hand up to holding it over it r personal appear- good tennis if your ntrated on an un- persist, despite your o control it, in playing tag ruly curl that will s will get hot and flushed or less ruffied, and be- , but the chief thing in the ball back ovér the our opponent can drive or place ur own side. You will quick- ly discover very .ea In the game if you are a beginner that it takes all of your best thought and energy to accom- this result without worrying over little matters of dress. For comfort wear extra heavy stock- tngs. If you don't, your feet are apt to blister badly. I have found that it 1 much more comfortable to wear two pair of stockings when playing, for the reason that a fast game requires so much rapid &nd ceaseless foot work, which is even more trying than the tax on the muscles of the racquet arm. With these are worn, of course, the regulation flat soled tennis shoes. The skirt to be most serviceable should be ankle length, of medium weight. With this wear a loose fitting shirt waist with plenty of elbow room, and your suit is complete. hat. I never wear a tennis cap or It is so much more comfortable hout one, and instead of the ordinary shirt waist with the sleeves rolled up, which always makes a bulky and awk- ward wad in the hollow of the forearm, I always wear an elbow sleeve shirt walst cut low at the throat. Besides being pleasantly cool and airy, it gives the arms free play, and that is the most important thing of all in good tennis. Whatever else you may do, see that you wear nothing to interfere with the elbows. And that is one of the first rules in the game. Always hold the arms as free as possible. Let them swing as loosely/and as disjointedly as a doll's arms, so that you can cut, chop or smash the ball with equal alert- ness and facility. This very looseness, paradoxical as it may seem, insures the greatest precision. Always use the whole arm for the drive, for such a movement gives the greatest force possible to the stroke. For a chop or a cut ball, use only the forearm from the elbow to the wrist. This movement gives that peculiar twist to the ball that is always so baffling to the be- ginner, for whose benefit perhaps it were best to explain at once the distinction between a drive, a volley, a chop, or a cut ball, and a smash. The drive is a big free arm stroke from the extreme end of the court, and may be divided into three different classes. First there is the high overhand drive—a swilt whole arm motion to strike a ball high over vour head. The next is the side drive, which means, as the word indicates, a horizontal sweep at the ball coming straight toward you, on a level with the walst or shoulders. Those wonderful little experts, the Sutton sisters, all use the side arm drive almost exclusively, and it is truly amazing to behold what power they can impart to their long sweeping side strokes. Then there is the underhand drive, wherein you bring the racquet round and up, knocking the ball high above the net for a volley serve. In executing the underhand drive, take lots of time and don’t strike the ball until it is falling close to the ground. That, indeed, is & very excellent rule AN ) == e S \\ e 7S Mee—— =~ La—— N g t%(/ T to follow at all times, bounce if you argf playing in the back court, and take ydur time In returning it. Don’t be in a hurry to hit it quick. Wait! There is lots of time. The ball will come, right up to you if you will only let it.> Nearly all beginners have this fault in common. They don't seem to realize that they are ruining all their chances of suc- cess by flagrant violation of this very sim- ple little rule. And it is ofttimes difficult to make it clear to them that in giving the ball 2 good chance to bounce well, the leisurely player not only insures himself greater grecision in returning it over the net, but is enabled thereby to play a more masterly. game, besides saving strength and energy. Let your opponent do all the smashing until you have mastered the first rudi- ment of the sport. Always hold the racquet as near the extreme end of the handle as possible. This gives you greater reach, as well as Always let the ball &7 e <rior [y STROKE Fo I FAST the greatest precision in driving, just as the full free arm stroke relieves the ten- sity of the muscles of the shoulders and back and removes all danger of spraining them. Until you get accustomed to the game use the lightest racquet obtainable. This will relieve much of the soreness that in- variably follows the first two or three games. But to return to the explanation of technical points. The smash is always used when you are close to the net. It is executed with a swift short-arm stroke to drive the ball straight down. A good smash ball prop- erly executed is practically unreturnable, for the ball can be delivered with incred- ible speed and accuracy. The volley is used when your opponent is close to the net. To execute it you strike the ball with a swinging upward motioni, which drives it high above the “head and far out of his reach in the rear VOLLEYING NEAR THE of the court. ever, not to drive it outside the scoring line, or your opponent will score againit you on your own error, as in ping pong. In both games, as you know, the scoring is the sathe. The chop and the cut are the hardest and the most effective strokes in tennis, The chop stroke is used when your op- ponent is away back ip/the court. It is as difficuit to describe the secret of it as it is to execute it, but when prop- erly done the ball goes just over the net and bounces *‘dead” or doesn’t bounce at all. The cut is much the same. The object of the cut is to make the ball go over the net with that peculiar little rotary mo- tion which causes it to bounce in an en- tirely opposite direction from the way that would naturally be expected. This is where the rule of waiting for the ball to bounce comes in so handy. As nearly as I can describe them, so Care must be taken, how- - rver RETURN ley or the smash, but a combination of all three. It is more like whipping at the ball than striking it squarely as in the drive. The cut can be used with almost equal effectiveness whether your opponent iz near the net or at the back of the court, HKke a very foolish and exaggerated state- ment, but it js truly amazing how many beginners cut and slash at the ball with- out having the slightest idea where it is going to go when they hit;it. The naxt thing to learn is to get the ball over the net. No matter what else you may feel 1s necessary keep this In mind at all times. It is getting the ball over the nét that wins games—no mat- ter how you get it over. Learn to play easily. This means that you strength—speed, endurance, a tremendous reserve force. This in turn means that delicate, fragile women can never be expert tennis play- ers—though, there is perhaps’ no other sport at which all these elements in an evenly balanced physique may be so quickly and pleasantly acquired—for it is a fact that tennis develops évery mus- cle In both the arms, and chest and back particularly, for which reason it is an ex- cellent form of exercise for girls with weak lungs or insufficient bust. And after you have learned to get the ball over the net learn next how and where to place it. The one rule 1§ to place it as far from your oppongnt as pos- sible, in order to tire him by contfhual pursuit. Even if you haven't a swift stroke, good placing if often‘just af ef- fective in winning games. After ‘you have mastered this art then is the time to develop speed. Learn then to hit the ball as hard as you can. The harder you can hit it the better. Drive— drive with all your might. At first you may drive the ball altogether too far out of the court, but with practicé you will soon learn to place it with baffling skill. A swift ball, accurately served, is the most difficult by far to retura. Always hold the racquet tightly so that it cannot turn in the Band, and if your opponent tries a fast game as well, always stand behind the serving line to receive a swift ball. This gives you a better opportunity to reach it, no matter how fast the service. In the swift games in vogue to-day one very rarely ever “plays net” in singles. If you do your opponent is likely to smash or to volley right over your head. ¥ is another good point to remem- ber. In serving the ball never step closer than two Inches to the serving line, which. means the extreme outer line of the court. Many beginners score against themselves all too frequently by simple neglect of this rule. In playing doubles always play on your own side of the court. If you don't you will constantly Interfere with your part- ner, but the more direct reason for this will be quickly aparent to you if your opponents suddenly decide to play a cut/ or a smash game. £ The player at the net should stand the first line of the alley and after serving his partner should run up; so that beoth may play reasonably close to the met. This insures an equal chance, no matter whether their opponents volley, drive smash, cut or chop. But once again let me say that this means swift work, with no time for thought of stray curls or a walst band divided against itself. But giris—never mind your looks. The fun of the game is more than compen- sation enough. The Park courts are truly the best spot in all the park— and just at present the most popular— which proves it. must have coolness— S~