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                                  THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS 



great   player;   individualizes   his   game   so   that   it   bears   a   mark   peculiar   to 

himself。 I hope to be able to call to mind the outstanding qualities of some 

of the leading tennis players of the world。 

     Where to start; in a field so great; representing as it does America; the 

British   Isles;  Australia;   France;   Japan;   South Africa;   Rumania;   Holland; 

and   Greece;   is   not   an   easy   task;   but   it   is   with   a   sense   of   pride   and   a 

knowledge   that   there   is   no   game   better   fitted   to   end   this   section   of   my 

book; and no man more worthy to lead the great players of the world; that 

I   turn   to   William   M。   Johnston;   the   champion   of   the   United   States   of 

America; and my team…mate in the Davis Cup team of 1920。 



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                         CHAPTER XII。 AMERICA 



                              WILLIAM M。 JOHNSTON 

     The American champion is one of the really great orthodox players in 

the world。 There is nothing eccentric; nothing freakish about his game。 

     Johnston is a small man; short and light; but by perfect weight…control; 

footwork; and timing he hits with terrific speed。 

     His service is a slice。 Hit from the top of his reach Johnston gets power 

and twist on the ball with little effort。 He has a wonderful forehand drive; 

of a top…spin variety。 This shot is world famous; for never in the history of 

the game has so small a man hit with such terrific speed and accuracy。 The 

racquet travels flat and then over the ball; with a peculiar wrist…snap just as 

the   ball   meets   the   racquet   face。   The   shot   travels   deep   and   fast   to   the 

baseline。 

     Johnston's backhand is   a decided 〃drag〃   or chop。  He hits it   with   the 

same   face   of   the   racquet   as   his   forehand;   and   with   very  little   change   in 

grip。 It is remarkably steady and accurate; and allows Johnston to follow 

to the net behind it。 

     Johnston's     volleying    is  hard;   deep;   and   usually    very   reliable。  He 

crouches behind his racquet and volleys directly in to the flight of the ball; 

hitting   down。   His   low   volleys   are   made   with   a   peculiar   wrist…flick   that 

gives    the   rise  and   speed。   His   overhead     is  accurate;   reliable;   but  not 

startling   in   its   power。   Johnston's   game   has   no   real   weakness;   while   his 

forehand and volleying are superlative。 

     Johnston is a remarkable match player。 He reaches his greatest game 

when behind。 He is one of the hardest men to beat in the game owing to 

his utter lack of fear and the dogged determination with which he hangs on 

when seemingly beaten。 He is quiet; modest; and a sterling sportsman。 He 

gets a maximum result with a minimum effort。 

                                      R。 N。 WILLIAMS 

     R。   N。  Williams; American   Champion   1914   and   1916;   another   of   my 

Davis     Cup    team…mates;     is  a  unique    personality    in   the  tennis   world。 

Personally; I believe that Williams at his best is the greatest tennis player 

in the world; past or present。 Unfortunately; that best is seldom seen; and 



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then   not   for   a   consistent   performance。   He   is   always   dangerous;   and   his 

range of variation is the greatest among any of the leading players。 

     Williams' service is generally a fast slice; although he at times uses an 

American twist。 He is erratic in his delivery; scoring many aces; but piling 

up enormous numbers of double…faults。 His ground strokes are made off 

the rising bound of the ball。 They are flat or slightly sliced。 Never topped; 

But sometimes pulled。 Williams' margin of safety is so small that unless 

his shot is perfectly hit it is useless。 He hits hard at all times and makes 

tremendous numbers of earned points; yet his errors always exceed them; 

except when he strikes one of his 〃super〃 days。 

     His    volleying    is  very   hard;    crisp;  and   decisive;    coupled     with   an 

occasional stop volley。 His use of the half volley is unequalled in modern 

tennis。 His overhead is severe and ordinarily reliable; although he will take 

serious slumps overhead。 He is a past master of his own style strokes; but 

it is an unorthodox game that should not be copied by the average player。 

     He   is   never   willing   to   alter   his   game   for   safety's   sake;   and   defeats 

himself in sheer defiance by hitting throughout a match when his strokes 

are not   working。  He   is greatly  praised   for this unwillingness to   alter   his 

game in defeat。 Personally; I think he deserves condemnation rather than 

praise;   for   it   seems   recklessness   rather   than   bravery   to   thus   seek   defeat 

that could easily be avoided。 

     Williams   takes   tennis   almost   too   lightly。   Cheery;   modest;   and   easy… 

going; he is very popular with all galleries; as his personality deserves。 He 

is   a  brilliant   ever…interesting   light   in   any  tennis   gathering;  and   his   game 

will always show sheer genius of execution even while rousing irritation 

by his refusal to play safe。 He would rather have one super…great day and 

bad defeats; than no bad defeats without his day of greatness。 Who shall 

say he is not right? We may not now agree; but Williams may yet prove to 

us he is right and we are wrong。 

                                 CHARLES S。 GARLAND 

     The   last   member   of   the   Davis   Cup   team  and   youngest   player   of   the 

Americans is Charles S。 Garland; the Yale star。 

     Garland is the perfect stylist; the orthodox model for ground strokes。 

He is an example of what stroke perfection can do。 



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     He uses a soft slice service; of no particular peculiarity; yet places it so 

well that he turns it into an attack。 His forehand is hit with a full swing; 

flat   racquet    face;  and    a  slight  top   spin。   It  is  deadly   accurate    and   of 

moderate speed。 He can put the ball at will anywhere in the court off his 

forehand。   His   backhand   is   slightly   sliced   down   the   line   and   pulled   flat 

across the court。 It is not a point winner but is an excellent defence。 His 

overhead   is   steady;   reliable;   and   accurate;   but   lacks   aggressiveness。   His 

high   volleying   is   fine;   deep;   and   fast。   His   low   volleying   is   weak   and 

uncertain。 He anticipates wonderfully; and covers a tremendous amount of 

court。 His attack is rather obvious in that he seldom plays the unusual shot; 

yet his accuracy is so great that he frequently beats a man who guesses his 

shot yet can't reach it。 

     N。    E。  Brookes     stated   he   considered      Garland     one   of  the   greatest 

ground…stroke   players   in   the   world。 This   is   true   of   his   forehand;  but   his 

backhand lacks punch。 His whole game needs speed and aggressiveness。 

     He is quiet; modest; and extremely popular。 His perfect court manner 

and   pleasant   smile   have   made   Garland   a   universal   favourite   in America 

and England。 His game is the result of hard; conscientious work。 There is 

no genius about it; and little natural talent。 It is not an interesting game as 

it lacks brilliancy; yet it is very sound; and much better than it looks。 

                                   VINCENT RICHARDS 

     Vincent Richards; National junior Champion of America and the most 

remarkable boy playing tennis; is a distinct personality。 Richards; who is 

now only seventeen; won the Men's Doubles Championship of America at 

the   age   of   fifteen。   Richards   is   a   born   tennis   player   and   a   great   tennis 

genius。 

     Richards' service is a fast slice that he follows to the net。 It is speedy 

and very accurate。 His ground strokes are both slice and drive; although 

the basis of his game is slice。 He meets the ball on the rise and 〃spoons〃 it 

off his forehand。 It is low; fast; but none too sure。 His backhand shot is a 

fast   twisting   slice   that   is   remarkably   effective   and   very   excellent   as   a 

defence。 He is learning a flat drive。 

     His volleying is the great feature of his game。 He is the greatest natural 

volleyer I have ever seen。 Low and high volleying; fore… and backhand is 



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perfect   in  

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