The Four Musketeers
Encyclopedia
The Four Musketeers, after a popular 1920s film adaptation
of Alexandre Dumas'
classic
, were French
tennis
players who dominated the game in the second half of the 1920s and early 1930s, winning 20 Grand Slam titles and 23 Grand Slam doubles. They also led France to six straight Davis Cup
wins, 1927 through 1932, in an era when Cup matches enjoyed a prestige similar to today's FIFA World Cup
finals. At its creation in 1927, Tournoi de Roland-Garros's trophy was named the Coupe des Mousquetaires in honour of the quartet.
The Musketeers were:
While Brugnon was primarily a doubles specialist, Borotra, Cochet, and Lacoste won many singles titles. Between them, they won 3 United States Championships
at Forest Hills
, 6 consecutive Wimbledon
titles from 1924 through 1929, and 10 titles in 11 years at the French Championships, 1922 through 1932 (until 1925, though, the tournament was only open to French nationals). The only player capable of challenging their dominance was the great American Bill Tilden
(world number-one from 1920 until 1926, when Lacoste took over the position). The Musketeers were finally eclipsed by the arrival of Ellsworth Vines
, Fred Perry
, Jack Crawford
, and Don Budge
on the international tennis scene.
in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1976.
The New Musketeers, (Nouveaux Mousquetaires or néo-Mousquetaires) coined in L'Équipe
and adopted by the French press, refers to the present-day squad of star players headlined by Gilles Simon
, Richard Gasquet
, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and Gaël Monfils
. In 2008 France boasted four Top-20 players, a feat never before achieved since computer rankings were established in 1973. This configuration of the same four players in the Top-20 has been reproduced in mid-2011.
The Three Musketeers (1921 film)
__notoc__The Three Musketeers is an American silent film based on the novel The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, père. It was directed by Fred Niblo and starred Douglas Fairbanks as d'Artagnan. The film originally had scenes filmed in the Handschiegl Color Process...
of Alexandre Dumas'
Alexandre Dumas, père
Alexandre Dumas, , born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie was a French writer, best known for his historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world...
classic
The Three Musketeers
The Three Musketeers is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, first serialized in March–July 1844. Set in the 17th century, it recounts the adventures of a young man named d'Artagnan after he leaves home to travel to Paris, to join the Musketeers of the Guard...
, were French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
players who dominated the game in the second half of the 1920s and early 1930s, winning 20 Grand Slam titles and 23 Grand Slam doubles. They also led France to six straight Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
wins, 1927 through 1932, in an era when Cup matches enjoyed a prestige similar to today's FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
finals. At its creation in 1927, Tournoi de Roland-Garros's trophy was named the Coupe des Mousquetaires in honour of the quartet.
The Musketeers were:
- Jean BorotraJean BorotraJean Robert Borotra was a French champion tennis player. He was one of the famous "Four Musketeers" from his country who dominated tennis in the late 1920s and early 1930s.-Career:...
(1898–1994) - Jacques BrugnonJacques BrugnonJacques "Toto" Brugnon was a French tennis player, one of the famous "Four Musketeers" from France who dominated tennis in the late 1920s and early 1930s.He was born in Paris and died in Paris....
(1895–1978) - Henri CochetHenri CochetHenri Jean Cochet was a champion tennis player, one of the famous "Four Musketeers" from France who dominated tennis in the late 1920s and early 1930s....
(1901–1987) - René LacosteRené LacosteJean René Lacoste was a French tennis player and businessman. He was nicknamed "the Crocodile" by fans because of his tenacity on the court; he is also known worldwide as the namesake of the Lacoste tennis shirt, which he introduced in 1929.Lacoste was one of The Four Musketeers, French tennis...
