the art of lawn tennis(网球的艺术)-第25章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
promise and today the best all…round game； equalling in potential power
even Vincent Richards at the same age； is Alexander L。 （Sandy） Wiener of
Philadelphia。 At fourteen young Weiner is a stylist of the highest all…court
type。
Among the other boys who may well develop into stars in the future
are Meredith W。 Jones； Arthur Ingraham； Jr。； Andrew Clarke Ingraham；
Miles Valentine； Raymond Owen； Richard Chase； Neil Sullivan； Henry
Neer； and Edward Murphy。
There are many other great players I would like to analyse； but space
forbids。 Among our leaders are Roland Roberts； John Strachan； C。 J。
Griffin； Davis； and Robert Kinsey in California； Walter T。 Hayes； Ralph
Burdock； and Heath Byford in the Middle West； Howard Voshell； Harold
Throckmorton； Conrad B。 Doyle； Craig Biddle； Richard Harte； Colket
Caner； Nathaniel W。 Niles； H。 C。 Johnson； Dean Mathey； and many others
of equal fame in the East。
110
… Page 111…
THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS
CHAPTER XIII。 BRITISH ISLES
J。 C。 PARKE
There is no name in tennis history of the past decade more famous
than that of J。 C。 Parke。 In twelve months； during 1912 and 1913； he
defeated Brookes； Wilding； and M'Loughlina notable record； and now in
1920； after his wonderful work in the World War； he returns to tennis and
scores a decisive victory over W。 M。 Johnston。
Parke is essentially a baseline player。 His service is soft； flat； but well
placed。 His ground strokes are hit with an almost flat racquet face and a
peculiar short swing。 He uses a pronounced snap of the wrist。 He slices his
straight backhand shot； but pulls his drive 'cross court。 It is Parke's famous
running drive down the line that is the outstanding feature of his game。
Parke was a ten…second hundred…yard man in college； and still retains his
remarkable speed of foot。 He hits his drive while running at top speed and
translates his weight to the ball。 It shoots low and fast down the line。 It is a
marvellous stroke。
Parke's volleying is steady and well placed but not decisive。 His
overhead is reliable and accurate； but lacks 〃punch。〃 The great factor of
Parke's game is his uncanny ability to produce his greatest game under the
greatest stress。 I consider him one of the finest match players in the world。
His tactical knowledge and brainy attack are all the more dangerous；
because he has phenomenal power of defence and fighting qualities of the
highest order。 There is no finer sportsman in tennis than Parke。 Generous；
quiet； and modest； Parke is deservedly a popular figure with the tennis
world。
A。 R。 F。 KINGSCOTE
The most recent star to reach the heights of fame in English tennis is
Major A。 R。 F。 Kingscote。 Kingscote has played good tennis for some
years； but it was only in 1919； following his excellent work in the War；
that he showed his true worth。 He defeated Gobert in sequence sets in the
Davis Cup tie at Deauville； and followed by defeating Anderson in
Australia and carrying Patterson to a hard match。 Since then he has
steadily improved and this season found him the leading figure of the
111
… Page 112…
THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS
British team。
Kingscote played much of his early tennis with R。 N。 Williams in
Switzerland during 1910 and 1911。 The effect of this training is easily
seen on his game to…day for； without Williams' dash and extreme brilliancy；
their strokes are executed in very much the same style。
Kingscote's service is a fast slice； well placed and cleverly disguised。 It
carries a great deal of pace and twist。 His ground strokes are hit off the
rising bound of the ball； with a flat raquet face or a slight slice。 His
wonderful speed of foot offsets his lack of height； and he hits either side
with equal facility。 There are no gaps in Kingscote's game。 It is perfectly
rounded。 His favourite forehand shot is 'cross court； yet he can hit equally
well down the line。 His backhand is steady； very accurate and deceptive；
but rather lacks speed。 His volleying is remarkable for his court covering
and angles； but is not the decisive win of Williams or Johnston。 He is the
best volleyer in the British Isles。 His overhead is reliable and accurate for
so short a man； but at times is prone to lack speed。
Kingscote is a sound tactician without the strategic brilliance of Parke。
He is a fine match player and dogged fighter。 Witness his 5…set battle with
me in the Championships； after being match point down in the fourth set；
and his 5…set struggle with Johnston in the Davis Cup。 It is a slight lack of
decisiveness all round that keeps Kingscote just a shade below the first
