“BIG BILL” FALLS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 86, 2 July 1927, Page 13

“BIG BILL” FALLS

KING IS KING NO MORE By “RACKET:’ The passing of a champion is always an occasion for reflection, and when the dethroned monarch has been so great as Tilden, his defeat becomes almost a matter for serious regret. Three defeats in succession at the hands of Frenchmen seem to suggest pretty definitely that Tilden no longer occLipies his pinnacle of supremacy. Eittmr that, or he is suffering from a pronounced Gallic complex. The defeats have not come in a bunch, so as to leave the loophole that the champion was off-colour, but have been spread over the best part of a year. Last year Lacoste invaded Tilden’s native heath, and wrenched the American crown from him at Forest

Hills. Two months ago Tilden set out, accompanied by F. T. Hunter, on a mission which was regarded in the light of a crusade after his lost laurels. TILDEN’S MISSION No one can question Tilden’s sportsmanship. He would not grcidge his conquerors their victories. But the impression prevailed that in going to Europe Tilden intended either to show definitely that Lacoste’s win at Forest Hills was a fluke, or else to acknowledge that he was no longer the world’s best player. Lacoste set the seal on his victory by beating Tilden at Paris three weeks ago, but Tilden still had Wimbledon to fall back on—the worlds greatest tournament, at which his prestige could be regained. He failed, and failed to a man whom he himself termed, only recently, the best player in the . world. His conqueror, Cochet, is 25 years of age. nine years younger than his victim, and his previous best performances have been on covered courts in his own country. Borotra and Cochet, two Frenchmen, now fight out the Wimbledon final —a sad reflection on England’s tennis. MISS WILLS IN FINAL In the women’s singles Great Britain is similarly left without a representative in the final. It was hardly to

be expected that the plodding tactics of Miss Joan Fry, who has no real attacking brilliance, would withstand the hurricane game of Helen Wills. By getting to the final, Senorita Lili D’alvarez, the accomplished Spanish girl, repeats history. She did the same thing last year, but was then beaten by Mrs. Godfree (nee McKane). Miss Wills looks to be the winner.