Spin and Its Effects
William T. Tilden II
It is the love of study of tennis that has led me to the point where I never hit a shot without a conscious twist or spin, or the deliberate attempt to use none. I believe that only by doing so can the greatest results be obtained.
I cannot too strongly urge that the spin used on every shot should be a deliberate thing. Do not hit a ball blindly, merely for the sake of hitting it somewhere. Have a clear cut idea of what will be the effect of that shot. Never await your opponent's return with mind a blank. Ask yourself what you would do in his place and pre-pare to meet that reply. Anticipation in tennis is nothing more or less than outguessing, or at least, "equi-guessing" your opponent. Seek always to place your opponent at a disadvantage by forcing him to guess your shot's spin and so make it more difficult to handle it.
I think there are many great players whose games would be I materially improved if they gave a little more thought to the matter of spin and its effect. I do not believe there are many men who consciously think about spin in their game, for the great majority of tennis players are not students of the game.
The Foundation
I am a great believer in the flat drive from the baseline as a foundation. When I say "flat," I mean a top spin drive with just as little top spin as it is possible to put on and still top the ball. That gentle rotation will control a shot from the baseline and still not detract from its pace. The shots which, in my opinion, should be hit with distinct spin are short passing shots when your opponent is up (use top spin on these), or a heavily under-cut drop shot, or high defensive lob.
My mottoes in tennis are "the maximum result from the minimum effort," and "always work to break up your opponent's game." The first of these can be obtained with the flattest possible shot, but the second is only possible by mixing with these flat drives a careful and judicious series of shots with various spins.
I advocate the use of top spin ahead of undercut, yet I feel that both should be in the repertoire of every player. There is a place when a certain type stroke is the only one to meet the situation, and if that situation presents itself you should not be without the stroke to meet it.
Let me make my position perfectly clear on spin. I believe every shot should carry a definitely defined spin, or lack of it; but I do not believe in excessive or exaggerated spin on any shot. Make all your shots with enough spin to gain control, or to gain the desired reaction from your opponent, and then put the rest of your effort into speed and pace. I am unalterably opposed to freak shots. I consider that any soundly constructed game will break up and easily defeat any of the freak types.
The old card maxim, often a fallacy, "When in doubt, lead trumps," may be paraphrased for the tennis player to read, "When in doubt, drive." Remember, that your defense can be no better than your attack, so base your matches on your offense. Do not sacrifice speed to freak shots, but also, do not hit blindly for the sake of speed. It's a wise child who knows his own father, but it's a wise tennis player who knows his own stroke, knows it not only in its swing, but in its spin, in its intention and, above all, in its probable return.
Watch the ball sizzle from the strings of Johnston's racquet and watch its action off the court. Every shot of Johnston's carries a hidden devil in the form of spin or twist. Watch the sharp, incisive slice to his seemingly mediocre service, and realize that that is the reason his opponent is often aced.
Note the ripping forehand, with its magnificent top spin for control; or the vicious sliding chop stroke that glides away from the racing player in pursuit. Recognize the fact that all that is a deliberate and conscious application of spin. No one can look at Billy Johnston's slight frame but who will marvel at his pace and speed; but he wins many matches by cleverly mixed spin.
Conditions
Curve and bounce will be affected not only intentionally by your shot but quite unintentionally by wind, air friction and poor court surface. Tennis matches are often won by conditions, and the man who is sufficiently master of his game to turn conditions to his account is the one who will usually win.
The factor in the game most affected by external conditions of wind, heat and playing surface is the ball. Its weight, bounce, flight, and even size, vary with varying conditions. It is for this reason that the mastery and complete knowledge of spin and curve of the ball is of paramount importance to a tennis player. Atmospheric conditions should always be taken into consideration in deciding what twist to use on a shot. It is almost impossible to successfully slice or chop in a high wind, as the wind will catch the floating ball and blow it far out of its intended direction. I advocate using top spin or very little twist of any sort when the wind is high.
The court surface is another factor in determining what spin to impart to the ball. Every court, even of the same general type of surface, varies, and in fact each court varies from day to day. A soft court, either of grass or clay, is an invitation to undercut the shot, as the back spin allows the ball to dig in and die as it bounces.
A hard, fast court should be recognized as the paradise for the hard-hitting driver. This fact accounts for the great speed of the Californians on their forehand top spin drives, since they play all year around on asphalt. The grass court surface is best suited to the mixed spin game, since on the average good grass court a man may drive or chop with equal success, while on any other surface that I know one form of spin is partially nullified by the nature of the bounce.
On grass, clay or hard court the drive or top spin shot will bounce reasonably high and with a distinct forward pitch to the flight. This means an offensive attacking shot on any surface. It is the slice or undercut spin which varies according to surface. On grass the chop or slice shot drags or shoots according to the amount of back spin or side spin imparted. No surface provides such an excellent result to this shot as grass. Heavily under-cut back spin drop shots will fall al- most dead. Stinging slice will shoot viciously low and hard into the defense of his opponent. On clay the chop or slice carries some shoot, but very little drag or hesitation. It is apt to bound high and soft, asking to be driven for a kill by the waiting player.
Speed and Pace
In closing the discussion of spin I feel that some slight description of the effect of spin on speed and pace should be given. The flat drive undoubtedly carries the most pace for the least effort, but it is also apt to lose control. The value of spin, well used, is to change pace and lead the other player into error.
There are times when a slow dragging shot is absolutely necessary to produce the effect desired, where top spin would come off the ground too high and with too great a forward bound. The time to use this drag shot is against a tiring player who' has reached the point where it is an effort to reach for a stroke. On the other hand, there are times when only top spin of a flat drive will carry the ball beyond the opponent's reach. If you have driven your opponent far to one side and then hit to the other side for the point, use top spin, for it will jump off the ground with pace, thus allowing him less time than if you under-cut it and drag the bound.
In volleying, the sharply blocked, slightly undercut volley shoots off the ground with greater pace than the stop volley or the heavily chopped shot. When hitting deep for a clean earned point meet the ball sharply and impart sidespin that carries the ball away from the other player.
Every man uses spin to his own individual taste and to suit his style of game. One cannot set down hard and fast rules to follow, yet the principles I have outlined will be sound as a general rule. Circumstances alter cases and individuals alter rules. When you come to study the games of the leading stars you will find that many of them violate every rule I have outlined as the laws of spin. I may be wrong. All I can do is to stand on my own ideas.
Control of spin, just like control of stroke technique, is a matter of study and practice. Many players have wonderful shots, yet have not mastered the knowledge of which to use under any given situation. No one can lay down a set rule to follow. Only experience and one's own brain can direct successfully the destinies of a match player, yet a knowledge of spin and its effects is a big step forward.
