第 33 节
作者:雨霖铃      更新:2021-05-03 16:33      字数:9322
  was    ranked    third   in  America。     His   defeats   were    by   Johnston;    Vincent
  Richards;   and   myself;   while   he   defeated   Murray;   S。   H。   Voshell;  Vincent
  Richards; and me; as well as countless players of less note。
  The   season   of   1920   found   Kumagae   sweeping   all   before   him;   since
  Johnston;   Williams;   Garland;   and   I   were   away   on   the   Davis   Cup   trip。
  Williams barely defeated him in a bitter match; just previously to sailing。
  Kumagae   left   America   in   the   middle   of   the   summer   to   compete   in   the
  Olympic games; representing Japan。
  Kumagae is still essentially a baseline player of marvellous accuracy
  of   shot   and   speed    of  foot。  His   drive   is  a  lethal  weapon     that   spreads
  destruction among his opponents。 His backhand is a severe 〃poke;〃 none
  too accurate;  but very  deadly when   it   goes in。  His service overhead   and
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  high volley are all severe and reliable。 His low volley is the weak spot in
  an   otherwise   great   game。   Kumagae   cannot   handle   a   chop;   and   dislikes
  grass…court play; as the ball bounds too low for his peculiar 〃loop〃 drive。
  He is one of the greatest hard…court players in the world; and one of the
  most dangerous opponents at any time on any surface。
  Shimidzu   is   to…day  as   dangerous   as   Kumagae。   He;   too;   is   a   baseline
  player;    but   lacks   Kumagae's      terrific  forehand     drive。   Shimidzu     has   a
  superior   backhand   to   Kumagae;   but   his   weak   service   rather   offsets   this。
  His low volleying is far superior to Kumagae; while his high volleying and
  overhead are quite his equal。 He has all the fighting qualities in his game
  that   make   Kumagae   so   dangerous;   but   he   has   not   had   the   experience。
  Shimidzu learns very quickly; and I look to see him a great factor in the
  game in future years。
  Both Shimidzu and Kumagae are marvellous court coverers; and seem
  absolutely untiring。 They are 〃getters〃 of almost unbelievable activity; and
  accurate to a point that seems uncanny。 Both men hit to the lines with a
  certainty    that   makes    it  very  dangerous      to  attempt   to  take   the  net   on
  anything except a deep forcing shot that hurries them。
  With such players as Kumagae and Shimidzu; followed by S。 Kashio
  and K。 Yamasaki; and the late H。 Mikami; Japan is a big factor in future
  tennis。 1922 will again see Japan challenging for the Davis Cup; and none
  but a first…class team can stop them。 The advent of a Japanese team with
  such players will mean that this year we must call out our best to repel the
  Oriental   invasion:   so   competition   receives   another   stimulus   that   should
  raise our standard of play。
  The probability of journeying to Japan to challenge for the Davis Cup
  is not so remote but that we must consider it as a future possibility。
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  CHAPTER XV。 SPAIN AND THE CONTINENT
  Spain
  A    new    factor   entered    the  arena    of  world    tennis   in   1921    in  the
  appearance of a Spanish   Davis Cup team。 Among   their number is a   star
  who   bids   fair   to   become   one   of   the   greatest   players   the   world   has   ever
  seen。    A   scintillating   personality;    brilliant   versatile   game;    and   fighting
  temperament placed this young unknown in the first rank in one year of
  competition。
  MANUEL ALONZO
  Seldom   have   I   seen   such   wonderful   natural   abilities   as   are   found   in
  this young Spaniard。 Here is a player par excellence if he develops as he
  gives promise。 Alonzo is young; about 25; slight; attractive in personality
  and court manners; quick to the point of almost miraculous court covering。
  He is a great attraction at any tournament。
  His service is a fairly fast American twist。 It is not remarkable but is at
  least more severe than the average continental delivery。
  Alonzo has a terrific forehand drive that is the closest rival to W。 M。
