I trust that this, my first literary work will be found useful by both novices and experts alike in the tennis world. I am trying to arouse interest in the student of the game of tennis by a somewhat prolonged discussion of match play, which I trust will cast a new light on the sport of tennis.
I will turn to the novice in my opening article and speak of certain matters which are second nature to the experienced tennis player. The best tennis gear is not a lot of use for the beginner even if he really is trying to succeed. Nevertheless, one has to buy excellent quality; it is a saving eventually, as high quality material far outlasts poor quality gear.
It is vital to always dress in tennis clothes when engaging in tennis. The question of selecting a tennis racquet is a much more serious matter. I do not recommend forcing a certain racquet upon any player. All the standard makes are brilliant. It is on the weight, balance, and size of handle that the real value of a racquet frame depends, even as excellent stringing is essential to obtain the best results.
After you have bought your racquet, make a firm resolve to use only quality tennis balls, as a regular bounce is a fantastic aid to advancement, even as a “dead” ball is no use at all. If you really desire to succeed at tennis and advance speedily, I strongly urge you to watch all the excellent tennis you can. Study the play of the leading players and strive to copy their strokes. Read all the tennis instruction books you can find. They are a fantastic help.
Much more tennis can be learned off the tennis court in the study of theory and in watching the best players in play, than can ever be learned in one’s own actual play. I do not mean that you should miss opportunities to play tennis, far from it. Play tennis whenever doable, but strive when playing to place into practice the theories you have read about or the strokes you have seen.
Never become discouraged by lack of progress. The trick of playing some stroke you have worked on for weeks unsuccessfully, will suddenly come to you when you least expect it. Excellent tennis players are the product of hard work. Very few players are born geniuses at the game. Tennis is a game that pays you interest all your life. A tennis racquet is a letter of introduction in any city.
The fellowship of the game is universal, since none but a excellent sportsman can succeed in the game for any long period of time. Tennis provides relaxation, excitement, exercise, and pure enjoyment to the player who is tied hard and quick to his job until late in the afternoon.
The following order of development produces the quickest and most lasting results: 1. Concentration on the game. 2. Keep the eye on the ball. 3. Foot-work and weight-control. 4. Strokes. 5. Court position. 6. Court generalship or match play. 7. Tennis psychology.
Concentration. Tennis is played first with the mind. The best racquet technique invented will not be sufficient if the playing mind is erring. There are many causes of a distracted mind in a tennis match. The main one is lack of interest in the game. No one should play tennis with any hope of real success unless he cares sufficient about the game to be keen to do the spadework necessary to gather the game correctly.
Give it up at once unless you are keen to work hard. Conditions of play or the noises in the gallery often fail to differentiate and bewilder experienced match-players playing in new surroundings. Complete concentration on the matter in hand is the only cure for a wandering mind, and the quicker the lesson is learned the more rapid the improvement of the player.
The best way to keep a game in focus is to try for every set, every game in the set, every top in the game and, eventually, every shot in the top. A set is merely a collection of made and missed shots, and the man who misses the least is the ultimate victor.
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