Omaha daily bee., 1918-09-04
MURRAY WINS
TENNIS TITLE IN
STRAIGHT SETS
California Marvel Becomes
Ranking American Player
of Season by Defeat
ing Tilden.

Forest Hills, Sept. 3.-The name of
R. Lindley Murray today was added
to the list of California tennis players
lwho have won the national singles
championship on turf, when he cap
tured the 1918 title by defeating w. T.
hTilden, jr., Philadelphia, in straight
sets by scores OF 6-3; 81; rs. Play
ing in the final and championship
round on the courts of the West Side
club, the California meteor won the
first national tennis championship
tournament since 1916. Fifty-fve
minutes of court battle proved that
Murray is the ranking American
player of the season.
Following the footsteps of Maurice
E. Mclaughlin, who won in 1912
and 1918, and William M. Johnston,
the title holder in 1915, Murray
showed the same well-rounded game
and confidence that marked the play
Of his predecessors. His victory was
the more remarkable because he had
not played serious tournament tennis
until about ten days ago when, after
receiving vacation from the muni-
tons plant where he is employed as a
chemist, he made his appearance at
Southampton and later at Forest
Hills. Tilden, owing to his improve
ment and greater tournament prac-
tice this year, was expected by many
to prove Murray's master The Cali
fornian, playing from the Niagara
Falls, N. X, Tennis club, proved that
even in the short space OF time al.
lotted to him for practice he could
reach the heights of court skill and
strategy that proved so bewildering
to Tilden.
The Philadelphian despite his
wizardy of cut strokes and court
covering ability, was unable to check
for any length of time Murray's
march to the championship. Tilden
was handicapped by boil on his
ankle which seriously interfered with
his footing. Murray used smashing
tactics at times, but so skillfully in
terspersed them with chopped fore
court strokes, lobs and side line pass
es that Tilden was constantly un-
balanced by the versatility of the at
tack.
In addition, Murray always had the
reserve Of his terrific service. He
used this at times with deadly ef-
feet, as is shown by the stroke an
alysis, which credits him with Is
service aces to Tilden's four.
Makes Many Errors.
In the face OF the constantly shift
ing scheme of offense, Tilden made
many errors and seldom appeared
to rise to the full height and power
of his game. Occasionally he would
bring applause from the gallery of
several thousand spectators by rip
ping returns across the court or deep
to the base lines, but they were
flashes only. Murray from his posi-
ton at the net even in these rapid
fire exchanges always worked with
the skill and deliberation of mas
ter; and the steadiness with which
he made impossible appearing gets
and returns OF lightning-like strokes
appeared to take the heart from Til
denis play. 1t was the latter's un-
steadiness in netting and cutting. the
ball at critical moments that really
cost him the championship, for he
actually outplayed Murray in num-
Der Of his killing aces. Murray never
appeared to be worried by these re-
markable streaks OF play on Tilden's
part, and continued to carry out his
plan Of campaign as though the out
come was never in doubt. Repeated
| ly he went after returns to the very
extremes of the boundary and by
marvellous stroking would bring the
ball back into play with such persis-
tency that Tilden would finally lose
the point on the simplest appearing
kind of error.
Murrayis supremacy was further
demonstrated by the fact that Of rs
games played, only six we're carried to
/ deuce, and the manner in which he
disposed of Tilden in less than one
| hour OF play was further demon
lstration of his superiority.