Robert Lindley Murray

Tennis In June 1914, Murray won the New York Metropolitan title defeating Fred Alexander in the final in five sets, and in August, he won the Meadow Club Cup at Southampton, New York, beating Watson Washburn in the final in three straight sets.

Murray won his first national tennis title in February 1916 when he became the singles champion at the U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships, played at the Seventh Regiment Armory in New York. In the final, he defeated Alrick Man in three sets 6–2, 6–2, 9–7.

He won the U.S. National Championship men's singles title in 1917 and 1918. The tournaments were renamed National Patriotic Tournaments in support of the war effort. No trophies were handed out to the winners, and the entrance fees were dedicated to the Red Cross. In 1917, Murray defeated Bostonian Nathaniel W. Niles in four sets. Murray did not intend to play the 1918 National Patriotic Tournament as his skills as chemical engineer were considered too important for him to play during wartime. Only after a lengthy effort to persuade him by Elon Hooker, the president of his company, did Murray consent to play.

In the USLTA national rankings, he was the U.S. No. 1 in 1918, and was ranked fourth in 1914, 1916 and 1919.

Grand Slam finals

Singles (2 titles) ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScoreWin 1917 U.S. Championships Grass Nathaniel W. Niles 5–7, 8–6, 6–3, 6–3Win 1918 U.S. Championships Grass Bill Tilden 6–3, 6–1, 7–5

Personal life Murray died on January 17, 1970, in Lewiston Heights, New York.