the art of lawn tennis(网球的艺术)-第12章
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aid him in accustoming himself to the external conditions of play。
All match players should know a little about the phenomenon of
crowd…psychology since； as in the case of the Church…Murray match I
related some time back； the crowd may play an important part in the
result。
It seldom pays to get a crowd down on you。 It always pays to win its
sympathy。 I do not mean play to the gallery； for that will have the opposite
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effect than the one desired。
The gallery is always for the weaker player。 It is a case of helping the
〃under…dog。〃 If you are a consistent winner you must accustom yourself to
having the gallery show partiality for your opponent。 It is no personal
dislike of you。 It is merely a natural reaction in favour of the loser。
Sometimes a bad decision to one play will win the crowd's sympathy for
him。 Galleries are eminently just in their desires； even though at times
their emotions run away with them。
Quite aside from the effect on the gallery； I wish to state here that
when you are the favoured one in a decision that you know is wrong；
strive to equalize it if possible by unostentatiously losing the next point。
Do not hit the ball over the back stop or into the bottom of the net with a
jaunty air of 〃Here you are。〃 Just hit it slightly out or in the net； and go on
about your business in the regular way。 Your opponent always knows
when you extend him this justice； and he appreciates it； even though he
does not expect it。 Never do it for effect。 It is extremely bad taste。 Only do
it when your sense of justice tells you you should。
The crowd objects； and justly so； to a display of real temper on the
court。 A player who loses his head must expect a poor reception from the
gallery。 Questioned decisions by a player only put him in a bad light with
the crowd and cannot alter the point。 You may know the call was wrong；
but grin at it； and the crowd will join you。 These things are the essence of
good sportsmanship； and good sportsmanship will win any gallery。 The
most unattractive player in the world will win the respect and admiration
of a crowd by a display of real sportsmanship at the time of test。
Any player who really enjoys a match for the game's sake will always
be a fine sportsman； for there is no amusement to a match that does not
give your opponent his every right。 A player who plays for the joy of the
game wins the crowd the first time he steps on the court。 All the world
loves an optimist。
The more tennis I play； the more I appreciate my sense of humour。 I
seldom play a match when I do not get a smile out of some remark from
the gallery； while I know that the gallery always enjoys at least one hearty
laugh at my expense。 I do not begrudge it them； for I know how very
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peculiar tennis players in general； and myself in particular； appear when
struggling vainly to reach a shot hopelessly out of reach。
Two delightful elderly ladies were witnessing Charles S。 Garland and
myself struggle against Mavrogordato； and Riseley at the Edgbaston
tournament in England in 1920。 One turned to the other and said： 〃Those
are the Americans！〃
〃Oh；〃 said the second lady resignedly； 〃I thought so。 The tall one
＇meaning me＇ looks rather queer。〃
During the Davis Cup match against the French at Eastbourne； I went
on the court against Laurentz in my blue 〃woolly〃 sweater。 The day was
cold； and I played the match 4…1 in Laurentz' favour； still wearing it。 I
started to remove it at the beginning of the sixth game； when the gallery
burst into loud applause； out of which floated a sweet feminine voice：
〃Good！ Now maybe the poor boy will be able to play！〃
For the first time I realized just what the gallery thought of my efforts
to play tennis； and also of the handicap of the famous 〃blue…bearskin〃 as
they termed it。
My favourite expression during my Davis Cup trip happened to be
〃Peach〃 for any particularly good shot by my opponent。 The gallery at the
Championship； quick to appreciate any mannerism of a player； and to；
know him by it； enjoyed the remark on many occasions as the ball went
floating by me。 In my match with Kingscote in the final set； the court was
very slippery owing to the heavy drizzle that had been falling throughout
the match。 At 3…2 in my favour； I essayed a journey to the net； only to have
Kingscote pass me 'cross court to my backhand。 I turned and started
rapidly for the shot murmuring 〃Peach〃 as I went。 Suddenly my feet went
out and I rolled over on the ground； sliding some distance； mainly on my
