第 8 节
作者:雨霖铃      更新:2021-05-03 16:33      字数:9322
  fell on the baseline。 Kingscote made a remarkable recovery with a fine lob
  that forced Johnston back。 Kingscote took the net and volleyed decisively
  to   Johnston's     backhand。      Johnston     again    lobbed;    and    by   a  freak    of
  coincidence the ball fell on the baseline within a foot of his previous shot。
  29
  … Page 30…
  THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS
  Kingscote again lobbed in return; but this time short; and Johnston killed it。
  Johnston ran out the game in the next two points。
  If   a   shot   can   win   two   such   matches   as   these;   it   is   a   shot   worth
  learning   to   use;   and   knowing   when   to   use。   The   lob   is   one   of   the   most
  useful and skilful shots in tennis。 It is a great defence and a fine attack。
  The strokes already analysed; drive; service; volley; overhead and lob;
  are    the  orthodox     strokes    of   tennis;   and   should    be   at  every    player's
  command。        These    are   the  framework      of   your   game。    Yet   no   house    is
  complete with framework alone。 There are certain trimmings; ornaments;
  and decorations necessary。 There are the luxuries of modern improvements;
  and tennis boasts of such improvements in the modern game。
  Among the luxuries; some say the eccentricities; of the modern game
  one finds (1) the chop stroke; (2) the slice stroke (a close relative); (3) the
  drop shot; (4) the half…volley or 〃trap〃 shot。
  All these shots have their use。 None should be considered a stock shot。
  30
  … Page 31…
  THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS
  CHAPTER V。 CHOP; HALF VOLLEY; AND
  COURT POSITION
  I   am   called   at   times   a   chop…stroke   player。   I   SELDOM   CHOP。   My
  stroke is a slice。
  A chop stroke is a shot where the angle towards the player and behind
  the   racquet;    made    by   the   line  of  flight   of  the  ball;   and   the  racquet
  travelling down across it; is greater than 45 degrees and may be 90 degrees。
  The   racquet   face   passes   slightly   OUTSIDE   the   ball   and   down   the   side;
  chopping it; as a man chops wood。 The spin and curve is from right to left。
  It is made with a stiff wrist。 Irving C。 Wright; brother of the famous Beals;
  is a true chop player; while Beals himself; being a left… hander; chopped
  from the left court and sliced from the right。
  The   slice   shot   merely  reduced   the   angle   mentioned   from  45   degrees
  down   to   a   very   small   one。   The   racquet   face   passes   either   INSIDE   or
  OUTSIDE   the   ball;   according   to   direction   desired;   while   the   stroke   is
  mainly a wrist twist or slap。 This slap imparts a decided skidding break to
  the   ball;   while   a   chop  〃drags〃   the   ball   off   the   ground  without   break。
  Wallace F。 Johnson is the greatest slice exponent in the world。
  The rules of footwork for both these shots should be the same as the
  drive; but because both are made with a short swing and more wrist play;
  without   the   need   of   weight;   the   rules   of   footwork   may   be   more   safely
  discarded and body position not so carefully considered。
  Both    these    shots   are  essentially    defensive;     and   are  labour…saving
  devices   when   your   opponent   is   on   the   baseline。 A  chop   or   slice   is   very
  hard to drive; and will break up any driving game。
  It is not a shot to use against a volley; as it is too slow to pass and too
  high to cause any worry。 It should be used to drop short; soft shots at the
  feet of the net man as he comes in。 Do not strive to pass a net man with a
  chop or slice; except through a big opening。
  The    drop…shot     is  a  very   soft;  sharply…angled      chop    stroke;   played
  wholly with the wrist。 It should drop within 3 to 5 feet of the net to be of
  any use。 The racquet face passes around the outside of the ball and under it
  31
  … Page 32…
  THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS
  with a distinct 〃wrist turn。〃 Do not swing the racquet from the shoulder in
  making   a  drop   shot。 The  drop   shot   has no   relation   to   a  stop…volley。 The
