Players involved: René Lacoste and Jean Borotra
René Lacoste, also known as “The Crocodile”, was born in 1904, and Jean Borotra, nicknamed “The Rising Basque”, was born in 1898. From 1923 they were part of the great French Davis Cup team, which would later become known as the Four Musketeers. Lacoste’s fighting spirit earned him his nickname, while Borotra’s style of play explained his own nickname. In 1924, he reached his first Grand Slam final, losing both Roland Garros and: Wimbledon by his teammate Borotra. He got his revenge the following year by defeating Borotra in the finals of the same two tournaments to claim his first two major titles. The two players battled fiercely in singles, but were also partners, and together they won three Grand Slam titles: the French Open in 1924 and 1926 and Wimbledon in 1924.
Location: US citizens
The US Open (known as the US Nationals until 1968 and the start of the Open Era) was founded in 1881 and, although it is the only Grand Slam tournament to have been played every year without interruption since its inception, it has moved several times in the 20th century. First held in August 1881 on the grass courts of the Newport Casino in Rhode Island, in 1915 the tournament moved to New York City, where it was held at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills.
Facts: Lacoste wins in straight sets
By 1926, Lacoste and his senior Davis Cup teammate Borotra had already met each other four times in Grand Slam finals. Although the Leaping Basque had beaten the Crocodile twice in 1924, at the French Open (which had yet to be played at Roland Garros: 7-5, 6-4, 0-6, 5-7, 6-2) and Wimbledon (6-1, 3-6, 6-1, Lako won their last two sets 6-4, 6-1, 3-4). In 1925, at French (7-5, 6-1, 6-4) and All England Club (6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 8-6). None of them have ever won or even reached the finals at Forest Hills.
The big upset at the 1926 US Nationals came not from these two great players, but from their Davis Cup partner, the third of the future Four Musketeers, Cochet, who beat six-time defending champion Tilden, then considered the greatest tennis player of all time.
Cochette, who must have been exhausted after his five-set victory over Big Bill (6-8, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 8-6), lost in the semifinals to his friend Lacoste, who proved how justified his nickname was after coming back from two sets down to the lovely (2-6, 4-6, 4-6, 6, 4). In the final, the crocodile met his partner, Borotra. Most of their previous meetings had ended in five-set duels, but this time Lacoste overcame the bouncy Basque in straight sets 6-4, 6-0, 6-4 to win the third of his seven Grand Slam titles.
What next? Lacoste and Borotra will be part of French dominance in men’s tennis
Along with Cochet and Brignon, Lacoste and Borotra would lead France to five consecutive Davis Cup titles, writing the greatest chapter in French tennis. In total, the four gunslingers claimed not only six consecutive Davis Cups, but also 18 Grand Slam singles titles and 23 in doubles. Lacoste, who retired from tennis in 1929 due to health problems, would create the famous Lacoste shirt with its crocodile logo, which would later become one of the leading tennis apparel brands.