Home ::
Bill Tilden and The Art of Lawn Tennis
Bill Tilden and The Art of Lawn Tennis
The Art of Lawn Tennis, by William T. Tilden II, is still considered authoritative today--even though written more than 80 years ago. And William "Big Bill" Tilden is recognized as one of the all-time greats of the game.
Born into a wealthy Philadelphia family on Feb. 10, 1893, William Taten Tilden II at first disliked tennis. Yet he won his first club tournament by age 7 and his second one by age 8.
Nevertheless, for someone who was destined to dominate the game, he was something of a late bloomer, not winning his first major title at Wimbledon until 1920, when he was 27. He was also the first American player to win at Wimbledon.
In the 1920s and 1930s Tilden dominated the game, becoming as solidly identified with tennis as Babe Ruth was with baseball. For seven straight years he never lost a significant match. He won six straight U.S. championships in the early-to-mid 1920s, and a seventh one in 1929, and led the American Davis Cup team to seven consecutive victories. Tilden also won three Wimbledon singles championships, including in 1930 at the age of 37--the oldest man to win there. Playing as an amateur from 1912 to 1930, he racked up an incredible .936 winning percentage of his games.
What made Bill Tilden so good? Several qualities:
No other player at the time had a more devastating serve. None had a more powerful combination of forehand and backhand drives. His drop shots and lobs were fabled, and time after time he used them to devastate his opponents. Nor was there an equal to him when it came to a knowledge of spin.
Tilden was also said to approach a game of tennis like playing a chess match; he preferred maneuvering in the backcourt to rushing the net. To him, tennis was a game of cunning and wits as much as one of physical ability.
We've become accustomed to gifted athletes milking their abilities for all they can, monetarily speaking. It sounds strange, then, to learn that Tilden resisted turning professional for many years, once even turning down $50,000 from promoters who wanted him to join a pro tour. He finally gave in in 1930, and it's believed that he made more than half a million dollars over the following six years.
Tilden was also an accomplished tennis journalist and author, and a would-be actor. In fact, he sank so much of his family's wealth and his own earnings into the theater, backing a series of unsuccessful Broadway plays, that he eventually impoverished himself.
It was Tilden's homosexuality that drove the final nail into this professional coffin. In a less understanding and less forgiving age than ours, his in-your-face flamboyance--and especially the accusations involving his sex life--led to his being banned from the most prestigious tennis and country clubs. Eventually he was convicted of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and sent to prison, where he served six months.
Despite his professional and personal downfall, Bill Tilden was voted the most outstanding athlete of the 20th century in 1949 by the National Sports Writers Association.
Tilden had a heart attack and died in Los Angeles on June 5, 1953, at the age of 60--with a net worth of $88.11. It was an inglorious end to a glorious career. Sports author Frank Deford, in his book about Tilden,
summed up Big Bill's impact on the game this way: "Tilden simply was tennis in the public mind."
We're pleased to present Tilden's book here for you to enjoy--and to profit from, if you enjoy the game of tennis and want to become a better player. Truly, you'll be learning from a master.
On to The Art of Lawn Tennis »
Intro | Preface | Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch.
3 | Ch. 4 | Ch. 5 | Ch. 6 | Ch. 7 | Ch.
8 | Ch. 9 | Ch. 10 | Ch. 11 | Intro 2 | Ch. 12 | Ch. 13 | Ch. 14 | Ch. 15 | Ch. 16 | Ch. 17
For another classic tennis book online, read Lawn Tennis for Ladies by one of the sport's women pioneers, Dorothea Lambert Chambers.
Paragon Sports
One of the best choices for tennis rackets online, on sale, and with free shipping. Also, they have the revolutionary Liquidmetal
rackets.
Tennis Magazine
World's most popular tennis publication. Each issue features exclusive step-by-step instruction from pros to help you improve your serve, smooth out your backhand, and learn to play the percentages. Subscribe online for the best price.
Amazon.com Tennis Shop
Not just for book lovers anymore, Amazon now offers a great selection of tennis rackets as well as other game accessories and attire.
Zappos.com - Best for Tennis Shoes
Zappos is the Web's most popular shoe store. Their selection of men's, women's and children's brand-name athletic shoes will astound you.