flight。 He is a very fine player； who may easily become a top…notch man。
His pleasant； modest manner and generous sportsmanship make him an
ideal opponent； and endear him to the gallery。
H。 ROPER BARRETT
One of the real tennis tacticians； a man who is to…day a veteran of
many a notable encounter； yet still dangerous at all times； is H。 Roper
Barrett。
A member of every Davis Cup team since the matches were
inaugurated； a doubles player of the highest strategy； Roper Barrett needs
no introduction or analysis。 His； game is soft。 His service looks a joke。 In
reality it is hard to hit； for Barrett pushes it to the most unexpected places。
His ground strokes； soft； short； and low； are ideal doubles shots。 He angles
off the ball with a short shove in the direction。 He can drive hard when
112
… Page 113…
THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS
pressed； but prefers to use the slow poke。
His volleying is the acme of finesse。 He angles soft to the side…lines；
stop volleys the hardest drives successfully。 He picks openings with an
unerring eye。 His overhead lacks 〃punch；〃 but is steady and reliable。
Barrett is a clever mixer of shots。 He is playing the unexpected shot to
the unexpected place。 His sense of anticipation is remarkable； and he
retrieves the most unusual shots。 It is his great tennis tactics that make him
noteworthy。 His game is round but not wonderful。
THE LOWES； A。 H。 AND F。 G。
The famous brothers； called indiscriminately the Lowes； are two of the
best baseline players in the British Isles。 Both men play almost identical
styles； and at a distance are very hard to tell apart。
Gordon Lowe uses a slice service； while Arthur serves with a reverse
spin。 Neither man has a dangerous delivery。 Both are adequate and hard to
win earned points from。
The ground strokes of the Lowes are very orthodox。 Full swing； top
spin drives fore… and backhand； straight or 'cross court； are hit with equal
facility。 The Lowes volley defensively and only come in to the let when
pulled in by a short shot。 Their overhead work is average。
Their games are not startling。 There is nothing to require much
comment。 Both men are excellent tennis players of the true English school：
fine base… line drivers； but subject to defeat by any aggressive volleyer。 It
is a lack of aggressiveness that holds both men down； for they are
excellent court coverers； fine racquet wielders； but do not rise to real
heights。 The Lowes could easily defeat any player who was slightly off his
game； as they are very steady and make few mistakes。 Neither would
defeat a first… class player at his best。
T。 M。 MAVROGORDATO
One of the most consistent winners in English tennis for a span of
years is a little man with a big name； who is universally and popularly
known as 〃Mavro。〃
〃Mavro〃 added another notable victory in 1920； when he defeated R。
N。 Williams in the last eight in the World Championships。 〃Mavro〃 has
always been a fine player； but he has never quite scaled the top flight。
113
… Page 114…
THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS
His game is steadiness personified。 He shoves his service in the court
at the end of a prodigious swing that ends in a poke。 It goes where he
wishes it。 His ground strokes are fine； in splendid form； very accurate and
remarkably fast for so little effort。 Mavro is not large enough to hit hard；
but owing to his remarkable footwork he covers a very large territory in a
remarkably short space of time。 His racquet work is a delight to a student
of orthodox form。 His volleying is accurate； steady； well placed but
defensive。 He has no speed or punch to his volley。 His overhead is steady
to the point of being unique。 He is so small that it seems as if anyone
could lob over his head； but his speed of foot is so great that he invariably
gets his racquet on it and puts it back deep。
Mavro turns； defence into attack by putting the ball back in play so
often that his opponent gets tired hitting it and takes unnecessary chances。
His accuracy is so great that it makes up for his lack of speed。 His
judgment is sound but not brilliant。 He is a hard…working； conscientious
player who deserves； his success。
There are many other players who are interesting studies。 The two
Australians； now living in England； and to all intents and purposes
Englishmen； Randolph Lycett and F。 M。 B。 Fisher； are distinct and
interesting types of players。 C。 P。 Dixon； Stanley Doust； M。 J。 G。 Ritchie；
Max Woosnam； the rising young star； P。 M。 Davson； A。 E。 Beamish； W。 C。
Crawley； and scores of other excellent players； will carry the burden of
English tennis successfully for some years。 Yet new blood must be
