第 31 节
作者:雨霖铃      更新:2021-05-03 16:33      字数:9320
  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