# Cochet–Tilden rivalry

This was a tennis rivalry played between the French player Henri Cochet, and the American player Bill Tilden. In their respective careers the met each other on the court 35 times from 1926 until 1939 it ended with Tilden leading in head to head matches 23-12. In Major championship matches their rivalry ended with Cochet leading Tilden 4-3.
Henri Cochet a former World number 1 and seven-time Grand Slam champion, three-time ITF Major champion and one time Pro Slam champion. Bill Tilden also a former World number 1, a ten-time Grand Slam singles champion, a four-time Pro Slam champion and one-time ILTF Major champion. Both players were Davis Cup champions Cochet six times and Tilden seven times.

## Summary

Cochet and Tildens rivalry began during their amateur careers and ended when they were both professionals. They first met each other in the quarter finals of the 1926 US National Championships with Henri Cochet winning their rivalry debut. Their last meeting was again at the quarter final stage of the 1939 French Pro Championships in which Tilden won. They played each other on four surfaces including grass courts, clay courts, hard courts and wood courts as well as indoors and outdoors. In Grand Slam tournaments they met five times it ended with Cochet ahead 4-1. Curtis (2013) ranked their 1927 Wimbledon semi-final meeting as One of the Ten Most Epic Matches in Tennis History. Whilst American sportswriter Al Laney wrote at the time 'One of the Most Famous Tennis Matches Ever Played'. The 1927 Wimbledon Championships was particularly notable from Cochet's stand point as he played and won three consecutive five-set matches en route to becoming champion despite being two sets to love down in the quarter finals, semi finals and the final.

## Head-to-head
### Official matches (Cochet 12–23 Tilden)

Included:
* Legend (Cochet-Tilden)
* Grand Slams (4-1)
* Pro Slams (0-2)
(i) denotes indoor tournament.
| No | Tournament | Date | Round | Surface | Winner | Runner Up | Score |
| 1 | US National Championships | 1926 | Quarter Final | Grass | Henri Cochet | Bill Tilden | 6-8 6-1 6-3 1-6 8-6 |
| 2 | French Championships | 1927 | Semi Final | Clay | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 9-7 6-3 6-2 |
| 3 | Wimbledon Championships | 1927 | Semi Final | Grass | Henri Cochet | Bill Tilden | 2-6 4-6 7-5 6-4 6-3 |
| 4 | Davis Cup | 1927 | Round Robin | Grass | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 6-4 2-6 6-2 8-6 |
| 5 | Davis Cup | 1928 | Round Robin | Clay | Henri Cochet | Bill Tilden | 9-7 8-6 6-4 |
| 6 | Wimbledon Championships | 1929 | Semi Final | Grass | Henri Cochet | Bill Tilden | 6-4 6-1 7-5 |
| 7 | Davis Cup | 1929 | Round Robin | Clay | Henri Cochet | Bill Tilden | 6-3 6-1 6-2 |
| 8 | French Championships | 1930 | Final | Clay | Henri Cochet | Bill Tilden | 3-6 8-6 6-3 6-1 |
| 9 | Davis Cup | 1930 | Round Robin | Clay | Henri Cochet | Bill Tilden | 4-6 6-3 6-1 7-5 |
| 10 | France vs. USA Pro | 1933 | Round Robin | Clay | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 6-3 6-4 6-2 |
| 11 | USA vs. France Pro Series | 1934 | Round Robin | Hard | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 7-9 6-1 4-6 6-3 6-3 |
| 12 | USA vs. France Pro Series | 1934 | Round Robin | Hard | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 10-8 6-2 7-5 |
| 13 | USA vs. France Pro Series | 1934 | Round Robin | Hard | Henri Cochet | Bill Tilden | 7-9 6-2 5-7 6-2 6-2 |
| 14 | USA vs. France Pro Series | 1934 | Round Robin | Hard | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 6-3 6-3 9-11 6-1 |
| 15 | USA vs. France Pro Series | 1934 | Round Robin | Hard | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 6-4 6-3 7-5 |
| 16 | USA vs. France Pro Series | 1934 | Round Robin | Hard | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 11-9 7-9 8-6 7-5 |
| 17 | USA vs. France Pro Series | 1934 | Round Robin | Hard | Henri Cochet | Bill Tilden | 7-5 5-7 6-2 6-0 |
| 18 | USA vs. France Pro Series | 1934 | Round Robin | Hard | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 6-3 2-6 6-0 6-2 |
| 19 | USA vs. France Pro Series | 1934 | Round Robin | Hard | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 7-5 6-2 6-2 |
| 20 | USA vs. France Pro Series | 1934 | Round Robin | Hard | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 6-4 4-6 8-6 3-6 6-3 |
| 21 | Eastern Pro Championship | 1934 | Round Robin | Clay | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 9-7 6-2 6-4 |
| 22 | Middle States Pro Championship | 1934 | Semi Final | Clay | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 6-1 6-1 6-0 |
| 23 | France vs. USA Pro III | 1934 | Round Robin | Hard | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 6-2 6-4 4-6 6-3 |
| 24 | Lyon Pro | 1934 | Final | Clay | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 3-6 6-3 7-5 6-4 |
| 25 | La Baule Pro | 1936 | Final | Clay | Henri Cochet | Bill Tilden | 6-4 3-6 6-0 6-2 |
| 26 | Bonnardel Cup | 1936 | Round Robin | Grass | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 6-4 6-4 2-6 3-6 6-3 |
| 27 | Scheveningen Pro | 1937 | Final | Clay | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 6-2 8-6 1-6 6-1 |
| 28 | France vs. USA Pro | 1937 | Round Robin | Clay | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | ? |
| 29 | France vs. USA Pro | 1937 | Round Robin | Clay | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | ? |
| 30 | Wembley Pro Championship | 1937 | Semi Final | Hard (i) | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 6-3 6-2 6-3 |
| 31 | Florence Pro | 1937 | 3RD | Hard (i) | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 6-4 8-6 |
| 32 | Milan Pro | 1937 | Round Robin | Hard (i) | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 6-4 3-6 6-1 |
| 33 | Rome Pro | 1937 | Semi Final | Hard (i) | Henri Cochet | Bill Tilden | ? |
| 34 | Olympia Pro | 1939 | Round Robin | Hard (i) | Henri Cochet | Bill Tilden | 2-6 6-4 6-3 |
| 35 | French Pro Championship | 1939 | Quarter Final | Clay | Bill Tilden | Henri Cochet | 3-6 9-7 6-3 3-6 7-5 |

## Breakdown of their rivalry

* All matches: Tilden, 23–12
* Major matches Cochet, 4–3
* All finals: Tied, 2–2
* Grand Slam finals: Cochet, 1–0
* Clay courts: Tilden, 9–5
* Grass courts: Cochet, 3–2
* Hard courts: Tilden, 11–4
* Wood courts: Tilden, 1–0
* Outdoor courts: Tilden, 18-9
* Indoor courts: Tilden, 5-3
* Davis Cup matches: Cochet, 3-1