Doubles

Before the national doubles tournament started last week in Brookline, Mass., most observers were ready to agree that the two best doubles players in the U. S. were probably a pair of Frenchmen. There was Henri ("Ricochet") Cochet and his excitable partner, Jacques Brugnon, champions of France and winners last June at Wimbledon. There was Jean Rene Lacoste and Jean Borotra, the "Bounding Basque." None of the U. S. players looked very strong; William T. Tilden, of course--but then Tilden never takes doubles literally. He prefers to play with some youth who, overcome at the honor of being allied with the world's champion, will stand docilely in one corner of the court until called to do a little serving or to pick up some balls. Vincent Richards and Richard Norris Williams were playing together again; they seemed perhaps the best native team.

Their proof was better ever than their promise. They dropped very few games to Cochet and Brugnon and when William Johnston and Edward Chandler had disposed of Lacoste and Borotra the foreign menace had evaporated. Tilden and young Alfred Chapin met Richards and Williams in the finals.

From the outset it was evident that Chapin did not understand his status as a champion's partner. He was not docile. He picked up only the balls which he absolutely needed for his own activities. As for standing in one corner of the court, he approximated this direction only by trying to stand all four corners at the same time. Tilden seemed to encourage this youthful insurgence. The champion was grim. He did not fool at all and actually managed, with terrific serves and drives that swish faster than any others on this earth, to take a set, the second. But even his efforts, and those of the doughty Chapin, could not prevail against the gleaming, electrical teamwork of Richards and Williams who, rushing for the net after every serve, volleyed their way to the doubles championship of the U. S., 6-4, 6-8, 11-9, 6-3. Elizabeth Ryan and Jean Borotra took the mixed doubles title; Major A. J. Gore and Claude Butlin the Veterans'; Donald and Malcolm Hill, the Father and Son.