OCR Text |
Show TENNIS DONTS BY PHIL KEEK "After All, It's the 'Do's' That Are Important," Veteran Concludes BY PHIL A. NEER Leland Stanford I Diversity Interim. .I..,, 1 1 . , 1 1 1 ' -1 iii Blnalaa rhnnmlnn I There are plenty of "don't" for ' tennis players scattered through books which pretend to teach the game. But there are a few points which players, especially new ones, should observe. These suggestions which I would make to the playors who are in formative for-mative stages arc tho result of my own experience and of advice which veteran players who have watched me play have given me. The outstanding negative suggestions sugges-tions I have in mind I would group us follows' 1. Don't waste time on the court. : Play for all you are worth, with your mind on tho game, and rest uftcr you quit PRACTICE TO LEARN. I. Don't attempt to win practice ' games to tho hindrance of advance In I your form and power. 3 Don't think you know it all. I Listen to tho advice of older men. I Walter Goss, veteran und former star, I told me nearly all I know. A. E'on't. after a servo or after receiving, re-ceiving, pluy In the danger zone. 5. Don't take your eyes off tho ball until It leaves your racquet. In serving or receiving 6. Don't start a set and exert ull your energy In the first few games. You'll need It Just as much. If not more, later. PLUG, PLUG, PLUG 7. Don't expect to win without plugging and plugging hard, to learn th'- game It takes both brain and muscle to win. 8. Don't play unless you are In physical condition to do so. Diet. If necessary, as other athletes do. If the rules of health are observed, it will aid materially In shaping 1 player for tnatoh sets. Never fill to take advantage of tho "breaks" of the game. If there is an opportunity to kill tho ball, don't toss It over for the opponent to drive It back. Never take chances. ONE UIDINAL sin. A cardinal sin of the game, in my opinion, is for a player to become so swelled with Ideas of his own ability abil-ity that he will not watch and study the other player during all his games. It Is this observation which oftlmes helps to win. Don't forget that the other player, even though ho may be weaker than you, always has some chance of winning. The majority of the "don'ts" which are preached to players are usual ly apparent with progress in the game It Is the "do's" which should be told. Instead. If the player Is of sufficient Inclination Incli-nation ho can learn more or c.n quickly the roughnesses to avoid, and can become a smooth player, an 1 1. effective one, in time. in 1 , |