Tennis: Myth and Method

232 Pages·1978·12.167 MB·English

by  Ellsworth Vines, Gene Vier

Ellsworth Vines and GeneVier
NY hade treb ere WAY Cad ecerel
TEllsEworthN VinNes aInd GeSne Vi er
Myth and Method
Here is one of the most original, provocative,
and—for those interested in improving their
own game—instructive books on_ tennis,
which might fairly be termed ‘“‘the sport of the
seventies.”’
One of the favorite pastimes of tennis buffs
has always been to argue about the ‘‘top ten”
—analyzing and ranking the all-time greats
of the century. Was Budge greater than
Tilden? Gonzales better than Fred Perry?
Could Jack Kramer, in his heyday, have
beaten Connors or Borg? Should Ken Rose-
wall, who has been a star for over two de-
cades, be ranked above Lew Hoad, whose
meteoric career was cut short because of
injuries?
In this fascinating and entertaining book,
Ellsworth Vines, himself one of the all-time
greats, offers his own ‘‘top ten.” Having played
against many on that magical list—tennis
authority Allison Danzig has said that ‘‘Vines
at the peak of his form could probably have
beaten any player who ever lived’’—and hav-
ing closely: followed the careers of all, Vines
speaks with authority as he compares and
reminisces and dissects. Through his cogent
analyses, the reader not only learns why each
of his choices achieved greatness, but how.
One learns, too, that there is no surefire for-
mula for tennis supremacy, though Vines dem-
onstrates compellingly that players, at certain
times, thought there was. In the Kramer and
post-Kramer eras, for instance, the Big Game,
the serve-and-volley tactic, became almost
a myth. But Vines points out that most players
simply forgot, until fairly recently, that just
because Kramer could serve-and-volley to
(Continued on back flap)
Jacket design by Neil Stuart
Photograph on front of jacket by Joseph Marvullo
PROPERTY OF
Young Athlete Inc.
Yeuno Athiate Center
P. i thaw Siea s
Bei: ie Vea 8009
(206) BE s-szedZ
1h ARTY A ;
2a et efea ++l A aho aai e, any a: ja eeee n) Ls.
ie e oo|
ee uf ii 7 a ie -
mn ia :o m eat |
mii et Oe og
abies wa fe
Se es pad a

TENNIS
Myth and Method

Ellsworth Vines
and Gene Vier
TENNIS
Myth and Method
A SEAVER BOOK
THE VIKING PRESS ¢ New York
Copyright © Ellsworth Vines and Gene Vier, 1978
All rights reserved
A Seaver Book/The Viking Press
First published in 1978 by The Viking Press
625 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10022
Published simultaneously in Canada by
Penguin Books Canada Limited
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING IN PUBLICATION DATA
Vines, Ellsworth, 1911-
Tennis.
“A Seaver book.”
1. Tennis players—Biography. 2. Tennis.
I. Vier, Gene, joint author. II. Title.
GV994.Alv56 1978 796.34'2'0922 [B] 77-18544
ISBN 0-670-69665-x
Printed in the United States of America
Set in Videocomp Gael