The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-04
MURRAY CLIMBS TO
TOP TENNIS RUNG
Californian Defeats Tilden in
Straight Sets for National
Honors.
LOSER Is CRIPPLED
Suffering From Boil on Foot,
He Is No Match for the
Speeding Meteor.
~ FREDERICK G. LIEB.

moment on a faltering opponent Robert
Lindley Murray yesterday won the ma
tional tennis championship. In the final
of the thirty-seventh titular tournament
at Forest Hills Murray crashed through
William T. Tilden I'd of Philadelphia In
straight sets, winning at 6-3, 6-1,
Is
Murray succeeds n. Norris williams
Id, now a Lieutenant in the American
Expedltionary Force, as the American
leader. Murray defeated Williams in
the semi-fi finals of last years tournament,
but as no championship was at stake
the Philadelphia did not loss his title,
even after Murray had won the FINAL
OF the four men who have held the
American tennis title since 1912 three
Mclaughlin, Johnston and Murray-are
Caiifornisns.
There was only one discordant note IN
the dashing, spectacular victory OF Muir
ray yesterday. That was the fact that
he defeated a crippled opponent. A boil
developed on Tilden's right foot just
above the heel and the young Philadel-
phian was in agony during the entire
match. He was in no condition to play
his game. He WINGED in pain throughout
tho match. and time after time Murray
caught him fiat footed with hard
smashes or lobs that Tilden was unable
to go after. ~
Hurt Foot Month Ago.
Tilden first hurt his right foot month
ago during a match in western Penn
syivania. when he tripped over a drain
pipe. II pulled a few tendohs out Of
place. but he taped 1t up and kept play
ing. The foot began to swell before
Tilden's Labor Day match with Ku-
magae. 1t was on that account that
Tilden played back continually, saving
himself and finished the Jap as quickly
as possible.
Yesterday morning q large boil broke
out on Tilden's foot and the leg was af-
fected' up to the knee. He had the foot
treated Just before the match and had
the back Of his shoe cut out. The boil
broke during the match.
Murray felt badly over his opponents
misfortune and would have preferred
playing the Quaker City star at his best.
The match was the first one Tilden lost
this season. In the Southampton tour
nament he eliminated Murray at 6-3,
e-3, but n. Lindley then had had prac-
tically no practice. Tilden already had
won the clay court championship this
year. and he and Vincent Richards. the
hoy marvel from Yonkers. won the ma
tional doubles in Boston.
Tilden's boil may have beaten him. but
We rather think otherwise. Murray was
brilliant, and the general impression wa
that Murray would have won handily
even with Tilden at his best. He forced
the play against Tilden, just as the Phil
adelphian did against Kumagae 1t was
relentless, driving attack. with no
letup, and Tilden was nonplussed.
Dozen Service Aces.
Murray put over twelve service aces
In most OF these Tllden did not even lift
his racket, the ball whzzing by him like
chain lightning before he could figure
where it would land. Murray also dis
posed OF his opponent almost as quickly
as Tilden beat Kumagae on the proceed
ing day, the time being ffty-five min
utes. Only six deuce games were played
Murray won four.
Murray showed greater steadiness
than he had displayed in any match
since his walltover over Pell He was
good both in his groundwork and over
head and repeatedly dashed in for kills
at the ret. His favorite position was In
midcouft, from which he sent back a
voliey of masterful shots that Tilden alb
solutely could not fathom. Many he
could not reach at all. Murray passed
him, as Tilden too tried to play a net
game. Here Tilden made errors on some
OF the easiest shots In his overhead
play Tflden also was weak, as he was
forced TO put his weight on his left foot
instead OF his right, and the change
threw his game out OF gear.
Occas ionally Tilden scored some pretty
placements when he sent some of his
queer bounding slices and chops across
The court, and the crowd always was
willing TO give him strong hand when
ever he gave signs OF rally. However.
the Philadelphlau's rallies were few,
though he made a spirited effort late In
the third set.
TiIden's Swan Song.
Murray seemed to be winning this set
in a walkover, the same as the first two.
but with the score ) games to . in Muir
rays favor Tilden organized a spectacu-
lar rally in which he pulled up to even
terms.
Tilden reeied off three straight games
in which Murray made only points
Tilden gritted his teeth and muttered 10
himself as he made his desperate effort
and the gallery applauded him warmly
in winning the ninth game OF this match
Tllden broke through Murray's service
for the first and only time during the
match.
With the set tied at 5--all Murray put
on little more speed and quickly
snatched the lead again, winning love
game. In which the last points were
scored on clean service aces. on Til
denis service. with the score 80. Tildeu
dTovs two balls into the net both on
rather easy chances, and the 1918 cham.
pionship went TO Murray.
Murray eNcelled his opponent INF GOV.
ering ground and helped break Tllden's
heart by making some wellnigh impossi-
BILE gets" Tllden could not cover ter
rtory. ON several lobs over his head he
gave up completely and made no effort
to go back for them. When lie did make
q sharp run he invariably pulled I'D be.
cause OF the pain
However. IN the heat OF competition
many athletes have been able to forget
injuries entirely and have played all the
more dazzlingly because of them. This
especially has been true Of football play.
er5 and oarsmen.
About $4,000 for War Fund.
A feature OF tho tournament was the
splendLd umpiring by Eddie Conlin
There was not a single instance In which
his judgment was questioned
According to acting President Myricl
the gross receipts of the tournament ep-
proximated $11 900. Of which from 81,
500 to 5000 Is net and will be turned
over to War and Navy Departments
Commission on Training Camp Actiyi-
ties. The racquet with which Murray
completed the match. autographed by
the new champion, was raffied Off MUIR
ray picked the lucky number, S04. The
person holding that number may obtain
the racquet by calling at the Tennis As