the art of lawn tennis(网球的艺术)-第26章
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English tennis successfully for some years。 Yet new blood must be found
to infuse energy into the game。 Speed is a necessity in English tennis if the
modern game is to reach its greatest height in the British Isles。
Youth must be seen soon； if the game in the next ten years is to be kept
at its present level。 Parke； Mavro； Ritchie； Dixon； Barrett； etc。； cannot go
on for ever； and young players must be developed to take their places。 The
coming decade is the crucial period of English tennis。 I hope and believe it
will be successfully passed。
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CHAPTER XIV。 FRANCE AND JAPAN
France
ANDRE GOBERT
One of the most picturesque figures and delightfully polished tennis
games in the world are joined in that volatile； temperamental player； Andre
Gobert of France。 He is a typically French product； full of finesse； art； and
nerve； surrounded by the romance of a wonderful war record of his people
in which he bore a magnificent part； yet unstable； erratic； and uncertain。 At
his best he is invincible。 He is the great master of tennis。 At his worst he is
mediocre。 Gobert is at once a delight and a disappointment to a student of
tennis。
Gobert's service is marvellous。 It is one of the great deliveries of the
world。 His great height （he is 6 feet 4 inches） and tremendous reach enable
him to hit a flat delivery at frightful speed； and still stand an excellent
chance of it going in court。 He uses very little twist； so the pace is
remarkably fast。 Yet Gobert lacks confidence in his service。 If his
opponent handles it successfully Gobert is apt to slow it up and hit it soft；
thus throwing away one of the greatest assets。
His ground strokes are hit in beautiful form。 Gobert is the exponent of
the most perfect form in the world to…day。 His swing is the acme of beauty。
The whole stroke is perfection。 He hits with a flat； slightly topped drive；
feet in excellent position； and weight well controlled。 It is uniform；
backhand and forehand。 His volleying is astonishing。 He can volley hard
or soft； deep or short； straight or angled with equal ease； while his
tremendous reach makes him nearly impossible to pass at the net。 His
overhead is deadly； fast； and accurate； and he kills a lob from anywhere in
the court。
Why is not Gobert the greatest tennis player in the world？ Personally I
believe it is lack of confidence； a lack of fighting ability when the breaks
are against him； and defeat may be his due。 It is a peculiar thing in Gobert；
for no man is braver than he； as his heroism during the War proved。 It is
simply lack of tennis confidence。 It is an over… abundance of temperament。
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In victory Gobert is invincible； in defeat he is apt to be almost mediocre。
Gobert is delightful personally。 His quick wit and sense of humour
always please the tennis public。 His courteous manner and genial
sportsmanship make him universally popular。 His stroke equipment is
unsurpassed in the tennis world。
I unqualifiedly state that I consider him the most perfect tennis player；
as regards strokes and footwork； in the world to…day； but he is； not the
greatest player。 Victory is the criterion of a match player； and Gobert has
not proved himself a great victor。
Gobert is probably the finest indoor player in the world； while he is
very great on hard courts； but his grass play is not the equal of many
others。 I heartily recommend Gobert's style to all students of the game；
and endorse him as a model for strokes。
W。 LAURENTZ
Another brilliant； erratic and intensely interesting figure that France
has given the tennis world is Laurentz； the wonderful young player； who；
at the age of seventeen defeated A。 F。 Wilding。
Laurentz is a cyclonic hitter of remarkable speed and brilliance； but
prone to very severe lapses。 His service is of several varieties； all well
played。 He uses an American twist as his regular delivery； but varies it
with a sharp slice； a reverse twist of great spin； and a fast cannon…ball
smash。 Laurentz is very versatile。 He has excellent orthodox drives； fore…
and backhand； and a competent forehand chop。
His volleying is brilliant almost beyond description； but very erratic。
He is very fast on his feet； and anticipates remarkably well。 He will make
the most hair…raising volleys； only to fall down inexplicably the next
moment on an easy shot。 His overhead is like his volley； severe； brilliant；
but uncertain。
Laurentz is a very hard worker； and； unlike Gobert； is always at his
