René Lacoste

Jean René Lacoste (Template:IPA; 2 July 1904 – 12 October 1996) was a French tennis player and businessman. He was nicknamed "the Crocodile" because of how he dealt with his opponents;<ref name=tennishof>Template:Cite web</ref> he is also known worldwide as the creator of the Lacoste tennis shirt, which he introduced in 1929, and eventually founded the brand and its logo in 1933.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Lacoste was one of the Four Musketeers with Jean Borotra, Jacques Brugnon, and Henri Cochet, French players who dominated tennis in the late 1920s and early 1930s. He won seven Grand Slam singles titles at the French, American, and British championships and was an eminent baseline player and tactician of the pre-war period. As a member of the French team, Lacoste won the Davis Cup in 1927 and 1928. Lacoste was ranked the World No. 1 player in some rankings for 1926, 1927 and 1929.<ref name=collins>Template:Cite book</ref> He also won a bronze medal at the 1924 Summer Olympics.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Tennis career

File:Rene Lacoste 1922.jpg

Lacoste in 1922

Lacoste started playing tennis at age 15 when he accompanied his father on a trip to England.<ref name=collins/><ref name=nytobit>Template:Cite news</ref> His first participation in a Grand Slam tournament was the 1922 Wimbledon Championships in which he lost in the first round to Pat O'Hara Wood. The following year, 1923, he reached the fourth round at Wimbledon to be narrowly defeated by Cecil Campbell, and he competed for the first time in the U.S. Championships.

His breakthrough came in 1925 when he won the singles title at the French Championships and at Wimbledon, in both cases after a victory in the final against compatriot Jean Borotra. The following year, 1926, Lacoste lost his French title after a straight-sets defeat in the final to Henri Cochet. He did not compete at Wimbledon that year, but in September he won the U.S. National Championships title against Borotra. He was ranked No. 1 for 1926 by A. Wallis Myers, tennis correspondent of The Daily Telegraph,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Bill Tilden,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Suzanne Lenglen<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Stanley Doust (Daily Mail).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1927, dubbed "The finest year in tennis history" by E. Digby Baltzell, Lacoste was part of the French team that captured the Davis Cup from the United States, ending the latter's 6-year title run. The final was played at the Germantown Cricket Club in Philadelphia and Lacoste won both his singles matches against Bill Johnston and Bill Tilden.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He played Tilden in two Grand Slam tournament finals that year and won both of them. At the French Championships he was victorious in five sets; at the U.S. National Championships he defended his title and denied Tilden his seventh U.S. title by winning in straight sets, although he survived setpoints in the first and third set and was down a break in the second.<ref name=robertson/> At Wimbledon, Lacoste lost a five-set semifinal to Borotra.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was ranked No. 1 by A. Wallis Myers,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Émile Deve,<ref name=":1">Template:Cite news</ref> U.S. ranking committee president,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Marcel Berger,<ref name=":1" /> (Template:Interlanguage link), Jean Samazeuilh<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> (Template:Interlanguage link) and Henri Cochet.<ref name=":1" />

In 1928 Lacoste lost his French title after a four-set loss in the final against Cochet. He took revenge by beating Cochet in the final of the Wimbledon Championships after having defeated Tilden in a five-set semifinal. The Challenge Round of the 1928 Davis Cup against the United States was played at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris on 27–29 July. The stadium was specifically constructed to host France's first defense of the Davis Cup.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Lacoste lost the first rubber in a five-set match to Tilden but France won the remaining rubbers to defeat the challengers 4–1 and retain the cup. Lacoste did not participate in the 1928 U.S. Championships.

Between 1923 and 1928 Lacoste played 51 Davis Cup matches for France in 26 ties and compiled a record of 32–8 in singles and 8–3 in doubles.

The only major championship Lacoste played in 1929 was the French and he won his seventh, and last, Grand Slam singles title after a tight five-set final against Jean Borotra.<ref name=chictribune/> Failing health, including respiratory disease, led to his withdrawal from competitive tennis in 1929. He would make a brief comeback at the 1932 French Championships, where he defeated reigning Wimbledon champion Sidney Wood in the third round, but lost in the fourth to Harry Lee.<ref name=cnn>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=davidson>Template:Cite book</ref> He was the non-playing captain of the French Davis Cup team in 1932 and 1933.

The Four Musketeers were inducted simultaneously into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1976. In his 1979 autobiography, Jack Kramer, the long-time tennis promoter and great player himself, included Lacoste in his list of the 21 greatest players of all time.Template:Efn

In 1928 Lacoste wrote a book titled Lacoste on Tennis.<ref name=nytobit/><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

There are numerous explanations of why Lacoste was originally nicknamed "The Crocodile." A 2006 New York Times obituary about Lacoste's son, Bernard, provides an apparently authoritative one. In the 1920s, supposedly, Lacoste made a bet with his team captain about whether he would win a certain match. The stakes were a suitcase he had seen in a Boston store; it was made of alligator skin. Following his victory, the American press dubbed him "The Alligator."Template:Citation needed Later, René Lacoste's friend Robert George embroidered a crocodile onto a blazer that Lacoste wore for his matches.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="SportsRef">Template:Cite web</ref>

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-07746, Berlin, Tennismatch Deutschland-Frankreich.jpg

Lacoste (right) with Otto Froitzheim

Playing style

Lacoste was primarily a baseline player who relied on control, accuracy, and deeply-placed groundstrokes to put pressure on his opponents. In addition he possessed an excellent passing shot and backhand slice. Nicknamed the 'Tennis Machine' for his methodical game and ability to avoid errors, he was known as a devoted and hard-working player, rather than a player with a great amount of natural talent.<ref name=chictribune>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> His style was a complete contrast to that of his fellow Musketeer Henri Cochet.<ref name=robertson>Template:Cite book</ref> Lacoste was a studious tactician who meticulously analysed his opponents and kept detailed notes on their strengths and weaknesses.<ref name=collins/><ref name=robertson/>

Business career

In 1933, Lacoste founded La Société Chemise Lacoste with André Gillier. The company produced the tennis shirt, also known as a "polo shirt," which Lacoste often wore when he was playing; this had a crocodile (often thought to be an alligator) embroidered on the chest. In 1963, Lacoste's son Bernard took over the management of the company.

