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California Comet: Maurice McLoughlin A Californian Comet quickly blew the sedate, social and gentle nature of Lawn Tennis away at the turn of the century; his name was Maurice Evans McLoughlin and in the five years he competed at the top level, a new dawn arose, sprung from practice on the public courts of North Carolina, USA. The red haired McLoughlin was an all-out attacker, capitalising on the serve-volley method, which was first used at Wimbledon in 1881. He had a cannonball serve, an excellent smash and a masterful placement of the volley, which left opponents bewildered. Most top ranked American players had developed their games in exclusive country clubs, so it was a surprise for a tall 19-year-old, who had polished his game on municipal courts to lead tennis into a new era.
He opened the eyes of the American public to his game of speed, endurance and skill in 1909 as a 19-year-old, selected to play in the Davis Cup team with teenager Melville Long against Australasia in the Challenge Round. They were whitewashed but the lessons were learnt as McLoughlin reached five straight U.S. Championship finals from 1911, winning two (1912-13), losing in 1915 to "Little Bill" Johnston 1-6, 6-0, 7-5, 10-8. In his one venture to England in 1913, the United States regained the Davis Cup in front of a large crowd at Wimbledon. Staying on he contested the Challenge Round where he lost to Anthony Wilding having missed a set point at 5-4, 40-30 and was beaten 8-6, 6-3, 10-8. His game was a revelation to spectators worldwide and although the American's lost the 1914 Davis Cup to Australasia's Norman Brookes and Wilding that year, McLoughlin was at his peak, attracting 14,000 people to his 17-15, 6-3, 6-3 classic match against Brookes. He finished the year as the world's best player. After the match the annual review in the 'Tennis Guide' of 1915, commented that: "In McLoughlin America undoubtedly had the greatest tennis player of all time." He went to fight in World War I with the U.S. Army, but returned unrecognisable, his appetite lost for the game and his characteristic serve and speed diminished. He switched from tennis to golf, with some stating that his exertions on court had lead to his early demise. When he died on the 10th December 1957, the day he was to be inaugurated into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, commentators and players were unceasing in their tributes. The Californian Comet had been a man that had started the popularisation of tennis not only in America, but around the world too. Grand Slam Record Wimbledon Singles finalist 1913 U.S. Championships Singles winner 1912-13; Singles finalist 1911, 1914-15; Doubles winner 1912-14; Doubles finalist 1909, 1915-16 Tournament Record (inc. Davis Cup) United States Davis Cup team member 1909,
1911, 1913-14; winning side 1913; losing side 1909, 1911, 1914
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