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Legendary Tennis Players: Ted Schroeder
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 (1949) Even though young in years-he is still in his twenties Ted Schroeder is a veteran in tennis. He first came into prominence as a junior before the war and followed up by winning the Singles Championship of the United States in 1942 and the doubles title several times with Jack Kramer. During the war Schroeder served with distinction in the Naval Air Force, and on his return to civilian life began to play tennis more or less as a pastime and not too seriously. He married and had a child, with the immediate result that he felt he could not take time off from his business to play the long season required of most players.
However, with the resumption of the Davis Cup competition following the war, Schroeder was persuaded to go to Australia as a member of the team. It was largely as Jack Kramer's doubles partner that he was selected, since Frank Parker was the logical choice for the second singles position. At the last moment Walter Pate, Captain of the team, put Schroeder in the singles, and on the first day Ted upset John Bromwich to win the point that completely demoralized the Australians and really won the United States the cup.
From that time Schroeder's place as a Davis Cup singles regular has been secure even though he did not again compete in the United States Singles Championships until last year. He was severely criticized for not playing, even accused of being afraid to risk his Davis Cup berth, but to anyone who knows Schroeder this is silly, since the outstanding characteristic of Ted is, and always has been, his courage and fearlessness. He finally arranged to stay east a short time longer, and played in the 1949 championships.
He came within an inch of winning, and at least he effectively silenced his critics. With Gonzales' and Parker's desertion of the amateur ranks, Schroeder now tops the amateur field. It is a peculiar and not too sound game that Schroeder plays. He has a good but not remarkable service. His ground strokes are unorthodox, not too soundly produced, but very aggressive. He is an amazing volleyer and has a very good overhead. It is really his daring and fighting spirit, his willingness to take chances at critical moments and get away with them, that make Schroeder as good as he is. He has never been quite first-class. Against such players as Kramer, Budge, and Riggs, the inherent weaknesses of his game and his inability to get to the net against first-class ground strokes would be at him. I have always considered Schroeder one of the quickest-thinking players in the game today, and his physical reflexes are lightning-fast.
He is always storming into the net, often behind shots that he has no business to come in behind, but his sense of anticipation and remarkable ability to volley at the extreme end of his reach save him, where most players would be helpless. Just what the future holds in store for Schroeder in tennis is hard to say. His game will not stand up for many years, since it puts too great a strain on physical resources. I believe that Schroeder will not play more than another two years of competitive tennis, but will settle down to his business career and his family. He is not a particularly colourful figure on the court, since he plays with great intensity and seems in perpetual misery during a match, but the galleries respect his sincerity and never flagging effort. He is, today, the first amateur singles player in the world. I consider him a better doubles player than singles, and feel that he must rank in the world class, in that department, particularly when he was paired with Jack Kramer.
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