Tennis Mastermind: Henri Cochet
Master of Elegant Bali
“Victory comes from finding opportunity in disorder.” – The Art of War
Tournament in Paris
At 3 p.m., the Parisian sun reflected off the dusty mud of the Stade Roland Garros. There was tension in the air, even though the international challenge tournament had already been decided. The decisive doubles match before that ended a stubborn American resistance and gave France an unassailable victory. three-One Leading the pack overall.
Now on the baseline, Henri Cochet was ready to give another game in a largely unimportant match. It was what the local press called a “match sans enjeu,” or a game without stakes. Cochet looked over the net to see his opponent once more. Ellsworth Vine met his gaze without fear. He was a fine example of a man. 6 Tall, lean, fast, skilled and powerful, he was already ranked number one in 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 to worry about, Crochet thought. Why bother? The ball flew across the net like a bullet, sending Vines wide left. Boom! The return rang out like a cannonball in the packed court. Vines’ thunderous return blasted down the line and secured an unplayable victory. Crochet stopped. He barely had time to lift his racket.
On the verge of defeat
The Parisian crowd, which loves good tennis whether or not it was a local favorite, cheered. A few Americans in the crowd booed.
“Jeu, Monsieur Vines!” the referee shouted. Cochet had lost the last two sets to Vines, falling behind in the deciding set. Now 2 A set that takes everything deep into the vine 5th. Vines lifted his racket triumphantly to his teammates sitting in the stands. They clapped and cheered. Finally, there was something to celebrate. Vines’ victory would also help him maintain his world number one ranking. Meanwhile, Cochet bowed his head and walked to the players’ bench.
Kochet tried to relax. He knew his teammates had bet him a friendly bet that he would win this trivial game. Even now, he could see the amusement and concern on their faces. Someone clenched a fist in support. Kochet nodded. Losing would be even more embarrassing at worst, but he would do his best. He leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. As he closed his eyes, his mind traveled back through the years.
Memories of the past
He went back to his childhood days at the old tennis club in Lyon, picking balls for the members. He remembered the elegance of the game, the players, and the women who came to watch the games, the wonder and fascination. He was thrilled by the beauty of it all. As a ball 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 in the world.
He remembered the day when the tennis club president, Georges Cozon (whom he called Uncle George), came to his house to ask permission from his parents to give him a free lesson. Uncle George often watched him play until late at night after most of the members had left the court. He always admired the young Cochet’s talent and encouraged him with generous gifts. Fortunately, his parents were quick to take up the golden opportunity, and the young boy beamed with pride. The rest is history.
Prepare for greatness
Young Henri Cochet had many hard practice sessions, sweating but running around the court at lightning speed. Early on, when he picked up the ball, he began to analyze the game by observing and comparing the strategies of other players. He knew exactly how he would play in the competition if given the chance.
Cochet wanted to be the elegant and stylish man that a true Frenchman should be. He already knew the advantage of getting to the net early and avoiding long baseline battles. He knew that physically smaller players did not have the strength or stamina to sustain long baseline rallies. The net would be his ally and he would be a master of the volley. So he spent a long time practicing hitting the ball over the net with his Uncle Georges, who seemed to understand the clever strategies and great tennis sense of young geniuses.
Here is a summary of the many technologies developed by Kochet:
Easy Elegance – Kochet moved smoothly and gracefully on the court, not for aesthetic reasons, but to maintain the efficiency of his shots and conserve energy.
Net Dominance – Kochet needed excellent volley and half-volley skills to pressure his opponents and attack the net effectively to control points.
fluid motion – Kochet’s footwork and court coverage to comfortably reach difficult balls have helped him reduce his own mistakes and improve his recovery ability.
Bali Master – In both attack and defence, Cochet’s powerful volley skills were effective against short balls and drop shots.
Mental Resilience – Kochet was a master of mental focus and composure, which allowed him to make better decisions in stressful situations.
(Getty)
Further progress
As the months passed and each training session, his performance improved. Before he turned ten, Henri Cochet began to play occasionally with competitive club members. Everyone was amazed by the young boy’s skill and tenacity. As a result, he easily found all the support he needed. He received gifts of clothes, equipment, and money from wealthy club patrons. Uncle Georges watched his progress steadily over the years. Finally, the day came. It was his first local tournament. By then, he was a strong, energetic teenager of nineteen. He had no fear. He was calm and focused, just like he is today.
Young Henri Cochet played flawlessly in the tournament from the first game to the last day, and as expected, his opponent was Uncle Georges. Student and mentor eventually faced each other in a novel match. He still remembers the tears in his eyes when they embraced at the net. He will never forget the pride and joy in Uncle Georges’ eyes.
Even now he could hear Uncle George’s voice urging him on. It has been a long time since then, with many amazing matches and outstanding victories. He has won titles on almost every continent and has already established himself among the tennis greats.
Victory in defeat
“Reprise de Jeu!” The referees snapped the startled Cochet back to reality. Cochet quietly got up and walked to the end of the court. His teammates cheered and applauded. But he knew today wasn’t the day. Vines was lacking in power and accuracy, and he finished the match with a barrage of ferocious serves. Cochet struggled, struggled, and labored, but eventually his elegance would fade. He realized that the busy schedule had slowed his reflexes. He fought bravely as always, but he was a ghost of his usual self.
Finally, it was over, and Bynes silenced the court with his iconic overhead smash. A wave of disappointment washed over Cochet, but he soon accepted it quietly. He had lost the battle today, but the war was not over. He had written another page in tennis history with the French team. The thought came to him as if he had just realized it, and certainly nothing could change it.
A warm smile spread across Kochet’s face as he walked to the net to congratulate Bynes. The crowd and his teammates cheered. They too realized that their victory was not tainted by the result of the game. They embraced him and his eternal friends Jean Borotra, René Lacoste and Jacques Brugnon, and their camaraderie, legendary in their own rituals, was real.
They had fought many battles, and no small stake could ruin this one. Victory was theirs, a testament to their collective spirit. At that moment, under the Parisian sun, Cochet realized that even in defeat there was a mysterious beauty and sense of finishing. He may have lost today, but his legacy as a master of elegant volley will live on forever.
