Against the French

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 262, 26 January 1928, Page 7

Against the French

WHAT AN OPPONENT THINKS N. STURT’S IMPRESSIONS Terrific pace and uncanny anticipation, back-line play made a secondary part of the game, death to everything above the

I shoulder; these I wer© some of the § impressions of the f Frenchmen gained > by N. G. Sturt, who f with L. G. Knott, ; made them fight l strenuously in the i doubles at Miramar l last week. \ One of the things i which Sturt has ? learnt is that a champion must hit as hard as he can.

The accuracy of Ollivier failed before anticipation and pace. Here are some of Sturt’s impressions:— “The Frenchmen considered that the most serious contender for the European Zone Davis Cup matches would be Japan.” “We all learnt that, in first-class tennis, a man has to be accurate and to have the pace. Bartleet would never have done as well if he had not hit as hard as htf could.”

“An amazing shot is Borotra’s way of killing the bounce of a lob. He

bends his knees and then jumps into the air, hitting the ball as he would in a straight service.” * • • “They were really astounded at the standard of tennis here. Borotra was not being merely courteous when he said Bartleet astonished him.” * * * “The contrast between the French and our styles of tennis lies in the fact that they go to the net at every chance. They prefer the net, make it their object, and rely on terrific pac© to get them there.” * • • “Had Bartleet played more to Borotra’s forehand he might have won. The Frenchman was more liable to make mistakes on his forehand than on his backhand.” / « * • “Another difference from the American Play was the flat smashes and drives used by all three. A shoulderhich ball was not cut, but hit with the flat of the racket. The smash was not sliced or over-spun. Volleys on the forehand were actually stroked. ... “I never thought a champion could get such fun out of his stroke as Borotra- He is intensely concentrated as he makes his shot and immediately afterward he is wreathed in smiles anil full of humour, whether the point has gone for him or against him. Terribly fast and active, he bounds here and there anticipating every return. ... “Borotra is really of 'a much bigger physique than one would think. AA hen his arms are uplifted to serve or smash one can see the powerful lines of his shoulders and arms. Boussus is wellbuilt but Brugnon has small arms and wrists. To look at him you would wonder where the power came from. It must be in his perfect timing. “Boussus has a flat service which looks rather weak, but is underestimated by the spectator. His ground strokes are hit with force and they are always well placed. His forehand is exceptionally good. Overhead, like the other two, he is absolutely deadly. • . • "It seemed that Ollivier was beaten because he was up against tactics •,li.wether different from those he was used ot. His angle shots have alwavs been winners against Xew Zealand opponents, but the Frenchmen recovered them. put them down the hne and went to the net to kih. The

champion did not get going in his usual style, however.” “Bartleet excelled himself on the first day against Borotra and it was obvious to everyone that had he had the opportunities of the Frenchman he would have been a champion as great as any of them. He should have led by two sets to one, and the luck was certainly against him. Borotra was just a little too accurate.” * * * “The only reason we got as far as we did in the doubles was that Knott and I hit out at everything. When the four of us were volleying they always hit the last volley with terrific force. It was always futile to lob. becaused they killed from any part of the court with smashes to the corners. They never smashed to the centre of the court.” “Business and tennis are amazingly mixed with Borotra. He talked business with five men in his dressing room up till the moment he was called on to play. We finished the double at about 6 o’clock and he rushed back to the dressing room and sat down just as he was, to talk business with four men who were still waiting there.” “An exceptionally neat player on the court, Brugnon is not- nearly as forcible as Borotra. Strange to say, Brugnon’s feet are all wrong when he makes his strokes. Disobeying all the canons of the game, he faces the net in both forehand and backhand, ?nd never turns at right angles to it. His undercut backhand carries a good deal of spin and it is an exceptionally pretty shot to watch. His fiat forehand drive reminds me of Norman Peach’s, for the ball comes off at an angle.”