Roger Federer broke Pete Sampras’ record of 14 grand slams this summer, but today has the chance to tie a major American tennis landmark if he wins his sixth straight U.S. Open.   William T. “Big Bill” Tilden II won the U.S. Championships six straight years, three times at Forest Hills in 1920, ‘24 and ‘25, and three times at the Germantown Cricket Club, a block from his home in Philadelphia, in 1921-23.  Federer looks poised to win his sixth, but Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina stands in his way this afternoon.

In Tilden’s 1920 win in New York, a small plane crashed next to the court during the fifth set, killing two, but after a break they played on.  The Sept. 7, 1920, headline in The New York Times read: 10,000 SEE PLANE KILL TWO IN CRASH AT TENNIS TOURNEY.

It is a shame that this story and others about Tilden are rarely talked about.  The McEnroes, Mary Carillo and others act almost like Tilden never existed, instead fawning like mindless children excited about the celebrities in the crowd.  Tilden’s tennis victories are on par with what Babe Ruth did in baseball and Bobby Jones in golf.  His tennis accomplishments deserve more discussion as his record teeters on the verge of being tied.

Related posts:

1. See You in Texas — U.S. Will Try to Avenge 0-6 Wimbledon Singles Record Against Spanish in Davis Cup With Mardy Fish’s quarterfinal loss to Rafael Nadal, the American...
2. Greatest Tennis Player of All Time? Roger, Of Course, Despite the Fact I’ve Beaten Him 17 Times The GOAT discussion reached its most ludicrous point yesterday when...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.