best when behind。 He is a fair fighter and a great match player。 His defeats
are due more to over…anxiety than to lack of fight。 He is temperamental；
sensational； and brilliant； a sportsman of the highest type； quick to
recognize his opponent's good work and to give full credit for it。 He is one
of the most interesting players now before the public。
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He is a clever court general but not a great tennis thinker； playing more
by instinct than by a really deep…laid plan of campaign。 Laurentz might
beat anyone in the world on his day or lose to the veriest dub when at his
worst。＇1＇
＇1＇ It was with deepest regret the news of his death reached us； as this
edition went to press。
J。 SAMAZIEUHL
The New French Champion of 1921 who defeated Andre Gobert most
unexpectedly in the challenge round； is an interesting player of the mental
type。 He is anything but French in his game。 His style is rather that of the
crafty American or English player than the hard…hitting Frenchman。
Samazieuhl is an exponent of crafty patball。 His service is a medium
pace slice； well placed but not decisive。 His ground strokes are a peculiar
stiff arm chop varied at times with an equally cramped drive； yet his
extreme mobility allows him to cover a tremendous amount of court； while
his return； which is well disguised； is capable of great angles。 His
volleying is reliable but lacks severity and punch。 He makes excellent low
volleys； but cannot put away shoulder high balls while his overhead is not
deadly。
It is Samazieuhl's clever generalship and his ability to recover
seemingly impossible shots that win matches for him。 He is a
comparatively new tournament player； and should improve greatly as he
gains confidence and experience。
R。 DANET
One of the most interesting young players in France is R。 Danet； who
has come to the fore in the past few years。 This boy； for he is little more；
has a hard hitting brilliant game of great promise。
His service is a speedy slice。 He drives with great speed； if as yet with
none too much accuracy； off both fore and backhand。 His net attack is very
severe while overhead he is deadly。 His speed of foot is remarkable； and
he is a very hard worker。 His limitations are in his lack of a set plan of
attack and the steady adherence to any given method of play。 He throws
away too many easy chances； but this will correct itself as time goes on
and Danet has fought through more tournaments。 I consider him a player
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of great promise。
Max Decugis and Brugnon； the two remaining members of the 1920
Davis Cup team of France； present totally different types。 Decugis； crafty；
cool； and experienced； is the veteran of many long seasons of match play。
He is a master tactician； and wins most of his matches by outgeneralling
the other player。 Burgnon is brilliant； flashy； hard hitting； erratic； and
inexperienced。 He is very young； hardly twenty years of age。 He has a fine
fore…hitting style and excellent net attack； but lacks confidence and a
certain knowledge of tennis fundamentals。 A few years' experience will do
wonders for him。
The French style of play commends itself to me very highly。 I enjoy
watching the well…executed strokes； beautiful mobile footwork of these
dashing players。 It is more a lack of dogged determination to win； than in
any stroke fault that one finds the reason for French defeats。 The
temperamental genius of this great people carries with it a lack of stability
that can be the only explanation for the sudden crushing and unexpected
defeats their representatives receive on the tennis courts。
I was particularly impressed during my visit to France by the large
numbers of children playing tennis and the style of game displayed。 The
sport shows a healthy increase and should produce some fine players
within the next ten years。
Keen competition is the corrective measure for temperamental
instability and with the advent of many new players in French tennis I
would not be surprised to see a marked decrease of unexpected defeats of
their leading players。
Japan
A new element has entered the tennis world in the last decade。 The
Orient has thrust its shadow over the courts in the persons of a small group
of remarkable tennis players； particularly Ichija Kumagae and Zenzo
Shimidzu； the famous Japanese stars。
Kumagae； who for some years reigned supreme in Japan and Honolulu；
has lived in America for the past three years。 Shimidzu is a product of
Calcutta； where he has lived for some years。
No player has caused more discussion than Kumagae； unless it is
