That is what my
match with Brookes meant to me, and still does to-day. Brookes
should be an inspiration to every tennis player, for he has
proved the power of mind over matter in tennis: "Age cannot
wither nor custom stale his infinite variety."
Brookes is the most eminently just man on a tennis court I have
ever met, for no excitement or emotion clouds his eyesight or
judgment in decisions. He cannot abide bad decisions, yet he
hates them quite as much when they favour him as when they are
against him. I admit frankly I am a great admirer of Brookes,
personally and from every tennis sense. He is a master that I as
a student of the game feel proud to study under.
GERALD PATTERSON
Australia's leading player, Gerald Patterson, is one of the most
remarkable combinations of tennis virtues and tennis faults, I
have ever seen.
Patterson has a wonderful service. He has speed, direction,
control, and all kinds of twist. He hits his service consistently
hard and puts it in. His overhead is the most remarkable in the
game. He can kill from any place in the court. His, shot is
clean, with little effort, yet carries terrific speed. His
volleying above the net is almost faultless on his forehand. He
has an excellent forehand drive that is very severe and
consistent, but his backhand . . . Where in all the rest of
tennis history was there a first-class man with a backhand so
fundamentally wrong? His grip is bad, he pulls up on the ball and
"loops" it high in the air.
Pages:
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187