Word: backhanded
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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Death Threat. A lefthander with a sizzling backhand and an impressive overhead. McEnroe was swinging relaxed and free, fully aware that the pressure was on the big names to defeat him In the dubious new tradition of explosive court manners, he threw his share of temper tantrums-and racquets-along the way. Still, compared with Nastase's death threat against a New York Times reporter and Connors' deliberate snub of the parade of past champions, McEnroe's behavior was no more reprehensible than that of a high-spirited schoolboy-which he is. McEnroe's remarkable odyssey...
...theory; he was suspicious of anyone assigning grand motives to him--whether commencement speakers or his parents. But it was as good a theory as the next. And Kojak was a cheap and convenient life-line. Besides, he didn't have the liver for non-stop drinking and his backhand had always been suspect...
Little wonder that he is ranked No. 1. During practice sessions last week, he hit 100 forehand and 100 backhand shots-all with his racquet cover on to make swinging more difficult. Removing the cover, he stroked another 200 balls before loosening up his shoulder with 25 practice serves. Then he limbered up his legs-already toughened by twice-weekly circuits of a 4½-mile-long cross-country ski trail-with 100 or so turns of a jump rope. Finally he took to the court for several brisk sets of tennis. Still, though he is as hard...
Gene Purdy came up with an unassisted shorthanded goal on a pretty backhand seven minutes later to silence a partisan crowd that had been begging long and hard for a Harvard penalty...
Dave Fish doesn't drink, smoke, chase women, or hit a lousy backhand. On top of that, he has a good sense of humor, is modest about his tennis and squash accomplishments, has boyish good looks, and likes apple...