How to amuse yourself and others

by Lina Beard; Adelia B. Beard

12. A service or fault, delivered when the striker-out is not ready counts for nothing.

13. The service shall not be volleyed, i.e., taken, before it has touched the ground.

14. A ball is in play on leaving the server’s racket, except as provided for in law 6.

15. It is a good return, although the ball touch the net; but a service, otherwise good, which touches the net, shall count for nothing.

16. The server wins a stroke if the striker-out volley the service, or if he fail to return the service or the ball in play; or if he return the service or the ball in play so that it drops outside of his opponent’s court; or if he otherwise lose a stroke, as provided by law 18.

17. The striker-out wins a stroke if the server serve two consecutive faults; or if he fail to return the ball in play; or if he return the ball in play so that it drops outside of his opponent’s court; or if he otherwise lose a stroke as provided by law 18.

18. Either player loses a stroke if he return the service or the ball in play so that it touches a post of the net; or if the ball touch him or anything that he wears or carries, except his racket in the act of striking; or if he touch the ball with his racket more than once; or if he touch the net or any of its supports while the ball is in play; or if he volley the ball before it has passed the net.

19. In case any player is obstructed by any accident, the ball shall be considered a let.

20. On either player winning his first stroke, the score is called 15 for that player; on either player winning his second stroke, the score is called 30 for that player; on either player winning his third stroke, the score is called 40 for that player; and the fourth stroke won by either player is scored game for that player, except as below: If both players have won three strokes, the score is called deuce; and the next stroke won by either player is scored advantage for that player. If the same player wins the next stroke, he wins the game; if he loses the next stroke the score returns to deuce; and so on, until one player wins the two strokes immediately following the score of deuce, when game is scored for that player.