第 13 节
作者:雨霖铃      更新:2021-05-03 16:33      字数:9320
  is   wholly  uncalled   for。  Play  the game   naturally;  and   give   your   opponent
  full courtesy in all matters。 If you do; you will receive it in return。
  Take every advantage of any and every weakness in your opponent's
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  game; but never trespass on his rights as regards external advantages。
  Personally   I   do   not   believe   in   〃defaulting〃   a   match。   To   〃scratch〃   or
  〃retire;〃 as   the term  goes; is to cheat   your opponent of his   just   triumph;
  and you should never do this unless it is absolutely impossible to avoid。
  Sickness   or   some   equally   important   reason   should   be   the   sole   cause   of
  scratching; for you owe the tournament your presence once your entry is
  in。
  Match   play   should   stimulate   a   player。   He   should   produce   his   best
  under the excitement of competition。 Learn your shots in practice; but use
  them in matches。
  Practice is played with the racquet; matches are won by the mind。 J。 C。
  Parke is a great match player; because he is not only a great player but a
  great student of men。 He sizes up his opponent; and seizes every opening
  and turns it to his own account。 Norman E。 Brookes is the greatest match
  player the world has ever known; because he is ever ready to change his
  plan   to   meet   the   strategy   of   his   opponent;   and   has   both   the   variety   of
  stroke   and   versatility   of   intellect   to   outguess   the   other   the   majority   of
  times。 Brookes is the greatest court general; and; in my opinion; the finest
  tennis intellect in the world。 His mind is never so keen and he is never so
  dangerous as when he is trailing in an important match。 He typifies all that
  is great in mental match tennis。
  A great star is always at his best in a match; as it stimulates his mental
  and physical faculties to the utmost。
  Certain players are more effective against some men than others who
  are   not   so   good。   It   is   the  uncertainty  of   match   tennis   that   is   its   greatest
  charm。 Two men may meet for tennis during a season; and be so closely
  matched that each man will win two matches and the score seem almost
  one…sided each time。 It is a case of getting the jump on the other player。
  During   1919   Johnston   and   I   met   four   times。   Twice   he   defeated   me;
  once in four sets; and once in three; while the two victories that were mine
  were scored in identically the same number of sets。 The most remarkable
  meeting of two stars was the series of matches between R。 L。 Murray and
  Ichija Kumagae during the seasons of 1918 and 1919。 In the early stages
  Murray had a decided advantage; winning from Kumagae consistently; but
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  by close scores。 Early in 1919 Kumagae unexpectedly defeated Murray at
  Buffalo in four sets。 From that moment Kumagae held the whip hand。 He
  defeated     Murray     at  Niagara…on…the…Lake         a  week    later。  Murray     barely
  nosed out the Japanese star at Cleveland in five sets after Kumagae had
  the match won; only to have Kumagae again defeat him in a terrific match
  at Newport in August。
  Kumagae's   game   is   very   effective   against   Murray;   because   Murray;
  essentially     a   volleyer;   could    not   exchange      ground     strokes    with   the
  Japanese star player successfully; and could not stand the terrific pace of
  rushing   the   net   at   every   opportunity。   Kumagae   conclusively   proved   his
  slight superiority over Murray last season。
  Vincent   Richards;   who   is   not   yet   the   equal   of   Murray;   scored   two
  clean…cut   victories   over   Kumagae   during   the   same   period。   Why   should
  Richards worry Kumagae; who is certainly Murray's superior; and yet not
  cause Murray trouble?
  The answer lies in this style of game。 Richards uses a peculiar   chop
  stroke from the baseline that is very steady。 He can meet Kumagae at his
  own baseline game until he gets a chance to close in to the net; where his
  volleying   is   remarkable。   The   result   is;   against   Kumagae's   driving   he   is
  perfectly at home。 Murray is a vicious net player who swept Richards off
  his feet。 The boy has not the speed on his ground strokes to pass Murray;
  who volleys   off   his   chop   for  points;  and   cannot   take the  net   away  from
  him     as  he   cannot    handle    the  terrific  speed    of   Murray's    game。     Thus
  Murray's      speed     beats   Richards;     while    Richards'     steadiness     troubles
  Kumagae;   yet   Kumagae's   persistent   driving   tires   Murray   and   beats   him。
  What good are comparative scores?
  Charles S。 Garland always defeats Howard Voshell; yet loses to men
  whom Voshell defeats。 Williams proves a stumbling…block to Johnston; yet
  seldom does well against me。
  The   moral   to   be   drawn   from   the   ever…interesting   upsets   that   occur
  every   year;   is   that   the   style   of   your   attack   should   be   determined   by   the
  man's weakness you are playing。 Suit your style to his weakness。 A chop is
  the antidote for the drive。 The volley is the answer to a chop; yet a drive is
  the only safe attack against a volley。 The smash will kill a lob; yet a lob is
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  the surest defence from a smash。 Rather a complicated condition; but one
  which it would do well to think over。
  The most dangerous enemy to R。 N。 Williams is a steady baseliner of
  second   class。   Williams   is   apt   to   crush   a   top…flight   player   in   a   burst   of
  superlative terms; yet fall a victim to the erratic streak that is in him when
  some   second…class   player   plays   patball   with   him。   Such   defeats   were   his
  portion at the hands of Ritchie and Mavrogordato in England; yet on the
  same trip he scored notable victories over Parke and Johnston。
  Abnormal   conditions   for   match   play   always   tend   to   affect   the   better
  player more than the poorer; and bring play to a level。
  The   reason   for   this   is   in   the   fact   that   the   higher   the   standard   of   a
  player's game; the smaller his margin of error; the more perfect his bound
  must   be;   and   any   variation   from   the   normal   is   apt   to   spell   error。   The
  average   player   allows   himself   more   leeway;   and   unknowingly   increases
  his chances on a bad court。 His shot is not judged to the fraction of an inch
  in   swing   as   is   the   top…flight   player;   so   a   slight   variation   does   not   affect
  him。
  Many   a   great   match   has   been   ruined   by   abnormal   conditions。   Rain
  caused      Williams'     downfall      to   N。   W。    Niles    in   the   1917    American
  Championships。 Rain and wind marred a great battle between Gobert and
  Johnston at Eastbourne in the Davis Cup in 1920。
  The clever match player must always be willing to change his game to
  meet conditions。 Failure to do so may spell defeat。
  It   is   this   uncertainty;      due    to   external     conditions;     that    makes
  comparative        records    so  useless    in  judging     the   relative   merits    of  two
  players      you    know      nothing      of。   Rankings       based     on    mathematical
  calculations of scores are absolutely useless and childish; unless tempered
  by common sense。
  The     question     of  the   fitness   of   conditions     of   play   can    never    be
  standardized。   In   America   you   play   only   if   clear。   In   England   sometimes
  when clear but more often in rain; judging by the events I swam through in
  my recent trip。 A match player should not only be able to play tennis; but
  should combine the virtues of an aeroplane and a submarine as well。
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  CHAPTER VIII。 THE PSYCHOLOGY OF
  PHYSICAL FITNESS
  Physical fitness is one of the great essentials of match play。 Keenness
  can only be acquired if the physical; mental; and nervous systems are in
  tune。    Consistent    and    systematic    training    is  essential   to  a  tournament
  player。
  Regular hours of sleep;  and   regular; hearty  food   at regular hours   are
  necessary  to   keep   the   body  at   its   highest   efficiency。   Food   is   particularly
  important。 Eat well; but do not over…eat; particularly immediately before
  playing。 I