BUDGE A MASTER

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 67, 11 December 1937, Page 17

BUDGE A MASTER

f - COMMENT IN SYDNEY HE IS THE COMPLETE PLAYER GREAT TOUCH TENNIS J. D. Budge and Gene Mako arrived in Sydney by the Monterey on Monday, November 29. These young Americans (both are 22 years of age) are two of the niost likeable tennis personalities it has ever been my pleasure to meet, and, in saying this, I have in mind many other cfiampions who have vislted these shores, comments the Sydney Referee'i tennis critic. Budge is just a llttle under 6£t. 2in. in height, and, in looking at hlm in civilian clothes, 6ne would wonder where this rangy youth derives the strength that makes him such a marvellous flve-set match player. You wonder also where he gets such tremendous power in his strokes. - The answer to one's curiosity is quickly found when the champion is fn his tennis clothes. Then you see a physique admirably suited for the strenuous batties a player must win through if he wishes to become world's champion. Budge is long in the legs, narrow waisted, but with wide shoulders. Even now he is almost in playing conditiort. He has powerful wrists, Mako is qUite different from Budge. He is just a shade shurter, is more heavily built, but is well pboportioned. Budge has a charm of personality that will make him tremendously popular in Australia. He is unassuming and very natural in all references to his own or other players' performances. Budge remarked, "Bromwich i3 sure shooting them pretty well," and a few seconds later the champion was asked, "Will Bromwich make a good player ?" Budge quickly replied. "He is a good player." Mako is more reserved at present than his team mate, and he retired to a seat, but Budge chatted on, in a highly interesting manner, to oflicials and friends. Another question asked of Budge was about his great play in thc Wimbledon final against Von Cramm. when he won easily in straight sets, "Waal," he said, "Gottfried didn't play weli that day, and that made it much easier for me, but he's a great sport. They don't make them any better than that boy. You're sure going to like him in Australia." ' Both stated that it was well over two months since they have had practice on grass courts, conseqiiently very little was expected in the way of stroke-making and timing of the ball, particularly as they had just come off the boat, the writer continues in reference to practice play indulged !n by the pair. EVen so I must frankly state that I have r.ever before been so impressed with a player as I was with Budge. There he was without practice for over two months, straight off the boat, playing on strange courts, with strange balls, and hitting beautiful forehand and backhand strokes with great speed and control. Budge plays the type of game I have often thought about, and wondered if any player would rise to become almost "the complete champion." The American champion displayed a fast, well-controlled forehand, which he shot down the line or across court At will, taking the ball at the top of the bound with a long backswing and

follow through. His backhand was even more powerful, and literally flew across court or down the lines at will, the ball being taken on the rise. Some of his forehand volleys were outright "kills." Serving and overhad were taken rather carefully and few carried any speed. Mako, of course, was not as impressive as Budge, but he has plenty of speed in his forehand, which carried a little overspin and speed down the lines or across court with surprising accuracy, Mako was taking the ball on the rise for this shot. Mako, in a styflsh sliced backhand, tried to take the ball at the top of the bounce each time. - Both players cover the court at great spAed— much faster than our Australian players, with the exception of Bromwich.