the art of lawn tennis(网球的艺术)-第31节
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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
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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。
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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 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
