New Britain herald., 1927-09-09
T|LDEN BRILLIANT
 IN TENNIS MATCH
Big BilF' Gives Thrilling Per.
 formance Downing Cochet

1 liam l. lIden, II, never had tn,
 stage more perfectly set for ar
 heroic role than it was today after
 an even break between America and
 France in the opening two singles
 matches of the 1927 Davis CuI
 challenge round.
 With as thrilling q performance
 as he ever has given under the in
 ternational spotlight. Big Bill" rose 10 the occasion yesterday by con- quering Henri Cochet in four daz- zling sets, 6-4, 2-6. Co, sc. after 1 William NJ. JohnStone-gallant Lit
 He Bill'' but no longer the mighty
 atom"-rassed swiftly from the pie
 ture at the hands of polier-facol
 Rene Lacoste. in straight sets de- cided by scores of 6-3, 6-2, 6-o
 AS result, the gaunt sinewy !E- ure Of the six-times former Ameri-
 can champion, apparently as dy- | manic as ever. stands out as the | main barrier between Frances i'm
 p"tuous youths and a victory for l them that would end this country's 1 s"venyear winning streak in Davis
 Cup play.
 In the doubles this afternoon. Til den was to lead the attack with Francis T. Hunter as his partner in a battle with the remaining two stars Of the French team. Jean Borotra and Jacques Brugnon The only hope Of keeping the famous trophy, 1t seemed, was for the American pair to win today and for
 Tilden to conquer Lacoste tomor-
 TOW in one Of the two remaining singles matches.
 Johnston. apparently no longer can be counted on as a factor in th. most exciting Davis Cup battle America has had since 1914. when the Australian attack won the tro- phy.
 little Bill" after his dobacle yesterday, was hastily withdrawn from the doubles in which he was to have paired with Tilden. He will | play in the final singles match to- i miraculous reversal of form it seems | will enable inc Californian to de- feat the brilliant young Frenchman , vi gave Tildcn a stirring, even if | losing. battle yesterday.
 Johnston was picked this year to : share the cup defense with Tilden | largely on faith and past perform ances. To conserve his strength, he , came east only q fortnight or so | ago. appearing in nothing but dou bIcs competition. Because he had always been q nemesis 10 the French never having lost a Davis Cup match to any of them. it was felt that Johnston could be relied on. perhaps 10 an even greater extent fhan\ Tilden.
 But Johnston's "jinx" wasn't enough 10 check any such fawless ,trokinE machine as Lacoste proved 10 be- Had Johnston been missing If recent singles competition might SC amcd, but he was missing them instead. by feet.
 Johnston met defeat only once be- ore in Davis Cup competition. That ras in 1923 and it took five sensa ional sets before he yielded to James Q. Anderson Of Australia. [ -cstcrGay. however. the once "mirh- Y atom was swept off the courts ,s he never has been before, by | my individual except Tilden.
 In contrast with Johnston's as- lack of control was Til- lens equally amazing stroke bril- lance. There was dash 10 Big }ill's" attack that even his heyday f pionships seldom revealed. l Where Johnston's errors gave La osio all but nine Of his 90 points. l 'ildcn scored the startling humber { f 52 earned points. aces and place I lcnts. out Of total Of l16. II as strange contrast of age and [ outh, too. Johnston. nearly B, owed to the greater game Of E outh Of 9a, but Tilden, 34, out pecdcd outdroVc and even outvol- [ .yed the o5-ycar- Cochct. La I Ostas victory was the first h" ever | as scored over Johnston. Tildcn's II 'iumph was sweet re vengc for set I acks at Cochets hands here and 0 broad within the past year. T
 For the doubles match today. on | .hich the outcome of the series may ' inCc. American reliance was plac- l in q team new to Davis cup play ! nt one that already has scored otahle vict orie.; over the French, asidcs capturing both the Wimble- on and national cham pionships. 'untcr, although he has never . layed for the Davis Cup before. Is s
 veteran of many international l. 1 los u