  Johnston's   of   any   shot   I   have   seen。   He   is   reliable   on   this   stroke;   either
  straight or cross…court from the deep court but if drawn in to mid…court is
  apt   to   miss   it。   His   backhand   is   a   flat   drive;   accurate   and   low   but   rather
  slow and in the main defensive。
  His volleying is at once a joy and a disappointment。 Such marvellous
  angles and stop volleys off difficult drives! Yet immediately on top of a
  dazzling display Alonzo will throw away the easiest sort of a high volley
  by a pitiable fluke。
  His overhead is at once severe; deadly and reliable。 He smashes with
  speed   and   direction。   It   is   not   only   in   his   varied   stroke   equipment   that
  Alonzo   is   great   but   in   his   marvellous   footwork。   Such   speed   of   foot   and
  lightning   turning   I   have   never   before   seen   on   a   tennis   court。   He   is   a
  quicker man than Norman E。 Brookes and higher praise I cannot give。 I
  look   to   see Alonzo;   who   today   loses   matches   through   lack   of   resource;
  become by virtue of experience and tournament play the greatest player on
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  the continent。
  His   brother;   J。   M。 Alonzo;   although   nowhere   in   Manuel's   class;   is   a
  fine   all   court   player   as   are   Count   de   Gomar   and   Flaquer;   the   remaining
  members of the Cup team。 If Alonzo and his teammates are an indication
  of the type of players Spain is developing a new and powerful factor in the
  tennis world is entering the field to stay。
  Some Other Champions
  There are some individual players of interest from the countries where
  tennis as a game has not reached a place worthy of national analysation
  but who deserve mention among the great players of the world。
  First among them comes Nicholas Mishu of Rumania。
  N。 MISHU
  What can I say of   Mishu? As a tennis   player he defies analysis。   His
  game   is   a   freak。   He   adores   to   do   the   unusual   and   his   game   abounds   in
  freak shots that Mishu executes with remarkable skill。 He has many and
  varied services; underhand cuts; fore and backhand; a 〃push〃 off his nose;
  and even one serve where he   turns his back on the court   and serves the
  ball back over his head。
  His drives are cramped in swing and hit with excessive top spin。 His
  footwork   is   a   defiance   of   all   rules。   His   volleying   game   looks   like   an
  accident; yet Mishu produces results。 In 1921 he beat A。 H。 Gobert in the
  World's Hard Court Championship at St。 Cloud。 Mishu is a winner。 I don't
  know  how   he   does   it   but   he   does。   He   is   above   all   a   unique   personality。
  Cheery;     individual;    at  times    eccentric;   Mishu     is  a  popular    figure    in
  tournaments abroad。 He plays with a verve and abandon that appeals to the
  European   galleries   while   his   droll   humour   and   good   nature   make   him   a
  delightful opponent。
  J。 WASHER
  Belgium is represented by J。 Washer; my opponent in the final round
  of the Hard Court Championship of the World in 1921。 Washer is a fine
  orthodox   tennis      player。   His  service   is   a  well  placed   twist   delivery   of
  medium pace。 He has a terrific forehand drive that gains in effectiveness
  owing     to   the  fact  he   is  a  left…hander。    Like   so  many     players   with    a
  pronounced   strength;   he   covers   up   an   equally   pronounced   weakness   by
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  using the strength。 Washer has a very feeble backhand for so fine a player。
  He pokes his backhand when he is unable to run around it。
  His overhead is strong; speedy and reliable。 His volleying lacks punch
  and    steadiness。     He   has   had   little  tournament      experience     and   shows
  promise of great improvement if given the opportunity。
  E。 TEGNER
  Denmark is represented by a player of promise and skill in the person
  of E。 Tegner。 This young star defeated W。 H。 Laurentz at St。 Cloud in the
  Hard Court Championship of the World in 1921 when the latter was holder
  of the ti