The Art of Lawn Tennis by William (Bill) Tatem Tilden
page 58 of 197 (29%)
page 58 of 197 (29%)
![]() | ![]() |
|
backbone of tennis in each country, that does more for
international understanding than all the notes ever written from the White House. I could go on writing tennis psychology as explained by external conditions for hundreds of pages, but all I want to do is to bring to mind a definite idea of the value of the mind in the game. Stimulate it how you will, a successful tennis player must admit the value of quick mind. Do it by a desire for personal glory, or team success, or by a love of competition in matching your wits against the other man's, but do it some way. Do, not think that tennis is merely a physical exercise. It is a mental cock-tail of a very high "kick." CHAPTER VII. THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MATCH PLAY The first and most important point in match play is to know how to lose. Lose cheerfully, generously, and like a sportsman. This is the first great law of tennis, and the second is like unto it--to win modestly, cheerfully, generously, and like a sportsman. The object of match play is to win, but no credit goes to a man who does not win fairly and squarely. A victory is a defeat if it is other than fair. Yet again I say to win is the object, and to do so, one should play to the last ounce of his strength, the last gasp of his breath, and the last scrap of his nerve. If you |
|