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Show TENNIS PLAYERS MUST GET CLOSE TO THE NET TO GIVE THE SMASHING VOLLEY WHICH WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS I Pace always tells in tennis. It is direct expression of the personality of the player a remark beet Illustrated Il-lustrated by a study of the methods meth-ods of the Renshaws, who practically practi-cally revolutionized the game in 1S80-90. Pace entails the high overhand service -play common to all rank of players nowadays Without the high overhand serice and its attendant at-tendant lub variations, tennis degenerates de-generates to a mere game of shuttlecock. shut-tlecock. In this respect British Players excel, for the American service serv-ice is generally "slower." but often it becomes more deadly by reason of the formidable "cut," which cause the ball to actually swerve In the air and to "drag" or rebound slow from the ground. This twin eiTect hag a distinct advantage The play is earnestly cultivated in high quarters, even by players who are opposed to the smashing volley game, since i gives the server serv-er more time In which to follow up Mh serve by running into a position nroxlmately close to the net from I which he can then develop the "smashing" game. In both games (the singles and doubles) all players aim or should do, to get within a yard or two of the net as soon as possible. Thence develops tho Hmashing volley so fatal, fa-tal, yet so seldom Keen it other thau classical events. The player should seek to get comparatively close to the net, whether serving or receiving receiv-ing the serve, the object in all cases being to volley before the gravitational gravita-tional pull on the ball becomes apparent. ap-parent. That this Is tho correct and only play can be adjudged from the fact that If the rest happens hap-pens beyond a stroke or two, most players, even inferior ones (they are acting unconsciously) will be found to have drawn into the net. At least this is mostly so. An examination exami-nation of playem" positions In eight game out of ten will clearly bear out this point It Is one well worthy of study. For some tho service lines possess a fatal attraction Yet the vollei', pure and simple, i but the prelude to still deadlier pla. Rapid and low volleying, clearing the net maybe by but an inch or two, can always be met by players who take the trouble to practice the art. It Is when the volleying becomes varied by the attempt at-tempt on the part of one player to place the ball out of reach of the other thut tho science of it all becomes be-comes appurcnL This "lobbing," as it Is termed, calls for the greatest skill and Judgment. It Is the high overhand play, combined with the "lift" or "top," placing the ball behind be-hind one's adversary, and well at the back of the court, which Is bo disconcerting to follow, and has given many a pretty coup de grace to an otherwise evenly divided bout of volleying. Good "lobbying'" is difficult at least, It would appear so from the attempt one often sees In the great majority of games Unless Judgment Judg-ment drawn to a fine art accompanies accompa-nies tho swing of the racket, and the eye never removed from the ball even for tho thousandth part ef a second, the "lob" wfl! snd the ball out of court, or else just drop It short enough to permit the opposing oppos-ing player to kill it by playing a smashing volley. It is essential that the racket does not betray the intention in-tention to play a "lob." This defeats de-feats the whole object, and permits the opponent to correct his position posi-tion that Is, should it prove or be thought necessary. In all play Ihe primal object should be to serve and return the Ferve ns to permit of gaining a favorable fa-vorable position within a yard or so of the net and to so regulate pace as to drive one's adversary into in-to a least favorable one that is away from the net toward the base line; and from that Initial advantage, advant-age, the successful player can, given other things equal, severely punish his opponent by suddenly reverting re-verting to the smashing volley whlrh o lnvnriably wins. The smash stroke Is really essential essen-tial to win. The gome thus resolves Itself Into three parts. 1. The endeavor en-deavor on the part of one player to sooure the more favorable poM- I tion. 2. The following up with the smash volley. 3. Tho truccess nf the smash stroke or a win by means Of a well directed and judiciously placed "lob." A good player invariably ntakes his chances overhead. Yet few indeed in-deed can hope to win without resorting re-sorting at times to Rood overhead play. Tho hurtling, blustering, masterful mas-terful smash stroke 13 similarly played to the overhead, with the exception, however, that the position posi-tion from which it is played has no definitely fired distance from the net- It requires instinctive judgment judg-ment and absolute uiuthciriaticai precision and its play is always in direct relation to tho side lines and less proportionately to the net. The eye must never bo removed from the ball otherwise the player loses that instantaneous perception of cpeed and the correlative qua.llty of Judgment so essential for a return re-turn smash at greater pace which with proper skill, places tho ball outside the reach of his opponent s racket. My concluding advice Is to aim at forcing your adversary to the bicrk of the court, which an always be done by a few judiciously placed balls either near the side line or the BOTTlce line, and then to kill bl return with a smashing series of volleys from a position comparatively compara-tively near the net or as near the net as prudence dictates On the other hand, to meet and defeat a tlff bout of volleying re-Port re-Port to a high "lob." But unless this is skillfully and intelligently interpreted It is usually Ineffective. Neither a strong back play nor smashing tastics can, however, be employed to the exclusion of others. The ideal game is a fusion of the two. Uses of Clubs. A club is a place when a man can eoeet people he wouldn't want to ask into his own home unless his wu"e was away. Every little club has a barroom all Its own. This practice, we hasten to add. Is not. however, confined to little clubs. II is also indulged in by large clubs, middle sized clubs and other clubs. Tl Every club has a house commit- tee, whose duty it Is to receive and r Ignore all complaints, and, so far I as in it lies whatever that may I mean to conceal Its identity from the members. Upon the members of the cluh their quality and the amount of si- 1 cohol they can consume, depends the jj real moral standing of the club. j I Also the financial and whatever oth- j - er standings thero may be ncces-rary. ncces-rary. 1 Besides Its members, every club I has a house where gambling. In all 1; of Its forms except buying and sell- j ing stocks, can be Indulged In by j those who belong to tho stock ex-Change ex-Change and seek variety from their j dally toil. I As a substitute for a family there Is nothing that takes the place of a club. It keep a man up fully as late nights, shelters him from ene- mles and by practice can be made to cost as much. I ' 'i ' I ' " l I |