René Lacoste

Lore & Background

Lacoste started playing tennis at age 15 when he accompanied his father on a trip to England. His breakthrough came in 1925 when he won the singles title at the French Championships and at Wimbledon, both times defeating compatriot Jean Borotra in the final. He won seven Grand Slam singles titles at the French, American, and British championships and was ranked World No. 1 in some rankings for 1926, 1927 and 1929. As a member of the French team, Lacoste won the Davis Cup in 1927 and 1928. He also won a bronze medal at the 1924 Summer Olympics.

Lacoste was nicknamed 'the Crocodile' because of how he dealt with his opponents. A 2006 New York Times obituary about his son provides an apparently authoritative explanation: in the 1920s, Lacoste made a bet with his team captain about whether he would win a certain match, with the stakes being a suitcase made of alligator skin. Following his victory, the American press dubbed him 'The Alligator.' Later, his friend Robert George embroidered a crocodile onto a blazer that Lacoste wore for his matches. In 1933, Lacoste founded La Société Chemise Lacoste with André Gillier, producing the tennis shirt with a crocodile embroidered on the chest.

Reader's Guide

René Lacoste's significance lies in his dual legacy as a world-class tennis player and a pioneering businessman. On the court, he was a key member of the Four Musketeers who ended the United States' six-year Davis Cup title run in 1927, and he was ranked the World No. 1 player in some rankings for three years. His playing style—a baseline game relying on control, accuracy, and deeply-placed groundstrokes—contrasted sharply with that of his fellow Musketeer Henri Cochet, and he was known as a studious tactician who kept detailed notes on opponents. Off the court, Lacoste revolutionized sportswear by introducing the tennis shirt in 1929 and founding the Lacoste brand in 1933, which remains globally recognized. He also innovated racket technology by patenting the first tubular steel tennis racket in 1961, later marketed as the Wilson T-2000 and used by Billie Jean King and Jimmy Connors. His induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1976 alongside the other Musketeers, and his inclusion in Jack Kramer's 1979 list of the 21 greatest players of all time, underscore his enduring impact on tennis.

Did You Know?

• Lacoste was nicknamed 'the Crocodile' after a bet involving an alligator-skin suitcase.
• He won seven Grand Slam singles titles and was ranked World No. 1 in some rankings for 1926, 1927, and 1929.
• Lacoste introduced the tennis shirt in 1929 and founded the Lacoste brand in 1933.
• He patented the first tubular steel tennis racket in 1961, later marketed as the Wilson T-2000.