The Fundamentals of Tennis.

I trust that this initial effort of mine into the world of letters will find a place with both novices and experts in the tennis world. I am striving to interest the student of the game by a somewhat lengthy discussion of match play, which I trust will shed a new light on the game of tennis.

I will address the novice in my opening and write of certain matters which are second nature to the skilled player. The best tennis equipment is not a lot of good to the beginner even if he really is trying to succeed. However, one has to buy good quality; it is a saving in the end, as good quality material far outlasts poor quality gear.

It is important 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 advocate forcing a certain racquet upon any player. All the standard makes are excellent. It is on the weight, balance, and size of handle that the real value of a racquet frame depends, while good stringing is essential to obtain the best results.

After having bought your racquet, make a firm resolve to use only good tennis balls, as a consistent bounce is a great aid to advancement, while a “dead” ball is of no use at all. If you really want to succeed at the game and progress rapidly, I strongly recommend you to see all the good tennis you can. Study the play of the top players and strive to copy their play. Read all the tennis instruction manuals you can get your hands on. They are a great assistance.

Much more tennis can be picked up off the tennis court in the study of theory and in watching the best players in action, 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 possible, but strive when playing to put into practice the theories you have read about or the strokes you have watched.

Do not allow yourself to become discouraged by lack of progress. The manner of playing some stroke you have worked on for weeks in vain, will suddenly come to you when least expected. Good tennis players are the product of hard work. Very few players are born geniuses at the game. Tennis is a game that pays you dividends all your life. A tennis racquet is a letter of introduction in any city.

The brotherhood of tennis is universal, since none but an athletic sportsman can succeed in the game for any lengthy period of time. Tennis provides relaxation, excitement, exercise, and pure enjoyment to the person who is bound hard to his business until late 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 suffice if the playing mind is erring. There are many reasons for a distracted mind in a tennis match. The main one is loss of interest in the game. No one should play tennis with any expectation of real success unless he cares enough about the game to be willing to do the practice necessary to learn the game properly.

Give it up at once unless you are willing to work hard. Conditions of play or the noises in the gallery often confuse 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 quicker the improvement of the player.

The surest way to keep a game in mind is to play for every set, every game in the set, every point in the game and, finally, every shot in the point. A set is merely a collection of made and missed shots, and the man who misses the least is the final winner.