the art of lawn tennis(网球的艺术)-第3节
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The surest way to hold a match 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 conglomeration of made and missed shots； and the
man who does not miss is the ultimate victor。
Please do not think I am advocating 〃pat…ball。〃 I am not。 I believe in
playing for your shot every time you have an opening。 I do not believe in
trying to win the point every time you hit the ball。 Never allow your
concentration on any game to become so great that you do not at all times
know the score and play to it。 I mean both point score and game score。 In
my explanation of match play in a later chapter I am going into a detailed
account of playing to the score。 It is as vital in tennis as it is in bridge； and
all bridge players know that the score is the determining factor in your
mode of bidding。 Let me urge again concentration。 Practise seriously。 Do
not fool on the court； as it is the worst enemy to progress。 Carelessness or
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laziness only results in retrogression； never progress。
Let me turn now to the first principle of all ball games； whether tennis；
golf； cricket； baseball； polo； or football。
KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL！
Just a few statistics to show you how vital it is that the eye must be
kept on the ball UNTIL THE MOMENT OF STRIKING IT。
About 85 per cent of the points in tennis are errors； and the remainder
earned points。 As the standard of play rises the percentage of errors drops
until； in the average high…class tournament match； 60 per cent are errors
and 40 per cent aces。 Any average superior to this is super…tennis。
Thus the importance of getting the ball in play cannot be too greatly
emphasized。 Every time you put the ball back to your opponent you give
him another chance to miss。
There are several causes for missing strokes。 First； and by far the
largest class； is not looking at the ball up to the moment of striking it。
Fully 80 per cent of all errors are caused by taking the eye from the ball in
the last one…fifth of a second of its flight。 The remaining 20 per cent of
errors are about 15 per cent bad footwork； and the other 5 per cent poor
racquet work and bad bounces。
The eye is a small camera。 All of us enjoy dabbling in amateur
photography； and every amateur must take 〃action〃 pictures with his first
camera。 It is a natural desire to attain to the hardest before understanding
how to reach it。 The result is one of two things： either a blurred moving
object and a clear background； or a clear moving object and a blurred
background。 Both suggest speed； but only one is a good picture of the
object one attempted to photograph。 In the first case the camera eye was
focused on the background and not on the object； while in the second；
which produced the result desired； the camera eye was firmly focused on
the moving object itself。 Just so with the human eye。 It will give both
effects； but never a clear background and moving object at the same time；
once that object reaches a point 10 feet from the eye。 The perspective is
wrong； and the eye cannot adjust itself to the distance range speedily
enough。
Now the tennis ball is your moving object while the court； gallery； net；
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and your opponent constitute your background。 You desire to hit the ball
cleanly； therefore do not look at the other factors concerned； but
concentrate solely on focusing the eye firmly on the ball； and watching it
until the moment of impact with your racquet face。
〃How do I know where my opponent is； or how much court I have to
hit in？〃 ask countless beginners。
Remember this： that a tennis court is always the same size； with the
net the same height and in the same relation to you at all times； so there is
no need to look at it every moment or so to see if it has moved。 Only an
earthquake can change its position。 As to your opponent； it makes little
difference about his position； because it is determined by the shot you are
striving to return。 Where he will be I will strive to explain in my chapter
on court position； but his whereabouts are known without looking at him。
You are not trying to hit him。 You strive to miss him。 Therefore； since you
must watch what you strive to hit and not follow what you only wish to
miss； keep your eye on the ball； and let your opponent take care of
himself。
Science has proved that given a tennis ball passing from point A to
point B with the receiving player at B； that if the player at B keeps his eye
on the ball throughout its full flight his chance of making a good A 1 2 3 4
B … return at B is five times as great as if he took
his eye off the ball at a point 4； or 4/5 of a second of its flight。 Likewise it
is ten times as great at B as it is if the eye is removed from the ball at 3； or
3/5 of a second of its flight。 Why increase your chances of error by five
times or ten times when it is unnecessary？
The average player follows the ball to 4； and then he takes a last look
at his opponent to see where he is； and by so doing increases his chance of
error five times。 He judges the flight of the ball some 10 feet away； and
never really sees it again until he has hit it （if he does）。 A slight deflection
caused by the wind or a small misjudgment of curve will certainly mean
error。 Remembering the 85 percent errors in tennis； I again ask you if it is
worth while to take the risk？
There are many other reasons why keeping the eye on the ball is a
great aid to the player。 It tends to hold his attention so that outside
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occurrences will not distract。 Movements in the gallery are not seen； and
stray dogs； that seem to particularly enjoy sleeping in the middle of a
tennis court during a hard match； are not seen on their way to their
sleeping quarters。 Having learned the knack of watching the ball at all
times； I felt that nothing would worry me； until three years ago at the
American Championships； when I was playing T。 R。 Pell。 A press… camera
man eluded the watchful eye of the officials； and unobtrusively seated
himself close to our sideline to acquire some action pictures。 Pell angled
sharply by to my backhand； and I ran at my hardest for the shot； eyes fixed
solely on the ball。 I hauled off to hit it a mighty drive； which would have
probably gone over the backstop； when suddenly I heard a camera click
just under me； and the next moment camera； pressman； and tennis player
were rolling in a heap all over the court。 The pressman got his action
picture and a sore foot where I walked on him； and all I got was a sore arm
and a ruffled temper。 That's why I don't like cameras right under my nose
when I play matches； but for all that I still advocate keeping your eye on
the ball。
GRIP； FOOTWORK； AND STROKES
Footwork is weight control。 It is correct body position for strokes； and
out of it all strokes should grow。 In explaining the various forms of stroke
and footwork I am writing as a right…hand player。 Left… handers should
simply reverse the feet。
Racquet grip is a very essential part of stroke； because a faulty grip
will ruin the finest serving。 There is the so…called Western or Californian
grip as typified by Maurice E。 M'Loughlin； Willis； E。 Davis； and； to a
slightly modified degree； W。 M。 Johnston； the American champion。 It is a
natural grip for a top forehand drive。 It is inherently weak for the
backhand； as the only natural shot is a chop stroke。
The English grip； with the low wrist on all ground strokes； has proved
very successful in the past。 Yet the broken line of the arm and hand does
not commend itself to me； as any broken line is weak under stress。
The Eastern American grip； which I advocate； is the Engli
