Tennis genius: Henri Cochet

Tennis genius: Henri Cochet

The Good King of Volley
“Victory comes from finding opportunities to disrupt.” – Sun Tzu (The Art of War)

Paris Tournament
At three o’clock in the afternoon, the sunlight of Paris reflected the clay of the Stade Roland Garros. There was tension in the air even though the International Challenge Tournament had been resolved. The doubles final had earlier ended the stubborn resistance of the United States and given France an unassailable lead 3-1 general lead.

Now Henri Cochet, standing in the first place, was ready to play another game in a game that was very useless. It was what the local media called “game sans enjeu” or game without stakes. Cochet looks up to check his opponent’s net again. Ellsworth Vines met his eyes without fear. He was a good example of a man, beyond 6 the feet are long, soft, swift, and full of skill and power. He had already staked his claim at the top of the world. Only Crochet stood in his way.

Henri Crochet served. His racket went up smoothly and gracefully. If anything, he lacked his usual confidence. Well, there’s nothing at stake, thought Crochet, why bother? The ball flew like a bullet across the net and sent Vines wide to the left. Boom! It echoes like a cannon in a packed stadium. Vine’s thunderous comeback brought down the line for an unplayable winner. Crochet stands in the middle. He didn’t even have time to raise his racket.

On the Edge of Defeat
There was a roar of appreciation from the Parisian crowd who love good tennis whether it’s played by the local favorites or not. A few Americans in the crowd roared.
“Jew, Monsieur Vines!” The Governor was called. Cochet was behind in the final set losing the last two sets to Vines. It was now 2 he sets everything up with Vines leading deep into the 5th. Vines raised his racket in triumph to his teammates sitting in the stands. They clapped their hands happily. Finally, they had something to celebrate. Also, a win for Vines could help keep him at the top of the world rankings. Meanwhile, Cochet hung his head down and went to the player’s bench.

Cochet tried to relax. He knew that his teammates had placed a friendly bet on his victory in this trivial game. He could still see the worry mixed with pleasure on their faces. Another raised a clenched fist in support. Cochet nodded. Losing would be very embarrassing but he will try his best. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. As he did so, his mind went back years ago.

Memories of the Past
He also saw himself in his childhood in the old tennis club in the city of Lyonnaise picking the balls of the members in his childhood. He remembered his surprise and admiration for the beauty of this game, its players, and the ladies who came to watch. He was delighted by the beauty of it all. As a football boy, he had the opportunity to get as close to the action as possible. From the moment he first touched a tennis ball, he knew he was going to be a tennis player. He would work hard to become the best player in the world.

He remembered the day Georges Cozon, the President of the Tennis Club whom he affectionately called Uncle Georges, unexpectedly came to the house to ask permission from his parents to teach him for free. Uncle Georges used to watch him play late into the evening after most of the members had left the court. He always liked the talent of the young man Cochet and encouraged him with good gifts. Fortunately, his parents were quick to accept the good opportunity, and the little boy was filled with pride. The rest was history.

Preparing for Greatness
There were many grueling training sessions with young Henri Cochet drenched in sweat but covering the field like lightning. At the beginning of his football selection days, he started analyzing the game by looking at the strategy used by different players and comparing them against each other. He knew exactly how he would play in the tournament if he was given the chance.

Cochet aspired to be elegant and stylish as a true Frenchman should be. He was already well aware of the benefits of getting to the net early on points, avoiding long drawn out battles. Physically he knew that the younger players didn’t have the strength or stamina to push through the long base circles. The net would be his friend and he would become a volleyball champion. So he practiced for long hours hitting the net with Uncle Georges who seemed to understand the tricks of the little prodigies and the good sense of playing tennis.

Here is a summary of the many skills developed by Cochet:

Effortless Elegance – The Cochet will go well and gracefully in the field, not for aesthetic reasons but to maintain shooting efficiency and save energy.
Net Domination – Cochet’s pre volleying and half volleying skills were needed to pressure opponents and control points by attacking the net effectively.
Fluid Motion – Cochet footwork and fielding to reach hard balls comfortably helped him reduce unforced errors and improve recovery.
King of Volley – Cochet’s strong volunteering skills in attack or defense were effective against short balls and drop shots.
Mental Strength – Cochet was a master of mental concentration and composure. This allowed him to make better decisions in times of high pressure.

(Getty)

Additional Developments
As the month progressed and with each training session his game improved. Before his tenth birthday, Henri Cochet would start playing occasionally with members of the most competitive club. Everyone was amazed at the boy’s skill and tenacity. As a result, he easily got all the support he needed. He received gifts of clothing, equipment, and money from wealthy club sponsors. Uncle Georges was constantly watching his growth as the years passed. Finally the day came, his first home tournament. At that time he was a vigorous youth of nineteen. There was no fear. He used to be as calm and focused as he is today.

Young Henri Cochet played well in the tournament from the first match until the last day when he surprisingly met Uncle Georges as his opponent. Student and mentor went head-to-head in what turned out to be a new game. He still remembered her tears of gratitude at the end when they hugged in the net. He would never forget the pride and joy that was before Uncle George.
He could still hear Uncle George’s voice pleading with him. It had been many years since there were so many amazing games and outstanding victories. He had won titles on almost every continent and was assured of his place among the tennis greats.

Victory through Defeat
“Reprise de Jeu!” The Umpires called on Cochet to come back to reality. Cochet quietly got up and went to the end of the court. His colleagues were happy and clapped their hands to encourage him. But he knew that today would not be the day. The vine was powerful and accurate and continued to see the game through a brutal dinner. Cochet toiled, toiled, and toiled but in the end his beauty would be temporarily lost. It was a busy schedule that he realized had clouded his mind. He fought bravely as always but he was always a ghost.

Finally, it was over, Vines completing his trademark overhead smash to silence the stadium. A wave of disappointment washed over Cochet but was quickly followed by silent acceptance. He had lost the battle today but the battle was far from over. He had written another page in the history of tennis with the French team. A thought came to him as if he had just seen it, and surely nothing would ever change.

When Cochet went to the net to congratulate Vines, he had a warm smile on his face. Cheers erupted from the crowd and his teammates. They have also realized that their victory was not tainted regardless of the results of this game. They covered him, his eternal friends Jean Borotra, René Lacoste, and Jacques Brugnon, legends in their habits, friendships of sincerity.

They have fought many battles and no small bet will spoil this one. The victory was theirs, a testament to their spirit as a team. At that moment, under the Paris sun, Cochet realized that even in defeat, there was a mysterious beauty and a sense of closure. He may have been played today, but his legacy as the Elegant Master Of The Volley will live on forever.