At Auteuil

William Tatem Tilden II, regarded last year as past his tennis prime and promising no further usefulness in Davis Cup competition, was planning to make some money this year, reporting the challenge round against France instead of playing in it gratis. The Davis Cup committee begged him to change his mind. They said it was all right about reporting so long as he did not file a wire the days he was actually playing. Having won the "world's championship" at Wimbledon (although he did not have to play Henri Cochet, world's ablest) he had to be on the team; if he played he would give the U.S. its best chance to win the cup back.

Tilden agreed. On the first day of matches at Auteuil he was drawn to play bounding Jean Borotra. The crowd howled with elation as the Basque, with acrobatic efficiency, took the first set on Tilden's errors and needed only two points for another. Then Tilden's shots began to work. He evened the games at five-all, broke through Borotra's serve, and on the last point of the set stepped in front of an apparently unplayable smash of Borotra's and hit it on the rise for a placement down the sidelines.

After that he kept drawing Borotra in close with cut drop shots and then passing him. Once in an arrogant gesture he defaulted a game in which Borotra had him 40-love because he said he could not stand the noise the crowd was making. In the fourth set he relaxed after getting ahead. Borotra pulled even but Tilden finished him off with another unbeatable spurt. Score: 2-6, 7-5, 6-4, 7-5.

The U. S. lead thus established was short-lived. Always sure, always correct, nonchalant, masterful and on the proper foot, Cochet hardly worked up a perspiration while beating young George Lott, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2. Allison and Van Ryn, who beat the French last year and who this year successfully defended the Wimbledon doubles title, were supposed to win the next match on the program, from Jacques ("Toto") Brugnon teamed with Cochet. Allison and Van Ryn kept pumping shots at Brugnon, keeping the ball away from Cochet. Nimbly and accurately Brugnon returned everything. Seeing his partner on his game, Cochet never poached. Allison was wild, Van Ryn cautious. Score for France: 6-3, 7-5, 1-6, 6-2.

Now the U. S. had to win both the final singles matches to take the cup. It looked and was impossible. George Lott tried hard against Borotra. He took the first set and led two sets to one at the rest period. Time after time as Borotra came up in rabbit-like bounds to the net, Lott flicked a forehand drive past him. Borotra tied the score and in the fifth set, four-all in games, each began breaking through the other's serve. But Lott was on the defensive and the Basque broke through at last. Score: 5-7, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, 8-6. This gave France the challenge round and kept the cup safe. With nothing much to try for, Tilden worked up little speed against Cochet, who beat him 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 7-5.

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