The Alden Catalogue of Choice Books, May 30, 1889

n only be acquired if the physical, mental, and nervous systems are in tun

playing. I believe in a large hearty breakfast on the day of a big match. This should be taken by nine-thirty. A moderate lunch at about one o'clock if playing at three. Do not eat very rich food at luncheon as it tends

three essentials in tennis. Tobacco in moderation does little harm, although it, too, hits eye and wind. A man who is facing a long season of tourn

ures immediately before playing tennis are bad, owing to the eye strain caused by the flicker of the film and the strong light of t

and a lack of interest in the match when you are on the court. I advocate a break in training at such a time. Go to the theatre or a concert, and get your mind completely off tennis. Do your worrying about tennis while you are playing it, and forget the unpleasantness of bad play once you are off the court. Always have some outside interest you can turn to for relaxation d

get chilled before a match, as it makes you stiff and slow. Above all else do not

is match instead of getting his shower while still warm. That slight stiffness the n

es if you are to play twice in a day. It will mak

success. Training will win many a match for a man if he sticks to

his mental viewpoint, and aid him in accustom

-psychology since, as in the case of the Church-Murray match I relat

to win its sympathy. I do not mean play to the gallery, fo

e 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 decis

. 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 a

t 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 sportsmanshi

s no amusement to a match that does not give your opponent his every right. A player who plays for th

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 ho

struggle against Mavrogordato, and Riseley at the Edgbaston tournament in

edly, "I thought so. The tall one

as 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, wh

ought of my efforts to play tennis, and also of the ha

ote 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

ittle jokes, because it is seldom I can refrain

onsistently 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 voll

ent: "Just a moment, I

d up and muttered: "Fly? Huh

ne 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

e reply; "unless he cal

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

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 matc