Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-06
DEFEAT OF COCHET
LAID TO ATTITUDE
Star Is Said to Be Playing
Against His Wishes and
Under Protest.
BY WILLIAM T. TILDEN, 2D.

French situation for It's de-
tense Of the Davis cup bears
out clearly that the champion nation
faces serious problem. There are signs
Of the passing Of the French supremacy.
not necessarily this year, but certainly
within a short period Of time.
have gained a pretty definite pic
ture of the conditions during my stay
in Paris during the French champion
ship and more recently in the Wimble-
don tournaments. The French aSso-
citation is not at all pleased with its SIT
uation.
Henri Cochet is once more playing
tennis, playing 1t rather under protest
and against his wishes. Great pressure
was brought to bear on him and he
finally consented to play, but his heart
is not in the game as 1t was.
True, he is playing we'll at times, but
he is not the Cochet Of last year. So
far this year he has been defeated by
both his team mate Borotra and the
American Davis cup player Wilmer ALI
son. The old will TO win no longer
burns as brightly as 1t did. He is play
ing more trick shots than ever before
and signs Of lack of interest in
straightforward winning terms can be
seen all through MS game.
Doubts Comeback.
OF course, Cochet is such a great
player that he may be able TO throw
of this attitude and be himself again,
but somehow I really doubt It,
Jean Borotha Is playing more tennis
than In the past few years, and though
he was not playing at his best during
the start of the season, he seems now
to have struck his stride. His play
against Lott and myself in the Wimble-
don tournament was really superb.
Cochet's loss seemed TO inspire BorotrA
to great heights, and he went to defeat
fighting hard. His improvement in his
ground game was especially noticeable.
Rene Lacoste will play no tennis this
year. have seen him and talked with
him. He is pronounced cured of his
illness and has just been married, but,
while able to play tennis now, he pre-
fers TO take no chances with his health
and will not start until next year. I be-
I1eve only an extreme emergency, such
as the loss Of either Borotha or Cochet
to the Davis Cup team, would bring
Lacoste back this year.
BrugnOn Is Slipping.
Christian Boussus has been a very
sick boy this Spring and may not play
injected gland that caused him q long,
severe illness that has run his condition
down until he needs a long rest
"Totot Brugnon is defiitely showing
signs OF slipping. He plays we'll at
times, but in the main his game and
his stamina have gone off. His legs are
showing signs of age. He no longer can
cover court with the speed he did and
over a long stretch his old enemy,
- :
played more erratic tennis all Spring
and Summer. 1t is easy to see that the
situation is not too bright for the
French. If Coehet and Borotra are in
condition. the French are still in a posi-
ton OF power, but If anything should
happen to either one, the French viii
lose the cup. Boussus and Lacoste are
practically eliminated, while Bruanon
singles. ~p
Apparently the French team is def.
nltely picked now. The singles will be
Cocnet and Borotra, and the doubles
team is definitely decided upon-Cochet-
brugnon. The French fear the loss az
the doubles, for Cochet- Brugnon are
not quite the team they were A few
years ago. but the French will not try
any other now.
Team Of Tried Ability.
Capt. Gillon does not want tn lisa
Borotra three days. since his singles
may prove the pivotal points of the
challenge round. He had once planned
70 try out Boussus-de Buzelet. but
boussus, illness and de Buzelets tennis
have eliminated that team. Cochet-
Brugnon are the only combination left
ana, at least, they are team of tried
aollity. Even then, defeats at the hands
i'm
ana Gregory-Collins cannot change this
situation, '---"
The doubles match may prove TO be
the vital point in the Davis Cup tie. It
is quite possible to suppose that the
challenging nation might win two
singles against Borotra and Cochet In
the singles In view of results at Wimble-
DON, Should this occur. it would be up
70 the doubles team of either nation.
gwen Borotra, Cochet and Brugnon In
rea! good condition and France is likely
10 hold the cup. Let any one of the
three. especially Cochet or Borotra. be
leave France. S0'
Where it will CO. will not say. II
we come through, as hope we will, /
can see no winning the doubles from
Cochet-Brugnon, but am very skepti-
cal about the singles OF Borotra and
Cochet are playing. Somehow, I can
see Wilmer Allison having a better
chance against either Boratra or Cochet
tnan either Van Ryn or Doeg would.
Allison has the speed and attack that
Is absolutely necessary to win against
the French. He proved this at Wiroble-
don
One. however, cannot give any nation
peter than an outside chance to win
the cup this year, but I certainly see
signs Of the cup leaving the shores OF
France in few years.
tCopyrisht. 1880. By North American News.
paper AllianceD