Is he the greatest player? Grant Golden, a tennis player who has been exposed to world-class tennis from time to time, asked me if Tilden "could do all the things they said he could." When I assured him that he certainly could, I wasn't exactly contradicted, but I was viewed with a jaundiced eye and a shake of the head, along with mutterings about Budge, Kramer, and Gonzales. I have a great deal of admiration for all the champions, past and present, and while Tilden and I were usually at odds, I gained a very healthy respect for him on the court—more so than for anyone else I ever played or saw.
My first experience with Bill came early in life. My parents had taken me to Boston to play in the National Boys' Championships. Anyone who has played in this event knows that it is the biggest thrill in a youngster's life. I was beaten in the semi-finals by a boy named Sagalowsky from Indianapolis. This defeat shattered me. It was shattered even more when Tilden announced to one and all that Lott would never be a tennis player, what with his Western grips, bad match-play temper. Naturally, this endeared Tilden to me considerably, an endearment that lasted all through my tennis career. I mention this incident to suggest it to people. appraisal of Tilden's tennis game is not based on personal likes but on facts and observations.
Greatest Asset
Tilden's greatest asset was his ability to produce one big shot whenever he needed it. If he had to make the point, he made it. He had a lot of "ham" in him and many times he created situations just so he could pull out the big shot to the oh's and ah's of the crowd. Only once did he fail in this scene-setting; he had the art of his. At Wimbledon, Cochet won two sets to one and was toying with the Frenchman. Tilden knew King Alfonso of Spain was due for an appearance in the Royal Box, and he decided to fool Alfonso around until His Majesty arrived. After all, Tilden reasoned, there was a better place for him to display his great talents than the Center Court at Wimbledon. He was on stage, and Royalty was to see him perform. King arrived during the fourth set in time to watch Tilden lose in the fifth. Cochet caught fire, and Tilden lost his touch. This was the only time that Tilden set the scene for himself to star and was unable to take the winner's bow. He did it many times before and after, but he always regained his concentration and touch.
By Royal Courtesy!
Once, I was playing Tilden in the final of a Florida tournament. He had beaten me many times before and by now I had learned that the best way to get along with him was to be agreeable and to do nothing to irritate him. In this final match, we were on friendly terms, and therefore he wasn't turning on the heat in particular. I reached the match point. I knew that Tilden and I 'both knew' he would win this point and go on to win the match. This may seem like a weak attitude on the part of any opponent who reaches match point, but Tilden was so dominant and had so many answers to every situation that you knew you had reached match point only by royal courtesy, and any further privileges would now be withdrawn. I knew this, but I served, advanced to the net, and made a mid-court volley. Tilden the ball into the net. The court had been re-lined during the second between the third sets, and Bill had slipped on the line as he was about to hit the ball. This was the first time I had ever beaten Bill, and while I was on Cloud Nine, I completely forgot about slipping him the needle a few times. keeping on his good side. What a mistake!
Treated Like Neophvte
The next week at Augusta, we met again in the final. The reporters had given me a big build-up, and I must admit I believed some of it. With the newsreels on hand, I was given a luxury lesson in what must have been the shortest match on record. And I played just as well as I had the week before! Furthermore, I was the third-ranking player in the country and I had been treated like a neophyte.
I played two more matches against Tilden that year. In the National Clay Courts, I reached the final through wins over Manuel Alonso, B. I. C. Norton, and Howard Kinsey. I got to 5-4 in the fifth against Tilden, with the game score 15-30 on Tilden's service. I hit a forehand as hard as I could and it landed in Tilden's backhand corner about a foot from the sideline and the baseline. I was on my way to the net when I saw a white blur go by me. When the shock passed, I realized he had hit a half-volley drive from the baseline to pass me cleanly. This is the equivalent of being in a fight, hitting your opponent with a forceful punch, and having him grin at you.
Left Flat-footed!
The other shot he made against me occurred in the Southampton Invitation. I had beaten Lacoste to reach the final and played very good tennis. This match went to 5-all in the first set and 30-all on my service. We had a back-court exchange and I advanced to net on a forehand to Bill's forehand side-line. I anticipated his down-the-line return and angled crosscourt very sharply to his backhand side, thinking to myself that I had the big stiff this time. It turned out that I anticipated the hit on his forearm—he wasn't the only one. As soon as he hands down the line from his backhand side,. In the meantime (11⁄2 of one second), I had moved a down-the-line, leaving the smallest across to backhand, covering an opening for him to hit a crosscourt backhand if he were lucky enough to reach the ball. You guessed it. He reached the ball on the full run and hit it crosscourt, threading the needle. I stood there flat-footed, talking to myself and to anyone else who would listen.
George Lott "While Tilden and I were usually at odds-end," says the author, "I gained a very healthy respect for him on the court—more so than for anyone else I ever played or saw."
Was Tilden the Greatest player?
