METEORIC CAREER

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 82, 7 April 1934, Page 13

METEORIC CAREER

In 1929 Henri Cochet paid a lawn tennis visit to Japan, and Jiro Satoh, then 20 years old, played with the distinguished visitor, was duly impressed, and, consciously or otherwise, proceeded to imitate the Frenchman. It was a good reproduction that he gave. There was a very'ordinary service, no flourish, no great pace, but well placed. Satoh's forehand was excellent; like Cochet, he pounced on a likely ball, hitting it clean and: early, but, unlike Cochet, his average hit was .harder.

Oa the backhand the Japanese was more severe, and, indeed, superior to the original model. On the volley one saw competent volleying from any part of the court, but not the electric, the daringly' careless, variety that Cochet gives. That sudden. spring at a wide passing ball on the forehand, the downward long lunge that just caresses the ball imparting back-spin and leaving the ball "dead" near the net—this too, the Japanese could do.

' Satoh was a little man, an impassive one, with very broad jaw, and a slow walk between the rallies.

Satoh, though not old, was the mainstay of Japanese tennis abroad. Last year he was ranked third in the world's first ten, just below Crawford and Perry, and had a very successful time. He defeated Perry and Austin, was in tho semi-finals at Paris and Wimbledon, and reached the final of the Wimbledon doubles against Borotra and Brugnon, defeating, amongst other teams, Perry and Hughes. Crawford beat him in the Wimbledon semi-final, 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, but in tho Davis Cup Satoh beat Crawford 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, 1-6, 6-2. Satoh was in the final of tlio Japanese singles in. 1930, won the singles in 1031, and was beaten by Nunoi in the final last season, .5-7, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, J5-1. Few people, incidentally, have been able to defeat him in less than five sets during the last year.

Satoh won the Cezchoslovakian'singles in 1931, reached the semi-final of the French championship, carrying Borotra to five sets, and was in the last eight at Wimbledon. Borotra beat him at Wimbledon by three sets to one. Satoh also represented Japan in the Davis Cup, and in 1932 went to Australia with a Japanese team. Here he defeated Crawford, 6-2, 4-6, 8-6. At Wimbledon Austin beat him in the semi-final, 7-5, 6-2, 6-1. That, year he was ranked ninth in tho worjd, concluding the season with a victory over Vines at Los Angeles. On his way home Satoh won the Greek singles and doubles.