The San Francisco call., 1906-07-02
MURDOCH LOSES
TENNIS FINALS
After Beating Best Four
Players He Succumbs
to Herbert Long.
Victor. Meets F. Adams
in the Championship
Match on Fourth.

Herbert Long won the annual scratch
singles tennis tournament for the state
championship on the California Club
courts yesterday, thereby earning the
right TO challenge Champion Fred Ad-
ans on the Fourth of July The vie
tory of Long came as a surprise. as he
was thought TO have little chance OF
beating Percy Murdock-
The final match between Long and
Murdock was a good one and the for
mer's victory was by no means q fuke-
Long played the best. game he has
ever put UP in a tournament He has
always played we'll enough in practice
to win a tournament. but up to yester-
day never displayed the same form In
match play.
Murdock was not in good trim when
the match started. He had, hard
semi-hnal match IN the morning. and
this, with the extreme heat. left him
in bad shape for the afternoon. AT
times he played well, but did not be-
gin to play the tennis he put UP when
he beat such cracks as Foley. Gardner
and James.
Long drove splendidly and his VIC
tory was a wellearned one Many
looked TO see him blow up after the
first set or two, but he fooled the wise
opes. In the last two sets he played
a good uphill game and unfinished
MS OppOucAl 21QLuOCR ndQ 8OOQ
lead in both of these sets. but was
flying distress signals throughout He
undoubtedly made a mistake in play
ing the balls 10 Longs back hand. The
latter has a splendid back hand drive
and won many aces with IL.
IN the first set Long took the first
three games. The next two went TO-
Murdock. but he was outplayed toward
the finish Of the set. which Long won
handily.
Murdoek played his best tennis in
the second set, which he won without
much effort With lead of Az in the
third set Murdoek looked all over a
winner He had little left, however.
and Long took four games straight
In the fourth and what proved 10
be the final set Murdock was con-
stantly in the lead At As ne had an
excellent chance to even up the score
in sets Long put up strong finish.
however, and ran the set ont, ia The
score was So. So, s-4. 64-
Murdock is certainly a hard luck
player. After disposing of such ex-
perts as James, Gardner, Foley and
Melville Long. he looked to be IN line
for the championship. Few eensid-
cred Herbert Long as dangerous as
any of this quartet He upset al call
culations. however, and the Alameda
crack had to be content once more
with second honors.
The semi-final match between Mel
Vile Long and Murdoek was also a
good one. The younger Long came
close TO beating his opponent Muir
dock outclassed Long in the drst see.
winning without the loss of a game.
Long came right back at him in the
second set and. took IL quite handily.
The third set was a close and hard
fought one After leading at AZ Muir
dock dropped three games in a row.
Long had a good chance TO win the
match, but he was not quite equal to IL.
MurdOck put up a strong finish, win
ming three games in succession. The
score was 60. SO, 10.
Herbert Long had close call in his
semi-fnaI match with Harold Gabriel.
The latter outplayed his opponent In
the early. part OF each set, but fell
down badly at the end In the first
set Gabriel led at So. and ii seemed he
would win it easily. His numerous err
rors, combined with Longs clever driv-
ing gave the latter the set by a score
OF SIS.
The second set was a repetition OF
the first. Gabriel went into the lead
early in the set The score. stood 5-3
in his favor. but as in the first set.
Long pulled IL out, SIS