the art of lawn tennis(网球的艺术)-第13节
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is wholly uncalled for。 Play the game naturally； and give your opponent
full courtesy in all matters。 If you do； you will receive it in return。
Take every advantage of any and every weakness in your opponent's
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game； but never trespass on his rights as regards external advantages。
Personally I do not believe in 〃defaulting〃 a match。 To 〃scratch〃 or
〃retire；〃 as the term goes； is to cheat your opponent of his just triumph；
and you should never do this unless it is absolutely impossible to avoid。
Sickness or some equally important reason should be the sole cause of
scratching； for you owe the tournament your presence once your entry is
in。
Match play should stimulate a player。 He should produce his best
under the excitement of competition。 Learn your shots in practice； but use
them in matches。
Practice is played with the racquet； matches are won by the mind。 J。 C。
Parke is a great match player； because he is not only a great player but a
great student of men。 He sizes up his opponent； and seizes every opening
and turns it to his own account。 Norman E。 Brookes is the greatest match
player the world has ever known； because he is ever ready to change his
plan to meet the strategy of his opponent； and has both the variety of
stroke and versatility of intellect to outguess the other the majority of
times。 Brookes is the greatest court general； and； in my opinion； the finest
tennis intellect in the world。 His mind is never so keen and he is never so
dangerous as when he is trailing in an important match。 He typifies all that
is great in mental match tennis。
A great star is always at his best in a match； as it stimulates his mental
and physical faculties to the utmost。
Certain players are more effective against some men than others who
are not so good。 It is the uncertainty of match tennis that is its greatest
charm。 Two men may meet for tennis during a season； and be so closely
matched that each man will win two matches and the score seem almost
one…sided each time。 It is a case of getting the jump on the other player。
During 1919 Johnston and I met four times。 Twice he defeated me；
once in four sets； and once in three； while the two victories that were mine
were scored in identically the same number of sets。 The most remarkable
meeting of two stars was the series of matches between R。 L。 Murray and
Ichija Kumagae during the seasons of 1918 and 1919。 In the early stages
Murray had a decided advantage； winning from Kumagae consistently； but
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by close scores。 Early in 1919 Kumagae unexpectedly defeated Murray at
Buffalo in four sets。 From that moment Kumagae held the whip hand。 He
defeated Murray at Niagara…on…the…Lake a week later。 Murray barely
nosed out the Japanese star at Cleveland in five sets after Kumagae had
the match won； only to have Kumagae again defeat him in a terrific match
at Newport in August。
Kumagae's game is very effective against Murray； because Murray；
essentially a volleyer； could not exchange ground strokes with the
Japanese star player successfully； and could not stand the terrific pace of
rushing the net at every opportunity。 Kumagae conclusively proved his
slight superiority over Murray last season。
Vincent Richards； who is not yet the equal of Murray； scored two
clean…cut victories over Kumagae during the same period。 Why should
Richards worry Kumagae； who is certainly Murray's superior； and yet not
cause Murray trouble？
The answer lies in this style of game。 Richards uses a peculiar chop
stroke from the baseline that is very steady。 He can meet Kumagae at his
own baseline game until he gets a chance to close in to the net； where his
volleying is remarkable。 The result is； against Kumagae's driving he is
perfectly at home。 Murray is a vicious net player who swept Richards off
his feet。 The boy has not the speed on his ground strokes to pass Murray；
who volleys off his chop for points； and cannot take the net away from
him as he cannot handle the terrific speed of Murray's game。 Thus
Murray's speed beats Richards； while Richards' steadiness troubles
Kumagae； yet Kumagae's persistent driving tires Murray and beats him。
What good are comparative scores？
Charles S。 Garland always defeats Howard Voshell； yet loses to men
whom Voshell defeats。 Williams proves a stumbling…block to Johnston； yet
seldom does well against me。
The moral to be drawn from the ever…interesting upsets that occur
every year； is that the style of your attack should be determined by the
man's weakness you are playing。 Suit your style to his weakness。 A chop is
the antidote for the drive。 The volley is the answer to a chop； yet a drive is
the only safe attack against a volley。 The smash will kill a lob； yet a lob is
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the surest defence from a smash。 Rather a complicated condition； but one
which it would do well to think over。
The most dangerous enemy to R。 N。 Williams is a steady baseliner of
second class。 Williams is apt to crush a top…flight player in a burst of
superlative terms； yet fall a victim to the erratic streak that is in him when
some second…class player plays patball with him。 Such defeats were his
portion at the hands of Ritchie and Mavrogordato in England； yet on the
same trip he scored notable victories over Parke and Johnston。
Abnormal conditions for match play always tend to affect the better
player more than the poorer； and bring play to a level。
The reason for this is in the fact that the higher the standard of a
player's game； the smaller his margin of error； the more perfect his bound
must be； and any variation from the normal is apt to spell error。 The
average player allows himself more leeway； and unknowingly increases
his chances on a bad court。 His shot is not judged to the fraction of an inch
in swing as is the top…flight player； so a slight variation does not affect
him。
Many a great match has been ruined by abnormal conditions。 Rain
caused Williams' downfall to N。 W。 Niles in the 1917 American
Championships。 Rain and wind marred a great battle between Gobert and
Johnston at Eastbourne in the Davis Cup in 1920。
The clever match player must always be willing to change his game to
meet conditions。 Failure to do so may spell defeat。
It is this uncertainty； due to external conditions； that makes
comparative records so useless in judging the relative merits of two
players you know nothing of。 Rankings based on mathematical
calculations of scores are absolutely useless and childish； unless tempered
by common sense。
The question of the fitness of conditions of play can never be
standardized。 In America you play only if clear。 In England sometimes
when clear but more often in rain； judging by the events I swam through in
my recent trip。 A match player should not only be able to play tennis； but
should combine the virtues of an aeroplane and a submarine as well。
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CHAPTER VIII。 THE PSYCHOLOGY OF
PHYSICAL FITNESS
Physical fitness is one of the great essentials of match play。 Keenness
can only be acquired if the physical； mental； and nervous systems are in
tune。 Consistent and systematic training is essential to a tournament
player。
Regular hours of sleep； and regular； hearty food at regular hours are
necessary to keep the body at its highest efficiency。 Food is particularly
important。 Eat well； but do not over…eat； particularly immediately before
playing。 I
