New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-07-27
American Captain
Plays Greatest Match
Of Career in Defeating
French Ace in Cruel.
ling Five Set Encoun.
ter.
Teams Contending for
Davis Cup Are Now
Locked at One Each
U. S. Hopes Depend on
Doubles.

Roland Garros Stadium Auteui,
France, July ~ R-The United
States and France stood even up
with one match each today It the
end of the first days play In the
Davis Cup challenge round In which
france Is defending the famous ten
mis- trophy. Big Bill Tilden having
beaten Rene Lacoste while John
Hennessey went down TO defeat be-
! fore Henri Cochet.
COChet Comes Back
After William T. Tilden had d.
feated Rene Lacoste in the first
match by scores Of 1-6. Ga. 81. rs.
6-3 in the first match the little
French star from Lyons came back
to give his country an even break In
the first days play against America
In defense of the Davis Cup. After
a characteristically poor start he
swept aside the Indianapolis youth
in closing burst Of speed which
swept the last set at love.
In the first three sets the Cochet.
Hennessey match was almost a. hard
fought as that which preceded 1t
but after the intermission the
Frenchman had things all his way.
The victory which left the American
and French teams deadlocked en-.
abled Cochet to even matters with
Hennessey for a beating he had in
flicted in the United States last
summer.
Played Well
Tilden played much the best ten
mis- of the day In taking the measure
Of his old rival in the opening match
by scores Of 1-s. 81. 6-4. rs, s-3 and
is now favorite to defeat Cochet
on Sunday. The American chance
Of winning back the Davis Cup ap-
peared somewhat brighter ~ . re-
suit OF today's matches. II the
United States team can win tomor-
rows doubles and Tilden can come
through against Cochet the next
day the campaign led by Big Bill
will be successful and the cup will
go back to its home shores.
Although Hennessey put mp .
great battle against Cochet who won
by scores OF 10. 81, e-3. 60 he
Is conceded only an outside chance
to beat Lacoste when they meet
Sunday. Thus American hopes are
built most heavily upon the doubles
and Big Bills remaining singles.
big Bill" Tilden came from be-
hind after dropping the first set and
outlasted the French master OF ma
chine-like strokes In one Of the most
gruelling five set struggles these
tennis giants have ever waged.
BY winning Tilden gave his team
flying start in its drive to regain
the Davis Cup from the French who
captured it a year ago In the United
States.
First in S Times
Tilden's victory was his first over
Lacoste in the last hve times they
have met and 1t can be set down ~
an upset.
Big Bill won In a manner a. dra-
matte as were the events OF the past
week in which he was dropped from
the team for alleged violation Of the
rule and then reinstated at
the 18th hour at the urgent request
of the French people.
Individual Duel
From the start the match was 4
duel for individual supremacy a. it
always has been when Lacosts has
met Tilden and this time both had
a great added incentive in the Da-
Wis Cup.
Instead Of making a great fight
for the opening set as he usually
does the lanky American today lost
it at 81 and started his spurt in
the next two sets. He carried them
both at GA and after the intermis-
sion was able to hold his own, vim
ming the last OF the two remaining
sets and the match.
In the face of Tilden's last furious
assault the mechanical precision Of
Lacoste was as nothing and Tilden
ran out the set with three straight
games.
Tilden played one Of the most
matcneS OF mis- tennis
career In proving decisively that
they do come back. Hts triumph at
least in part atoned for the re.
reverses suffered at the Frenchman's
hands in the United States last year
when Lacoste beat him In Davis Cup
play and also in winning the Amer
can championship. Lacoste earlier
his season handed Big Bill . beat
ng in five set duel in the British
which he won but this
proved to be Tilden's day.
Rest Of Career
1T was the best tennis match I
'ver played in my life." said Tilden
lfter his victory over Laccste.
"Tilden was unbeatable today
~ me at any rate" declared Rene.
This keeping the Davis Cup Vim
,e harder than our admirers ~.
to think" he adael. ''hat ~
players were never under aAy alu.
lion. ~ to the task aAsAA ~ u.
(csntinusA - Aa0s ~