the art of lawn tennis(网球的艺术)-第15章
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the modern method of making ground strokes is a very different thing
from the one used by the old…time stars。
We are on the brink of the upheaval。 The next few years will show
results in the tennis game that were not thought of before the War。 Tennis
is becoming an organized sport； with skilled management。 Modern
methods； where efficiency is the watchword； is the new idea in tennis
development。
Tennis is on the verge of the greatest increase in its history。 Never
before has tennis of all types been so universally played； nor by such great
multitudes。 Its drawing power is phenomenal； hundreds of thousands of
people witnessing matches the world over； and played during the season of
1920。
There are more players of fame now before the public than at any
previous time since tennis became established。 The standard of play of the
masses and quality of game of the stars have risen tremendously in the last
decade。 No less an authority than Norman E。 Brookes； whose active
playing days cover a period of twenty years； told me during the American
Championships； last year at Forest Hills； that in his opinion the game in
America had advanced fully 〃15〃 in ten years。 He stated that he believed
the leading players of to…day were the superior of the Larneds； Dohertys；
and Pims of the past。
The most remarkable advance has been along the lines of junior play：
the development of a large group of boys ranging in age from thirteen to
eighteen； who will in time replace the Johnstons； Williams； and
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M'Loughlins of to…day。
American tennis has passed through a series； of revolutionary stages
that have changed the complex of the game。 English tennis has merely
followed its natural development； unaffected by external influences or
internal upheaval； so that the game today is a refined product of the game
of twenty years ago。 Refined but not vitalized。 The World War alone
placed its blight on the English game； and changed the even tenor of its
way。 Naturally the War had only a devastating effect。 No good sprang
from it。 It is to the everlasting credit of the French and English that during
those horrible four years of privation； suffering； and death the sports of the
nations lived。
The true type of English tennis； from which American tennis has
sprung； was the baseline driving game。 It is still the same。 Well…executed
drives； hit leisurely and gracefully from the base… line； appealed to the
temperament of the English people。 They developed this style to a
perfection well…nigh invincible to cope with from the same position。 The
English gave the tennis world its traditions； its Dohertys； and its Smiths。
Tennis development； just as tennis psychology； is largely a matter of
geographical distribution。 This is so well recognized now in America that
the country is divided in various geographic districts by the national
association； and sectional associations carry on the development of their
locality under the supervision of the national body。
Naturally new countries； with different customs； would not develop
along the same lines as England。 America； Australia； and South Africa
took the English style； and began their tennis career on the baseline game。
Each of these has since had a distinct yet similar growtha variance to the
original style。 American tennis followed the English baseline style through
a period that developed Dr。 Dwight； R。 D。 Sears； Henry Slocum； and other
stars。 Tennis； during this time； was gaining a firm hold among the boys
and young men who found the deep…driving game devoid of the
excitement they desired。 Americans always enjoy experiments； so the
rising players tried coming to the net at any reasonable opening。 Gradually
this plan became popular； until Dwight Davis and Holcombe Ward
surprised the tennis world with their new service； now the American twist；
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and used it as an opening gun in a net attack。
This new system gave us besides Davis and Ward； the Wrenn brothers；
George and Robert； Malcolm Whitman； M。 G。 Chace； and finally Beals C。
Wright。 The baseline game had its firm adherents who followed it loyally；
and it reached its crest in the person of William A。 Larned。 Previous to this
time； speed； cyclonic hitting and furious smashing were unknown；
although rumours of some player named M'Loughlin combining these
qualities were floating East from the Pacific Coast。 Not much stock was
taken in this phenomenon until 1908； when Maurice Evans M'Loughlin
burst upon the tennis world with a flash of brilliancy that earned him his
popular nickname； 〃The California Comet。〃
M'Loughlin was the turning…point in American tennis。 He made a
lasting impression on the game that can never be erased。 His personality
gained him a following and fame； both in America and England； that have
seldom been equalled in the sporting world。
M'Loughlin was the disciple of speed。 Cyclonic； dynamic energy；
embodied in a fiery…headed boy； transformed tennis to a game of brawn as
well as brains。 America went crazy over 〃Red Mac；〃 and all the rising
young players sought to emulate his game。 No man has brought a more
striking personality； or more generous sportsmanship； into tennis than
M'Loughlin。 The game owes him a great personal debt； but this very
personal charm that was his made many players strive to copy his style
and methods； which unfortunately were not fundamentally of the best。
M'Loughlin was a unique tennis player。 His whole game was built up on
service and overhead。 His ground strokes were very faulty。 By his personal
popularity M'Loughlin dwarfed the importance of ground strokes； and
unduly emphasized the importance of service。 M'Loughlin gave us speed；
dash； and verve in our tennis。 It remained for R。 N。 Williams and W。 M。
Johnston to restore the balance of the modern game by solving the riddle
of the Californian's service。 Brookes and Wilding led the way by first
meeting the ball as it came off the ground。 Yet neither of these two wizards
of the court successfully handled M'Loughlin's service as did Williams and
Johnston。
M'Loughlin swept Brookes and Wilding into the discard on those
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memorable days in 1914； when the dynamic game of the fiery…headed
Californian rose to heights it had never attained previously； and he
defeated both men in the Davis Cup。 Less than one month later Williams；
playing as only Williams can； annihilated that mighty delivery and crushed
M'Loughlin in the final of the National Championship。 It was the
beginning of the end for M'Loughlin； for once his attack was repulsed he
had no sound defence to fall back on。
Williams and then Johnston triumphed by the wonderful ground
strokes that held back M'Loughlin's attack。
To…day we are still in the period of service and net attack； with the
cycle closing toward the ground… stroke game。 Yet the circle will never
close； for the net game is the final word in attack； and only attack will
succeed。 The evolution means that the ground stroke is again established
as the only modern defence against the net player。
Modern tennis should be an attacking service； not necessarily epoch…
making； as was M'Loughlin's； but powerfully offensive； with the main
portion of the play from the baseline in sparring for openings to advance
to the net。 Once the opening is made the advance should follow quickly；
and the point ended by a decisive kill。 That is the modern American game。
It is the game of Australia as typified by Patterson schooled under the
Brookes tutelage。 It is the game of France； played by Gobert； Laurentz；
and Brugnon。 It has spread to South Africa； and is used by Winslow；
Norton； and Raymond。 Japan sees its possibilities； and Kumagae and
Shimidzu are even now learning the net attack to combine with the
baseline game。 England alone remains obstinate in her loyalty to her old
standby； and even there signs of the joint attack are found in the game of
Kingscote。
Tennis has spread so rapidly that the old idea of class and class game
has passed away with so many other ancient； yet snobbish； traditions。
Tennis is universally played。 The need of proper development of the game
became so great in America that the American Lawn Tennis Association
organized； in 1917； a system of developing the boys under eighteen years
of age all over the United States。
The fundamental idea in the system； which had its origin in the able
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brain of Julian S。 Myrick； President of the United States Lawn Tennis
Association； was to arouse and sustain interest in the various sections by
dealing with local conditions。 This was successfully done through a
system of local open tournaments； that qualified boys to a sectional
championship。 These sectional championships in turn qualified the
winners for the National junior Championship； which is held annually in
conjunction with the men's event at Forest Hills。
The success of the system has been stupendous。 The growth of tennis
in certain localities has been phenomenal。 I