In 1961, Lacoste created an innovation in racket technology by unveiling and patenting the first tubular steel tennis racket.<ref name=cnn/> At that time, wood rackets were the norm; the new version's strings were attached to the frame by a series of wires, which wrapped around the racket head. The steel-tube racket was stiffer, and imparted a greater force to the ball during a stroke. It was marketed in Europe under the Lacoste brand, but in the United States it was marketed by Wilson Sporting Goods. Pierre Darmon debuted the racket at Wimbledon in 1963, but it achieved critical acclaim and huge popularity as the Wilson T-2000, used by American tennis greats Billie Jean King and Jimmy Connors.<ref name=cnn/>

Personal life

Rene Lacoste was born to Jeanne-Marie Magdeleine Larrieu-Let and Jean-Jules Lacoste.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His maternal family is from Monein, in southwest France, the genealogy dating back to the 1700s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was Jewish.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 30 June 1930 he married golfing champion Simone de la Chaume.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Their daughter Catherine Lacoste was a champion golfer and president of the Golf Club Chantaco, founded by her mother, at a few kilometres from Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France.

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 10 (7 titles, 3 runner-ups)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	1924	Wimbledon	Grass	Template:Flagicon Jean Borotra	1–6, 6–3, 1–6, 6–3, 4–6
Win	1925	French Championships	Clay	Template:Flagicon Jean Borotra	7–5, 6–1, 6–4
Win	1925	Wimbledon	Grass	Template:Flagicon Jean Borotra	6–3, 6–3, 4–6, 8–6
Loss	1926	French Championships	Clay	Template:Flagicon Henri Cochet	2–6, 4–6, 3–6
Win	1926	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Jean Borotra	6–4, 6–0, 6–4
Win	1927	French Championships	Clay	Template:Flagicon Bill Tilden	6–4, 4–6, 5–7, 6–3, 11–9
Win	1927	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Bill Tilden	11–9, 6–3, 11–9
Loss	1928	French Championships	Clay	Template:Flagicon Henri Cochet	7–5, 3–6, 1–6, 3–6
Win	1928	Wimbledon	Grass	Template:Flagicon Henri Cochet	6–1, 4–6, 6–4, 6–2
Win	1929	French Championships	Clay	Template:Flagicon Jean Borotra	6–3, 2–6, 6–0, 2–6, 8–6

Doubles: 4 (3 titles, 1 runner-ups)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1925	French Championships	Clay	Template:Flagicon Jean Borotra	Template:Flagicon Jacques Brugnon Template:Flagicon Henri Cochet	7–5, 4–6, 6–3, 2–6, 6–3
Win	1925	Wimbledon	Grass	Template:Flagicon Jean Borotra	Template:Flagicon John Hennessey Template:Flagicon Raymond Casey	6–4, 11–9, 4–6, 1–6, 6–3
Loss	1927	French Championships	Clay	Template:Flagicon Jean Borotra	Template:Flagicon Jacques Brugnon Template:Flagicon Henri Cochet	6–2, 2–6, 0–6, 6–1, 4–6
Win	1929	French Championships	Clay	Template:Flagicon Jean Borotra	Template:Flagicon Jacques Brugnon Template:Flagicon Henri Cochet	6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 3–6, 8–6

Mixed doubles: 2 (2 runner-ups)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Loss	1926	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman	Template:Flagicon Elizabeth Ryan Template:Flagicon Jean Borotra	4–6, 5–7
Loss	1927	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman	Template:Flagicon Eileen Bennett Template:Flagicon Henri Cochet	2–6, 6–0, 3–6

Performance timeline

(OF) only for French club members

Tournament	1922	1923	1924	1925	1926	1927	1928	1929	1930	1931	1932	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Win %
Grand Slam tournaments
Template:Nowrap	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	0 / 0	0–0	–
French Championships	OF			W	F	W	F	W	A	A	4R	3 / 6	29–3	90.6
Wimbledon	1R	4R	F	W	A	SF	W	A	A	A	A	2 / 6	28–4	87.5
U.S. Championships	A	2R	QF	QF	W	W	A	A	A	A	A	2 / 5	19–3	86.4
Win–loss	0–1	4–2	9–2	16–1	10–1	17–1	12–1	5–0			3–1	Template:Nowrap	Template:Nowrap	Template:Nowrap
National representation
Olympics	NH		QF	Not held								0 / 1	3–1	75.0

All-time record

Tournament	Since	Record accomplished	Players matched
Grand Slam	1877	Youngest player to win 2 titles at 3 Grand Slams	Stands alone

See also

• List of male tennis players
• Tennis records of All Time – Men's singles
• List of Grand Slam men's singles champions

External links

• Template:ATP
• Template:Tennis Hall of Fame
• Template:ITF profile
• Template:Davis Cup player
• Template:Wimbledon player
• Official site of Lacoste
• Template:FMD designer
• Template:Olympics.com profile
• Template:Olympedia