New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-11-15
BY HENRY L. FARRELL
NEA Service Sports Writer

No difficulty of any kind attends
the selection of the outstanding ten
mis- stars of 1928. The process re-
quires no heavy thinking and in
wolves no manipulation of mathe-
matics.
The ritual Of GROWING Henri Co.
Chef as the tennis king of the year
and Helen Wills;yas the queen war
rants no more ceremony than the
mere writing Of their names on the
ticket. Because there was no con-
test and there is something drab
about acclaiming someone on an
reclamation ballot.
In the case of NJ. Cochet there is
a mental warning against rash
judgment in giving him the honor
without struggle and in lingering
bunch that he didn't knock every
rival dead.
The records show that he was
beaten at Wimbledon in the British
championship tournament by Rene
Lacoste, who was the 1927 king be-
yond dispute But the records show
that Just previous TO the British
show Lacoste was trimmed by Co.
Chef in the French national cham
pionships. and that in the challenge
round for the Davis Cup Cochet was
the hero in repelling the American
challenge and that Lacoste was beat
en- in one Of his singles matches.
Lacoste might have made much IN
a rubber match at Forest Hills, but
his father became too serious for the
father of worlds champion and or
dered his boy to take his mind off
tennis and go to work in his auto
mobile factory, Lacoste. under the
circumstances, had to make the most
Of a compromise. He succeeded in
reaching the United States, but his
arrival was just casual event that
occurred weeks and weeks after the
Forest Hills tournament. and SO
many weeks after. in fact, that all
but the official recorders OF the ten
mis- association had forgotten that
Cochet had won the American
| championship and lot of other dis
trict championships.
The critics who take their tennis
seriously. however are willing to
accept Cochet as the best performer
OF 1928. even though they might not
admit that he was a champion to
compare with Tilden and I.acoste
when they were enjoying their best
| years.
II is quite probable, however. that
from now on until they arrive at the
ripe old age where the legs co. Co.
Chef will continue to be No. I rank
! ing player. It was unfortunate for
Lacoste, perhaps. that Just when the
( time arrived when he had to cease
making tennis a business and 20 10
work, Cochet found conditions would
permit him to quit hard work and
make tennis his chief business.
Cochet is his own boss He is Tire
I pronrietor Of string Of sports
goods stores, and after life of ear
ly hardships he has reached the
/ point where his business works for
hi'@'. And Lacoste is in a factory.
! The crownine of Helen Wills in
the years following the retirement OF
Suzanne Lenelen is chore like
/ winding clock She is 50 far ahea
OF the field against her that the only
chance, for them to catch up is for
her TO run down.
She won every championship ir
1928 that she cared TO go after. and
she made very iudicious choice nj
her annnarances. She fits her ten
mis- In with her business as an artist
and as long as she can arrange he,
schedule so conveniently she viii
continue TO be The champion.
The California girl will proba bl,
reign as long as Mile. Lenelen did
unless she gets tired Of the game
and that would be very poor bust
ness
Miss Wills has intimated that she
will retire after one more campaier
and devote herself entirely to the
pursuit of art but II may not be i'm
pertinent or unkind TO advance the
opinion that tennis Is the creates
art Of the very attractive young lady
and that TO retire from the game
would convince her Quickly that he,
tennis is too valuah bile talent TO cas-
II off for typewriter or a drawint
board.