Zenzo Shimizu

An international player who adorns the early history of Japanese tennis. Born in Gunma Prefecture. Captain of the tennis club (softball) at Tokyo Higher Commercial School (now Hitotsubashi University). Known for his perseverance and indomitable spirit, his motto, 4CON (Concentration, Combination, Control, Confidence), was born from hard practice hitting the ball against a wall during his student days. In 1912 (Taisho 1), he joined Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and was assigned to its Calcutta (now Kolkata) branch office in India, where he began playing hard tennis. From 1913, he won the Bengal Championship five times. In 1917, he was on a business trip to Buenos Aires and won the South American Championship. In 1920, he came in second at Wimbledon and the British Championship. His spirit of fair play and the nickname Smiley Shimmy made him an instant hit. In 1921, he made his first appearance in the Davis Cup for Japan, and achieved the great feat of advancing to the Challenge Round together with Kumagai Kazuya (1890-1968). That year, he was ranked 4th in the world by the Myers Lawn Tennis Almanac. He was active as a coach in the Japanese tennis world for many years.

[Kubo Keinosuke]

"Soft Ball" by Junichiro Uemae (1982, Bungeishunju)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

日本テニス史初期を飾る国際的選手。群馬県出身。東京高等商業学校（現在の一橋大学）庭球部主将（軟式）として活躍。学生時代の壁打ち猛練習から生み出されたモットー、4CON(コン)（Concentration, Combination, Control, Confidence）は、その忍耐力と不屈の精神とともに有名。1912年（大正1）三井物産入社に伴いインドのカルカッタ（現コルカタ）出張所に配属、硬式テニスを始める。13年よりベンガル選手権5回優勝。17年出張先のブエノス・アイレスで南米選手権優勝。20年ウィンブルドン全英選手権2位。フェアプレーの精神とスマイリー・シミーの愛称で一躍人気者になる。21年日本初出場のデビスカップで熊谷一弥(くまがいいちや)（1890―1968）とともにチャレンジ・ラウンド進出という偉業をなす。この年マイヤーズ・ローンテニス年鑑世界ランキング4位。長年日本テニス界の指導者として活躍した。

［久保圭之助］

『上前淳一郎著『やわらかなボール』（1982・文芸春秋）』

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