  drop shot is all wrist。 The stop…volley has no wrist at all。
  Use all your wrist shots; chop; slice; and drop; merely as an auxilliary
  to your orthodox game。 They are intended to upset your opponent's game
  through the varied spin on the ball。
  THE HALF VOLLEY
  I have now reached the climax of tennis skill: the half volley or trap
  shot。 In other words; the pick…up。
  This   shot   requires   more   perfect   timing;   eyesight;   and   racquet   work
  than   any   other;   since   its   margin   of   safety   is   smallest   and   its   manifold
  chances of mishaps numberless。
  It is a pick…up。 The ball meets the ground and racquet face at nearly the
  same moment; the ball bouncing off the ground; on the strings。 This shot is
  a stiff…wrist; short swing; like a volley with no follow through。 The racquet
  face travels along the ground with a slight tilt over the ball and towards the
  net;  thus   holding   the   ball   low;   the   shot;   like   all   others   in   tennis;   should
  travel   across   the   racquet   face;   along   the   short   strings。   The   racquet   face
  should always be slightly outside the ball。
  The half volley is essentially a defensive stroke; since it should only be
  made as a last resort; when caught out of position by your opponent's shot。
  It   is   a   desperate   attempt   to   extricate   yourself   from  a   dangerous   position
  without retreating。 NEVER DELIBERATELY HALF VOLLEY。
  Notwithstanding         these    truths;   there   are   certain   players    who     have
  turned the half volley into a point winner。 The greatest half volleyer of the
  past   decadein   fact;   one   of   the   greatest   tennis   geniuses   of   the   world
  George   Caridia;   used   the   stroke   successfully   as   a   point   winner。   R。   N。
  Williams; the leading exponent of the stroke in the present day; achieves
  remarkable results with it。 Major A。 R。 F。 Kingscote wins many a point;
  seemingly   lost;   by   his   phenomenal   half…volley   returns;   particularly   from
  the baseline。 These men turn a defence into an attack; and it pays。
  So    much     for   the   actual   strokes    of   the   game。    It  is  in   the  other
  departments   such   as   generalship   and   psychology   that   matches   are   won。
  Just a few suggestions as to stroke technique; and I will close this section。
  32
  … Page 33…
  THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS
  Always   play   your   shot   with   a   fixed;   definite   idea   of   what   you   are
  doing and where it is going。 Never hit haphazard。
  Play all shots across the short strings of the racquet; with the racquet
  head and handle on the same hitting plane for ground strokes and the head
  above      the  handle     for  volleys。    The    racquet    head    should    be   advanced
  slightly beyond the wrist for ground strokes。
  COURT POSITION
  A tennis court is 39 feet long from baseline to net。 Most players think
  all   of   that   territory   is   a   correct   place   to   stand。   Nothing   could   be   farther
  from  the   truth。 There   are   only  two   places   in   a   tennis   court   that   a   tennis
  player should be to await the ball。
  1。 About 3 feet behind the baseline near the middle of the court; or
  2。 About 6 to 8 feet back from the net and almost opposite the ball。
  The   first   is   the   place   for   all   baseline   players。   The   second   is   the   net
  position。
  If   you   are   drawn   out   of   these   positions   by   a   shot   which   you   must
  return; do not remain at the point where you struck the ball; but attain one
  of the two positions mentioned as rapidly as possible。
  The distance from the baseline to about 10; feet from the net may be
  considered as 〃no…man's…land〃 or 〃the blank。〃 Never linger there; since a
  deep   shot   will   catch   you   at   your   feet。 After   making   your   shot   from   the
  blank; as you must often do; retreat behind the baseline to await the return;
  so you may again come forward to meet the ball。 If you are drawn in short
  and cannot retreat safely; continue all the way to the net position。
  Never stand and watch your shot; for to do so simply means you are
  out of position for your next stroke。 Strive to attain a position so that you
  al