the art of lawn tennis(网球的艺术)-第39章
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certain nor sustained as in the previous season。 Patterson's game plus
Brookes' strategy would be a great combination in one man。
PAT O'HARA WOOD
This young Australian is one of the greatest doubles players in the
world and bids fair to press the leading singles stars close。
Pat O'Hara Wood is a player without a weakness； yet also one without
a strength。 He is a typical all court player with no outstanding feature to
his game unless it be his volleying。 Pat Wood has a natural aptitude for
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doubles which at times seriously interferes with his singles game。
His service is a well placed speedy slice that he mixes up well。 It is not
a great delivery but very effective。 His ground strokes； taken on the rising
bounces； are flat drives； accurate and varied as to direction but lacking
punch。 He does not hit hard enough。 He is a brilliant volleyer； cutting off
at sharp angles the hardest drives。 His overhead is erratic。 At times he is
deadly overhead but is prone to lapses into uncertainty。 He is remarkably
quick and speedy of foot。 His sense of anticipation is magnificent。 His
generalship good； though not brilliant。 It is lack of punch； the inability to
put the ball away； that keeps Pat O'Hara Wood from the first flight in
singles。
Clever； blessed with a keen sense of humour； a sterling sportsman and
delightful opponent； Pat O'Hara Wood is a big asset to tennis and a man
who is needed in the game。 J。 C。 HAWKES
The youngest of the Australasian players and a boy of great promise is
Jack Hawkes。 He is only 22 and young in the game for his age。
Let me state now I do not approve of Hawkes' style。 His footwork is
wrong； hopelessly wrong and I fear that unless he corrects it； it may keep
him from attaining the place his natural abilities promise。 〃Austral；〃 the
famous critic； describes him as 〃having the genius of the game。〃
Jack Hawkes has an exaggerated American twist service that； since he
is a left…hander； places an unnecessary strain on his heart muscles。 It
carries terrific twist but little speed and does not Pay him for the amount
of energy he expends。
His forehand drive is excellent； fast； deep； and well placed； yet in
making this he steps away from the ball； again wasting energy。 His
backhand is a poke and very unreliable。 To save it he runs around
everything possible； again causing unnecessary exertion。 His volleying is
brilliant while his overhead is magnificent。
Hawkes' waste of energy has cost him many a match； yet for all the
inherent defects in his game he is so clever in using what he has； his
tactics are so good for so young a player that I believe he will be one of
the leading players of the world in a few years。 Under the watchful eyes of
Norman Brookes I foresee Hawkes changing his footwork to at least a
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reasonable copy of the old master。
J。 O。 ANDERSON
This young player is again a promise rather than a star。 He is a big；
rangy； hard…hitting type like Gerald Patterson。 He is crude； at times
careless and unfortunately handicapped in 1920 and 1921 by a severe
illness that only allowed him to resume play in the middle of the latter
year。 His ground strokes are flat drives fore and backhand。 His forehand is
a particularly fine shot。 He hits it with a short sharp snap of his arm that
imparts great speed and yet hides the direction。 His backhand is defensive。
His volleying clever； accurate but soft。 His overhand severe and reliable。
His service flat； fast and dangerous。
He needs finesse； experience and season； with which he may well
become one of the greatest players as the fundamental potentialities are
there。
NORMAN PEACH
The steady baseline game of England has its exponent in Australia in
Norman Peach。 He has a beautiful driving game； with adequate but not
severe service； that one finds so much in England。 At times Peach will
advance to the net but his volleying and overhead are secondary to his
baseline game。 He is not a great tennis player but is certainly one of high
standard of play。 He is just below the first flight in Australia。
R。 V。 Thomas is one of the finest doubles players in the world as is
amply attested by his win of the world's title in 1919 with Pat O'Hara
Wood and their two successive wins of the Australian Championship in
1919…20。 Thomas with his hard…hitting off the ground； and his brilliant
volleying is a fine foil for Pat Wood's steady accuracy。
Just a word about one veteran； a good friend of mine； who is again
playing fine tennis； Rodney L。 Heath； hero of the famous Davis Cup
match in 1911 when he defeated W。 A。 Larned； is again in the game。
Heath with his long beautiful groundstrokes； forehand； or backhand；
his incisive crisp volleys and fine； generalship based on young experience；
is a notable figure in the tennis world。
The mantle of Wilding and Brookes must fall on the shoulders of a
really great player。 Who it will be is hard to say at present。 No outstanding
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figure looms on the horizon at the time of writing。
South Africa
The 1920 South African Davis Cup team players； following their
disastrous defeat by Holland； journeyed to England for the Championship
and following tournaments； and I had the opportunity of studying three
players of great promise。 The remaining two were excellent； but hardly as
exceptional as the former。
Charles Winslow； the leading player in the team； has a remarkable
versatile game。 He uses a high； bounding service of good speed； which at
times he follows to the net。 His best ground stroke is a severe chop； not
unlike Wallace F。 Johnson。 He has a good drive both forehand and
backhand； which he only uses when pressed or in attempting to pass a net
man。 He volleys very well； and covers the net quickly。 His overhead is
very severe； steady； and reliable。 He is a fine natural player just below the
top flight。 He is an excellent strategist； and mixes his shots very well。 He
has exceptionally fast footwork； and repeatedly runs around his backhand
to chop diagonally across the court in a manner very similar to Johnson。
B。 I。 C。 Norton； the South African champion； a youngster of twenty； is
a phenomenal player of extreme brilliancy。 He has everything in stroke
equipment； drives； slices； volleys； and a fine service and overhead。
Unfortunately Norton regards his tennis largely as a joke。 His judgment is
therefore faulty； and he is apt to loaf on the court。 He tries the most
impossible shots that sometimes