face。 I arose； dripping； just in time to hear； sotto voce； in the gallery at my
side： 〃A little bit crushed； that Peach。〃 The sense of humour of the speaker
was delightful。 The whole side…line howled with joy； and the joke was on
me。
I am always the goat for the gallery in these little jokes； because it is
seldom I can refrain from saying something loud enough to be heard。
I remember an incident that caused great joy to a large gallery in
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Philadelphia during a match between two prominent local players。 One of
the men had been charging the net and volleying consistently off the frame
of his racquet； giving a wonderful display of that remarkable shot known
the world over as 〃the mahogany volley。〃 His luck was phenomenal for all
his mis…hit volleys won him points。 Finally； at the end of a bitterly
contested deuce game in the last set he again won the deciding point with
a volley off the wood； just as a small insect flew in his eye。
He called to his opponent： 〃Just a moment； I have a fly in my eye。〃
The disgusted opponent looked up and muttered： 〃Fly？ Huh！ I'll bet it's
a splinter！〃
There was a certain young player who was notoriously lax in his
eyesight on decisions。 He could never see one against himself。 He became
noted in his own locality。 He and another boy were playing a team of
brothers who were quite famous in the tennis world。 One of these brothers
had a very severe service that the local Captain Kidd could not handle at
all。 So each time the visiting player served close to the line； the boy would
swing at it； miss it； and call 〃Fault！〃 There was no umpire available and
there was no question of the older team losing； so they let it go for some
time。 Finally a service fully 3 feet in was casually called out by the
youngster。 This proved too much for the server； who hailed his brother at
the net with the query： 〃What was wrong that time？〃
〃I don't know；〃 came the reply； 〃unless he called a footfault on you！〃
The assurance of some young players is remarkable。 They know far
more about the game of other men than the men themselves。 I once
travelled to a tournament with a boy who casually seated himself beside
me in the train and； seeing my tennis bag； opened the conversation on
tennis and tennis players。 He finally turned his attention to various people
I knew well； and suddenly burst out with： 〃Tilden is a chop…stroke player。 I
know him well。〃 I let him talk for about ten minutes； learning things about
my game that I never knew before。 Finally I asked his name； which he told
me。 In reply he asked mine。 The last view I had of him for some time was
a hasty retreat through the door of the car for air。
I played my first match against J。 C。 Parke at Wimbledon in 1920。 The
time before that I had been on the court with him was at Germantown
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Cricket Club in 1911； when I acted as ball…boy in the Davis Cup between
him and W。 A。 Larned。 The Junior members of the club； sons of the
members； used to consider it a great honour to act as ball…boy in these
matches； and worked every means to be picked。 I picked up much tennis
in those days； for I have worked at the ball…boy position for Parke；
Crawley； Dixon； Larned； Wright； and Ward。
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CHAPTER IX。 THE PSYCHOLOGY OF
SINGLES AND DOUBLES
Singles； the greatest strain in tennis； is the game for two players。 It is
in this phase of the game that the personal equation reaches its crest of
importance。 This is the game of individual effort； mental and physical。
A hard 5…set singles match is the greatest strain on the body and
nervous system of any form of sport。 Richard Harte and L。 C。 Wister； the
former a famous Harvard University football and baseball player； the latter
a football star at Princeton； both of whom are famous tennis players； have
told me that a close 5…set tennis match was far more wearing on them than
the biggest football game they had ever played。
Singles is a game of daring； dash； speed of foot and stroke。 It is a game
of chance far more than doubles。 Since you have no partner dependent
upon you； you can afford to risk error for the possibility of speedy victory。
Much of what I wrote under match play is more for singles than doubles；
yet let me call your attention to certain peculiarities of singles from the
standpoint of the spectator。 A gallery enjoys personalities far more than
styles。 Singles brings two people into close and active relations that show
the idiosyncrasies of each player far more acutely than doubles。 The
spectator is in the position of a man watching an insect under a
microscope。 He can analyse the inner workings。
The f
