The Washington times., 1922-07-16

and at. his best was. in my opinion.
the greatest player OF all lime.
His was the ideal temperament
in that he had an almost uucanny
knsck Of anticipation, and at every
mo1lent of a match was able to
decide on the best tactics to bring
him victory.
II Australia is not the first in
international lawn tennis today, It
Is because the period Of the war
has interfered with her natural de.
velopment. She has many young
and promising playerF.
Gerald Patterson, for instance.
possesses the best service and over
head attack. and, being SO young,
is still a potential champion. An
derson is improving rapidly, and
recently defeated Tilden in a tour
nament in America. Incidentally.
1t seems that Australia will be the
first to wrest the Davis Cup from
America.
Has Latin Temperament.
Regarding France, have no illu.
sions concerning my own country.
The pre-war champions, Colbert and
Decugis. have gone down, and the
young players have not yet arrived.
We have the good points Of the
Latin temperament, which produce
brilliant. artistic game. We have
that quickness of mind and muscle
| which makes us the foremost nation
at fencing. Our game is more indi-
vidual, less stereotyped than any
other. We have, perhaps, the best
style.
But this same Latin temperament
has it's disadvantages. We are in
clined to nerves. We feel things
rather too acutely. What we need is
a dash of the English temperament
added to our own. II we could effect
be the best possible bargain for both
of us.
We French excel on covered courts,
where we have learned our game and
play the greater part Of the year.
| What we require is a certain
amount of grass play to steady our
game, just as the Californian player
| never reaches his topmost form unttl
he goes East from his hard cement
courts and plays tournaments on
grass.
To sum up the most promising
players of the young French school,
I would mention Brugnon, who Is the
master of a very individual style and
plays without effort most audacious
and disconcerting game.
Also there is Borotra. who, though
quite unknown a few months ago.
has attained fame by twice defeat
ing Alfonso. He is a player Of the
Mclaughlin type, the Distinguishing
feature of his game being his extra
ordinary agility, which allows him
to reach the net for almost every re-
turn.
With such young players coming
on, and the ever-increasing popular
ity of the game in our country,
petitor for the Davis Cup within the
next few years.
In the matter Of temperament, the
Spaniard appears to have much the
same qualities and defects as our
selves. but. in my opinion. to a
greater extent.
The average of Spanish play ;e-
fore the war was distinctly bad, hut
has made tremendous strides fo-.
ward during the war and since.
The best Spanish player, Al)nso.
Is now we'll known since his sensa-
tional appearance at Wimbledon last
year. Here, again, we have prOCi
Of the benefits Of hard-court play,
for 1t is owing to Alonso's proficiency
at pala that he attained his swiftn ess
of foot and speed Of stroke.
Alfonso Great Player.
I must explain that pala Il much
the same game as pelota, but Is play
ed on covered cement courts with a
small wooden bat no larger than the
hand.
Alonzo is undoubtedly marvellous
player Of lawn tennis. In my opinion
his strokes are the nearest to perfec.
ton, and but for his relative defici.
ency in service and his too nervous
temperament he would undoubtedly
be the greatest living exponent Of the
game.
The japanese are now force TO be
reckoned with. They have, perhaps,
the best temperament of any nation
for lawn tennis. They are great
fighters, and atone for their disad.
vantage in.lack OF height and reach
by their wonderful mobility and
steadiness.
But for his awkward and unnntu.
raj style, Shimidzu would be still
more dangerous. With their remark
able Initiative gifts, the Japanese viii
shortly improve their style, and as
soon as this Ia accomplished the
white man will he in danger Of los.
ing his present supremacy.
The native Indian has improved
greatly Of late. but is not so poten.
TALLY dangerous as the Japanese. lie
seems unable to throw off his natural
languor of temperament. and he will
have 10 earnestly adapt himself TO
the modern attacking game before he
can reach first rank.
Second and concluding article next
|, week.
| lICopyrisht. 1914, by Metropolitan News
| paper bsFvios.)
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