Lawn-tennis

by James Dwight

The server should follow up his service at once, so as to volley the return. If he serves a fault, let him serve again very slowly and up in the air, so as to give himself time to get to the service-line and into position before the return can reach him. If he serves a ball of medium pace he will probably have to volley while on the run, and the return may strike the ground in front of him so that he will have to half-volley.

The striker-out takes the service in about the same position as in the single game. His partner should stand a little behind the service-line, and near the middle of his court, so as to have a chance of saving the ball should the striker-out make a weak return of the service. If the service is well returned, he should run forward into his place, which is about a yard in front of the service-line, and near enough to his own side-line to protect it. If the first service is a fault, he should go forward at once, as his partner should have no trouble in dealing with the second service, and he himself needs to be in his own place for the opponent’s first return.

Where should the return of the service be placed? A fast service should always be placed across court, because the server’s partner is standing in front of the striker-out, and has a much better chance to make a severe volley than the server who is running up. A second service can be played in several ways. The server has no doubt followed up his service, and if he has served slowly enough he will be up to the service-line, and both sides of the court will be covered. Still, one can often put the ball between the two players so that neither can get it easily, and I fancy this stroke most for a return of the second service. You sometimes, of course, get a chance to play down the side-line, because your opponent on that side has come in too far toward the middle of the court.

If there seems to be no opening, one may be able to make a slow stroke that will drop enough to force a half-volley. If such a stroke is too difficult, the best thing to do is to hit directly at one of the opponents, for a ball that comes directly at one’s body is seldom as easy to volley as a ball a little to one side.

You can also try playing to the side of the court so as to force one of your opponents out to the side-line, and thus make a gap between him and his partner.

A very pretty stroke off the second service is to play the ball very slowly directly across the court almost parallel with the net. The ball should strike just inside the side-line. This can be done only when the service bounds high and not far back in the court. It is an essential part of the stroke that it should be made slowly, or the ball must go out of court. The server has not time to get forward before the ball touches the ground, and if he returns it at all it will usually be by a half-volley.

When all four players are in position for volleying, one is often puzzled where to put the ball, as there seems to be no place left vacant for it. The same principles apply here as in the return of the second service, except that the server has had time to place himself. You must work for an opening by driving one of your opponents out of place, or you must try to make one of them half-volley, which may give a chance for a smash, or must simply keep on returning the balls and trust that a mistake will give you the opportunity to kill which he cannot make for yourself.

Against weaker players one can well afford to take no risks and wait for a chance, but against better players this will not prove a winning game, and it will pay to try to make an opening better than to wait for one.

A player should try to keep far enough forward to volley before the ball can drop, for if he is forced to half-volley he is almost sure to give his opponent a chance to kill.

One can smash more safely in the double game, because the court is larger. It is also necessary to volley harder to kill than in the single game, as the court is more fully covered.