In white flannel trouserings, shirted with linen, shod with spikes, a tall, tanned, hirsute nobleman bounded about a tennis court in Vienna. He was Count Ludwig Salm-Hoogstraten, playing K. A. Meldon of Ireland in the Davis Cup Tournament. Undaunted by losing the first two sets, 8-10, 4-6, the Count stroked his ball with reckless brilliance, accompanying every stroke with a volley of rough pleasantries. When Herr Quidenius, President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, arrived, late, flustered, to take his seat, the Count implored him to leave. “Why must you come to spoil my luck?” he yelled. Herr Quidenius blushed. The gallery guffawed. Player Meldon, sensing the humor of the situation, lost his morale, the next three sets, the match.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Cybersecurity Experts Are Sounding the Alarm on DOGE
- Meet the 2025 Women of the Year
- The Harsh Truth About Disability Inclusion
- Why Do More Young Adults Have Cancer?
- Colman Domingo Leads With Radical Love
- How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone
- Michelle Zauner Stares Down the Darkness
Contact us at letters@time.com