the art of lawn tennis(网球的艺术)-第20节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Australia； Japan； etc。； rests in the hands of the boys。 If the game is to grow；
tennis must be encouraged among the youngsters and played in the
schools。
England is faced with a serious problem。 Eton and Harrow； the two big
schools； are firm set against tennis。 The other institutions naturally follow
in the lead of these famous schools。 The younger generation is growing up
with little or no knowledge of tennis。 One thing that forcibly bore in on
my mind； during my trip in 1920； was the complete absence of boys of all
ages at the various tournaments。 In America youngsters from ten years of
age up swarm all over the grounds at big tennis events。 I saw very few of
either at Queen's Club； Wimbledon； Eastbourne； or Edgbaston where I
played。 The boys do not understand tennis in England； and naturally do
not care to play it。
The English Lawn Tennis Association is very desirous of building up
tennis in the schools； but so far has not yet succeeded in breaking down
the old prejudice。 It is really a question of life or death with English tennis
at this time。 Major A。 R。 F。 Kingscote； the youngest of the leading players
in England； is older than any man in the American First ten； with the
single exception of Walter T。 Hayes。 J。 C。 Parke has stated definitely that
1920 marked his retirement from the game。 He is just under forty。 Young
players must be found to replace the waning stars。 The danger is not
immediate； for all the players who proved so good in 1920 seemed certain
74
… Page 75…
THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS
of several more years of first… class play； but what of the next ten years？
The future development of tennis is dependent largely upon the type of
court that will become the standard。 All big fixtures to…day are played on
grass wherever possible。 There is little question but that the grass game is
the best。 In the first place； it is the old…established custom； and should be
maintained if possible。 Secondly； the game is more skilful and more
interesting on turf。 Thirdly； grass is far easier on the eyes and feet of the
players than any other surface。
There are drawbacks to grass courts。 Grass cannot grow in all climates。
The grass season opens late and closes early。 The expense of upkeep is
very great； and skilled groundsmen are required at all clubs that have grass
courts。
The hard court of clay or dirt； cinder； en…tout…cas； or asphalt allows
more continuous play and uniform conditions in more kinds of weather。
The bound is truer and higher； but the light and surface are harder on the
player。 The balls wear light very rapidly； while racquets wear through
quite soon。
The advantages are a much longer season on hard courts； with less
chance of weather interrupting important meetings。 The courts require far
less care in upkeep than grass。
What has been the actual tendency in the last decade？ In America the
hard courts erected have been approximately nine to one grass。 America is
rapidly become a hard…court country。 France is entirely on a hard…court
basis； there are no grass courts at all。 Play in South Africa is entirely on
hard courts。 Australia and the British Isles have successfully repelled the
hard…court invasion thus far； although during the past two years the
number of hard courts put up in England has exceeded grass。
The en…tout…cas court of peculiar red surface is the most popular
composition in England and the Continent。
There seems little doubt but that the hard court is the coming surface
in the next decade。 Grass will continue to be used for the most important
events； but the great majority of the tennis played； exclusive of the
championships； will be on hard courts。
The result on the game will be one of increasing the value of the
75
… Page 76…
THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS
ground stroke and partially cutting down the net attack； since the surface
of a hard court is slippery and tends to make it hard to reach the net to
volley。 Thus the natural attack will become a drive and not a volley。 Hard…
court play speeds up the ground strokes； and makes the game more
orthodox。
The installation of hard courts universally should spread tennis rapidly；
since it will afford more chance to play over a longer period。 The growth
of public courts in the parks and the municipal play grounds in America
has been a big factor in the spread of the game's popularity。 Formerly a
man or boy had to belong to a club in order to have an opportunity to play
tennis。 Now all he needs is a racquet and balls； and he may play on a
public court in his own city。 This movement will spread； not only in
America but throughout the world。 England and France have some public
courts； but their systems are not quite as well organized as the American。
The branch of tennis which England and France foster； and in which
America is woefully lax； is the indoor game。 Unfortunately the majority of
the courts abroad have wood surfaces； true but lightning fast。 The perfect
indoor court should retain its true bound； but slow up the skid of the ball。
The most successful surface I have ever played upon is battleship
linoleumthe heavy covering used on men…of…war。 This gives a true；
slightly retarded bound； not unlike a very fast grass court。
Indoor play in America is sadly crippled by reason of no adequate
facilities for play。 The so…called National Indoor Championship is held at
the Seventh Regiment Armoury in New York City on a wood floor； with
such frightful lighting that it is impossible to play real tennis。 The two
covered courts at Longwood Club； Boston； are very fine； well lighted；
with plenty of space。 There is a magnificent court at Providence； and
another at Buffalo。 Utica boasts of another； while there are several fine
courts； privately owned； on Long Island。 New York City uses the big
armouries for indoor play； but the surface and light in these are not fit for
real tennis。 The Brooklyn Heights Casino has the only adequate court in
the Metropolitan district。
Philadelphia and Chicago； cities of enormous populations and great
tennis interest； have no courts or facilities for indoor play。 This condition
76
… Page 77…
THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS
must be rectified in America if we wish to keep our supremacy in the
tennis world。 The French players are remarkable on wood。 Gobert is said
to be the superior of any player in the world； when playing under good
conditions indoors。 The game of tennis is worthy of having all types of
play within reach of its devotees。 Why should a player drop his sport in
October because the weather is cold？ Indoor play during the winter means
an improvement from season to season。 Lack of it is practically stagnation
or retrogression。
The future will see a growth of hard…court play the world over。 Grass
must fight to hold its position。 Indoor play will come more and more into
vogue。
77
… Page 78…
THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS
CHAPTER XI。 THE PROBABLE FUTURE OF
THE GAME
What will be the outcome of the world…wide boom in tennis？ Will the
game change materially in the coming years？ Time； alone； can answer； but
with that rashness that seizes one when the opportunity to prophesy arrives
and no one is at hand to cry 〃Hold； hold；〃 I dare to submit my views on
the coming years in international tennis。
I do not look to see a material change in the playing rules。 A revival of
the footfault fiend； who desires to handicap the server； is international in
character and； like the poor； 〃always with us。〃 The International
Federation has practically adopted a footfault rule for 1921 that prohibits
the server lifting one foot unless replaced behind the baseline
