SATOH DEAD

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20274, 7 April 1934, Page 1

SATOH DEAD

LEAPS OVERBOARD FROM SHIP. Was He Forced to Play? JAPANESE TENNIS STAR SUFFERS BREAKDOWN. United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received April 7, noon.) TOKIO, April 6. Though he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and was unwilling to play in the Davis Cup series, Japan’s tennis star, Jiro Satoh, yielded to persuasion and sailed for Europe. Yesterday he committed suicide by jumping overboard from the Hakcne Maru, twelve hours after leaving Singapore. Satoh landed at Singapore for medical examination, and intended to return to Japan. He later returned on board, but was very depressed. In his cabin he prepared his will, wrote a farewell note, and then apparently leapt over the side. - He was not missed for some time, and then the ship was searched for three hours without a trace being found. Satoh’s fiancee reveals that Satoh jokingly threatened suicide in the event of his being forced to proceed to Europe. He refused selection, but was finally persuaded against his will, knowing that he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Satoh left a letter of farewell, indicating his intention to commit suicide. Japan’s Davis Cup hopes have received a shattering blow by the tragedy to Satoh. The Japanese Tennis Association received a telegram announcing his disappearance from the Hakone Maru on Thursday evening. It is presumed that he went overboard while in the Straits' of Malacca on his way to where the vessel was due this afternoon. The new* was confirmed by local agents. When the Tennis Association received his telegram earlier in the week saying that he wanted to return owing to illness, the association replied persuading him to continue. Apparently he suffered a nervous breakdown on shipboard, but even while at home he used to act queerly. sometimes walking in the Tokio streets with a compass. His friends fear that the responsibility and this year’s critical prospects against Australia and Britain weighed too heavily on his mind. The Tennis Association has decided to substitute Ryuki Miki, now in London, for Satoh, and will not send anyone from Japan. Miki will be playing captain instead of non-playing cactain. as previously arranged.

Jiro Satoh, the eminent Japanese tennis player, was born in Tokio in 1908. and educated at the Waseda University there. Taking up lawn tennis when a youth, he played for his university team with considerable success. Going to France in 1931. he made a great impression by his cool but vigorous play in the French championship contest. He took the first two sets against Gentien, 6-0, 6-1, and stood up well to Borotra, but was eventually beaten. He differed from Western players in the total absence of expression on his face. Whether winning or losing he gave not the least sign of emotion—a fact which sometimes overawed opponents used to seeing indications of pleasure or despondency on the other side of the net. His method was to move about at the back of the court playing goodlength, medium-paced shots tirelessly until a short ball came over. He then hit it a tremendous blow and was zt the net in a flash. Crossing to England he won the South of England championship and twelve successive tournaments, being undefeated in singles. Satoh spent the winter of 1931 in Australia, where he played Jack Crawford three times and beat him <-*nce. Returning to England in 1932 to study economics, he allowed himself time to play at Wimbledon, where his extraordinary range of ground strokes and crisp volleys, and his highly effective overhead strokes, aroused general admiration After beating the American. S Wood, he became the first Japanese semi-finalist since his compatriot. Shimidzu. astonished Wimbledon by his brjllianey. He was beaten, however, by 11 W Austin. 7 5 6-2. 6-1