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out of position for your next stroke。 Strive to attain a position so that you 

always arrive at the spot the ball is going to before it actually arrives。 Do 

your hard running while the ball is in the air; so you will not be hurried in 

your stroke after it bounces。 

     It   is   in   learning   to   do   this   that   natural   anticipation   plays   a   big   role。 

Some players instinctively know where the next return is going and take 

position   accordingly;   while   others   will   never   sense   it。   It   is   to   the   latter 

class   that   I   urge   court   position;   and   recommend   always   coming   in   from 

behind the baseline to meet the ball; since it is much easier to run forward 



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than back。 

     Should you be caught at the net; with a short shot to your opponent; do 

not stand still and let him pass you at will; as he can easily do。 Pick out the 

side where you think he will hit; and jump to; it suddenly as he swings。 If 

you guess right; you win the point。 If you are wrong; you are no worse off; 

since he would have beaten you anyway with his shot。 

     A    notable   example      of  this  method      of  anticipation    is  Norman      E。 

Brookes;   who   instinctively   senses   the   stroke;   and   suddenly   bobs   up   in 

front of   your   best   shot  and kills it。  Some   may  say it   is luck;  but;  to   my 

mind; it is the reward of brain work。 

     Your position should always strive to be such that you can cover the 

greatest possible area of court without sacrificing safety; since the straight 

shot   is   the   surest;   most   dangerous;   and   must   be   covered。   It   is   merely   a 

question   of   how   much   more   court   than   that   immediately   in   front   of   the 

ball may be guarded。 

     A  well…grounded   knowledge   of   court   position   saves   many   points;   to 

say nothing of much breath expended in long runs after hopeless shots。 

     It is the phenomenal knowledge of court position that allows A。 R。 F。 

Kingscote;      a  very   short   man;    to  attack   so   consistently    from    the  net。 

Wallace F。 Johnson is seldom caught out of position; so his game is one of 

extreme ease。 One seldom sees Johnson running hard on a tennis court。 He 

is usually there awaiting the ball's arrival。 

     Save your steps by using your head。 It pays in the end。 Time spent in 

learning where to play on a tennis court is well expended; since it returns 

to you in the form of matches won; breath saved; and energy conserved。 

     It is seldom you need cover more than two…thirds of a tennis court; so 

why worry about the unnecessary portions of it? 



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                       THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS 



PART II: THE LAWS OF TENNIS 

                  PSYCHOLOGY 



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                  CHAPTER VI。 GENERAL TENNIS 



                                PSYCHOLOGY 



     Tennis psychology is nothing more than understanding the workings of 

your   opponent's   mind;   and   gauging   the   effect   of   your   own   game   on   his 

mental viewpoint; and understanding the mental effects resulting from the 

various   external   causes   on   your   own   mind。   You   cannot   be   a   successful 

psychologist      of   others   without     first  understanding      your   own     mental 

processes;   you   must   study  the   effect   on   yourself   of   the   same   happening 

under different circumstances。 You react differently in different moods and 

under different conditions。 You must realize the effect on your game of the 

resulting   irritation;   pleasure;   confusion;   or   whatever   form   your   reaction 

takes。 Does it increase your efficiency? If so; strive for it; but never give it 

to your opponent。 

     Does it deprive you of concentration? If so; either remove the cause; or 

if that is not possible strive to ignore it。 

     Once   you   have   judged   accurately   your   own   reaction   to   conditions; 

study   your   opponents;   to   decide   their   temperaments。   Like   temperaments 

react   similarly;   and   you   may   judge   men   of   your   own   type   by   yourself。 

Opposite   temperaments   you   must   seek   to   compare   with   people   whose 

reactions you know。 

     A    person    who    can   control    his  own    mental     processes    stands    an 

excellent chance of reading those of another; for the human mind works 

along definite lines of thought; and can be studied。 One can only control 

one's; mental processes after carefully studying them。 

     A  steady   phlegmatic   baseline   player   is   seldom   a   keen   thinker。   If   he 

was he would not adhere to the baseline。 

     The physical appearance of a man is usually a pretty clear index to his 

type   of   mind。   The   stolid;   easy…going   man;   who   usually   advocates   the 

baseline game; does so because he hates to stir up his torpid mind to think 

out a safe method of reaching the net。 There is the other type of baseline 

player; who prefers to remain on the back of the court while directing an 

attack intended to break up your game。 He is a very dangerous player; and 



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a deep; keen… thinking antagonist。 He achieves his results by mixing up his 

length and direction; and worrying you with the variety of his game。 He is 

a good psychologist。 Such players include J。 C。 Parke; Wallace F。 Johnson; 

and Charles S。 Garland。 The first type of player mentioned merely hits the 

ball   with   little   idea   of   what   he   is   doing;   while   the   latter   always   has   a 

definite plan and adheres to it。 The hard…hitting; erratic; net…rushing player 

is   a  creature    of  impulse。     There    is  no  real   system    to  his   attack;   no 

understanding of your game。 He will make brilliant coups on the spur of 

the moment; largely by instinct; but there is no; mental power of consistent 

thinking。     It  is  an  interesting;    fascinating     type。   Such    men    as  Harold 

Throckmorton; B。 I。 C。 Norton; and at times R。 N。 Williams; are examples; 

although Williams is really a better psychologist than this sounds。 

     The dangerous man is the player who mixes his style from back to fore 

court at the direction of an ever…alert mind。 This is the man to study and 

learn from。 He is   a player with   a definite purpose。 A player who has   an 

answer   to   every  query  you   propound   him  in   your   game。  He   is   the   most 

subtle antagonist in the world。 He is of the school of Brookes。 Second only 

to him is the man of dogged determination that sets his mind on one plan 

and adheres to it; bitterly; fiercely fighting to the end; with never a thought 

of   change。   He   is   the   man   whose   psychology   is   easy   to   understand;   but 

whose mental viewpoint is hard to upset; for he never allows himself to 

think of anything except the business at hand。 This man is your Johnston 

or   your   Wilding。   I   respect   the   mental   capacity   of   Brookes   more;   but   I 

admire the tenacity of purpose of Johnston。 

     Pick out your type from your own mental processes; and then work out 

your game along the lines best suited to you。 Few of us have the mental 

brilliance   of   Brookes;   but   all   can   acquire   the   dogged   determination   of 

Johnston; even if we have not his tennis ability。 

     When two men are; in the same class; as regards stroke equipment; the 

determining factor in any given match is the mental viewpoint。 Luck; so… 

called; is often grasping the psychological value of a break in the game; 

and turning it to your own account。 

     We hear a great deal about the 〃shots we have made。〃 Few realize the 

importance of the 〃shots we have missed。〃 The science of missing shots is 



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as important as that of making them; and at times a miss by an inch is of 

more value than a; return that is killed by your opponent。 

     Let me explain。 A player drives you far out of court with an angle…shot。 

You run hard to it; and reaching; drive it hard and fast down the side… line; 

missing   it   by   an   inch。 Your   opponent   is   surprised   and   shaken;   realizing 

that your shot might as well have gone in as out。 He will expect you to try 

it again; and will not take the risk next time。 He will try to play the ball; 

and   may   fall   into   error。   You   have   thus   taken   som

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