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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
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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。 I do not mean Patterson always
misses his backhand。 He does not。 He even makes remarkable shots off it
at times； but； if Patterson is pressed； his backhand is the first portion of his
game to crack； because it is hit inherently wrong。
Patterson relies mainly on speed to win matches。 He is not a strategist；
and finesse is not part of his tennis equipment。 He has a magnificent
physique； and relies largely on his； strength to carry him through a long
match and win in the end。
He is very quiet； and inclined to be somewhat careless on the court；
unless pressed； when his businesslike； determined play shows what a great
match player Patterson can become。 He produces his best game at the
crucial moment of the match。 Patterson is a superior match player to his
real tennis ability。 His is not truly a top…notch game。 It has superlative
features； but its whole texture is not of the finest。
Patterson owes much of his success in 1919 to Brookes； under whose
guidance he played。 The absence of the master mind directing his attack
proved a decided handicap in 1920； and Patterson's attack was not so
certain nor sustained as in the previous season。 Patterson's game plus
Brookes' strategy would be a great combination in one man。
PAT O'HARA WOOD
This young Australian is one of the greatest doubles players in the
world and bids fair to press the leading singles stars close。
Pat O'Hara Wood is a player without a weakness； yet also one without
a strength。 He is a typical all court player with no outstanding feature to
his game unless it be his volleying。 Pat Wood has a natural aptitude for
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doubles which at times seriously interferes with his singles game。
His service is a well placed speedy slice that he mixes up well。 It is not
a great delivery but very effective。 His ground strokes； taken on the rising
bounces； are flat drives； accurate and varied as to direction but lacking
punch。 He does not hit hard enough。 He is a brilliant volleyer； cutting off
at sharp angles the hardest drives。 His overhead is erratic。 At times he is
deadly overhead but is prone to lapses into uncertainty。 He is remarkably
quick and speedy of foot。 His sense of anticipation is magnificent。 His
generalship good； though not brilliant。 It is lack of punch； the inability to
put the ball away； that keeps Pat O'Hara Wood from the first flight in
singles。
Clever； blessed with a keen sense of humour； a sterling sportsman and
delightful opponent； Pat O'Hara Wood is a big asset to tennis and a man
who is needed in the game。 J。 C。 HAWKES
The youngest of the Australasian players and a boy of great promise is
Jack Hawkes。 He is only 22 and young in the game for his age。
Let me state now I do not approve of Hawkes' style。 His footwork is
wrong； hopelessly wrong and I fear that unless he corrects it； it may keep
him from attaining the place his natural abilities promise。 〃Austral；〃 the
famous critic； describes him as 〃having the genius of the game。〃
Jack Hawkes has an exaggerated American twist service that； since he
is a left…hander； places an unnecessary strain on his heart muscles。 It
carries terrific twist but little speed and does not Pay him for the amount
of energy he expends。
His forehand drive is excellent； fast； deep； and well placed； yet in
making this he steps away from the ball； again wasting energy。 His
backhand is a poke and very unreliable。 To save it he runs around
everything possible； again causing unnecessary exertion。 His volleying is
brilliant while his overhead is magnificent。
Hawkes' waste of energy has cost him many a match； yet for all the
inherent defects in his game he is so clever in using what he has； his
tactics are so good for so young a player that I believe he will be one of
the leading players of the world in a few years。 Under the watchful eyes of
Norman Brookes I foresee Hawkes changing his footwork to at least a
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reasonable copy of the old master。
J。 O。 ANDERSON
This young player is again a promise rather than a star。 He is a big；
rangy； hard…hitting type like Gerald Patterson。 He is crude； at times
careless and unfortunately handicapped in 1920 and 1921 by a severe
illness that only allowed him to resume play in the middle of the latter
year。 His ground strokes are flat drives fore and backhand。 His forehand is
a particularly fine shot。 He hits it with a short shar