(1904–1996)
While Brugnon was primarily a doubles specialist, Borotra, Cochet, and Lacoste won many singles titles. Between them, they won 3 United States Championships
U.S. Open (tennis)
The US Open, formally the United States Open Tennis Championships, is a hardcourt tennis tournament which is the modern iteration of one of the oldest tennis championships in the world, the U.S. National Championship, which for men's singles was first contested in 1881...
at Forest Hills
West Side Tennis Club
The West Side Tennis Club is a private tennis club located in Forest Hills, a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It is currently an oasis within the City with 38 courts in all four surfaces , a junior Olympic swimming pool and many other amenities.It is most notable for hosting...
, 6 consecutive Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
titles from 1924 through 1929, and 10 titles in 11 years at the French Championships, 1922 through 1932 (until 1925, though, the tournament was only open to French nationals). The only player capable of challenging their dominance was the great American Bill Tilden
Bill Tilden
William Tatem Tilden II , nicknamed "Big Bill," is often considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time. An American tennis player who was the World No. 1 player for seven years, he won 14 Majors including ten Grand Slams and four Pro Slams. Bill Tilden dominated the world of...
(world number-one from 1920 until 1926, when Lacoste took over the position). The Musketeers were finally eclipsed by the arrival of Ellsworth Vines
Ellsworth Vines
Henry Ellsworth Vines, Jr. was an American tennis champion of the 1930s, the World No. 1 player or the co-No. 1 for four years in 1932, 1935, 1936 and 1937.-Biography:...
, Fred Perry
Fred Perry
Frederick John Perry was a championship-winning English tennis and table tennis player who won 10 Majors including eight Grand Slams and two Pro Slams. Perry won three consecutive Wimbledon Championships between 1934 and 1936 and was World No. 1 four years in a row...
, Jack Crawford
Jack Crawford (tennis player)
----John Herbert Crawford was an Australian tennis player of the 1930s. He was the World No. 1 player for 1933.Crawford was born in Urangeline, near Albury, New South Wales...
, and Don Budge
Don Budge
John Donald Budge was an American tennis champion who was a World No. 1 player for five years, first as an amateur and then as a professional...
on the international tennis scene.
Legacy
The four men were national icons in France and all of them lived to be at least 83 years old, basking in glory for many years after their retirement from tennis. They were simultaneously inducted into the International Tennis Hall of FameInternational Tennis Hall of Fame
The International Tennis Hall of Fame is located in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. The hall of fame and honors players and contributors to the sport of tennis and includes a museum, grass tennis courts, an indoor tennis facility, and a court tennis facility.-History:The hall of fame and...
in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1976.
The New Musketeers, (Nouveaux Mousquetaires or néo-Mousquetaires) coined in L'Équipe
L'Équipe
L'Équipe is a French nationwide daily newspaper devoted to sports, owned by Éditions Philippe Amaury. The paper is noted for coverage of football , rugby, motorsports and cycling...
and adopted by the French press, refers to the present-day squad of star players headlined by Gilles Simon
Gilles Simon
Gilles Simon is a French professional tennis player and former world no. 6. He is a nine-time winner on the ATP World Tour...
, Richard Gasquet
Richard Gasquet
Richard Gasquet is a French professional tennis player. He won the mixed doubles Grand Slam title at the 2004 French Open, partnering Tatiana Golovin. His highest ranking in singles is #7. His best achievements in tennis are reaching the semi-finals of Wimbledon in 2007 and later that year...
, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and Gaël Monfils
Gaël Monfils
Gaël Sébastien Monfils is a French professional tennis player. he was the highest-ranked French tennis player, ranked no. 7 in the world ATP rankings. He was the runner-up at the Paris Masters in 2009 and 2010 and a semifinalist at the 2008 French Open.-2002:In 2002, Monfils finished 24th at the...
. In 2008 France boasted four Top-20 players, a feat never before achieved since computer rankings were established in 1973. This configuration of the same four players in the Top-20 has been reproduced in mid-2011.
See also
- Christian BoussusChristian BoussusChristian Boussus was a French tennis player .He was on the victorious French team at the Davis Cup four times, in 1929, 1930, 1931, and 1932, although he never played...
, sometimes referred as the "Fifth Musketeer". - List of male tennis players