Born in 1904, René Lacoste wins his first tournament at aged 17 and the French Open for the first time in 1924. The press note his perfectionist approach and predict a player of great class.
René Lacoste, a daring innovator
How to provide tennis players with the greatest freedom of movement? René Lacoste found the perfect inspiration by carefully examining the attire of a skilled polo player by the name of Lord Cholmondeley. He then designed a truly revolutionary shirt with a buttoned neckline and short sleeves. Tennis players at that time were accustomed to rolling up their thick shirt sleeves to get a little relief, but René Lacoste’s invention would give them absolute freedom of movement.