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.
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.
Pages:
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173