Figure D.BACK-HANDED STROKE.
Figure D.BACK-HANDED STROKE.
Figure D.
BACK-HANDED STROKE.
The "Lob"claims Mr. Haslow as its discoverer. This gentleman, chiefly owing to the agency of the stroke, succeeded in defeating the champion, Mr. Spencer-Gore, who first practised volleying tactics, in 1878. The "lob" is a useful invention against net play, being merely a stroke lifted high over the opponent's head, thus preventing a volleying return. The counter tactics to this stroke are technically known as the "smash," to which reference has already been made, and the "lob volley." The former of these two strokes consists in getting the racket—either by reach or springing into the air—above the ball and smashing it with all the strength at the player's command, to the confusion of the opponent, and the alarm and consternation of the bye-standers.The "lob" volleyconsists in catching the dropping ball with a vertical drive similar to the ordinary forward drive played off the ground.
Lady players will, as a general rule, find the back game quite as effective, and a good deal more graceful than forward or volleying tactics,which owing to various circumstances, such as the necessity for extra reach and freedom of movement—are more suited to a man's play than a woman's. The back game with the aid of judicious "placing" will always prove hard to beat, a few well-worn maxims for its successful issue being: to hit as hard, and to keep the ball as low as possible. Neither to court nor to avoid volleying, but to take it as it comes. To thoroughly master the art of "placing." Never to relax good style by slovenly play, and finally to follow in all cases the advice of a well-known authority, "To start at once, to arrive in time, and never to be in a hurry."
M. Marshall.
FOOTNOTES:[7]Lawn-Tennis, Chap. VII. Badminton Library. C. E. Heathcote.[8]Lawn-tennis, Chap. XVI.,Badminton Library.
[7]Lawn-Tennis, Chap. VII. Badminton Library. C. E. Heathcote.
[7]Lawn-Tennis, Chap. VII. Badminton Library. C. E. Heathcote.
[8]Lawn-tennis, Chap. XVI.,Badminton Library.
[8]Lawn-tennis, Chap. XVI.,Badminton Library.
Abeam: Said of an object that is in a line at right angles from the centre of a vessel's side.About: The act of a vessel going from one tack to the other, when working to windward.Abreast: Beam and beam; abeam. Two ships are said to be abreast when alongside of each other.A-lee: The situation of the tiller or helm when it is put down or to leeward, when going about, or luffing.All in the wind: When a vessel's sails are shaking from sailing too near the wind.A-weather: The opposite of a-lee. The helm is a-weather when "put up" in the direction of the wind to bear away for "gybing," "wearing," or merely to alter course and keep a point or so more off the wind.To back a sail: To bring the sail round so that the wind comes on its other side.Backstays: Large ropes used to support the masts. They come aft either side of the ship from the masthead.Balloon foresail or fore staysail: An enormous sail set on the forestay of cutters and schooners, and used for close-hauled sailing in light weather.Balloon-jib: An enormous jib made of light canvas carried by fore-and-aft rigged craft; the foot extendsfrom the bowsprit end to the fore-rigging. It is used when sailing from one to eight or nine points free.Balloon-Topsail: A square-headed gaff topsail of very large proportions, set with a yard and a jack-yard at clew; to the latter the sheet is bent.Battens: Strips of wood let into the mast to prevent its wearing. Strips of wood put round hatches over tarpaulins to keep the latter down. A batten of wood is also used for several purposes on a vessel's rigging. A thin splint of wood used by naval architects for making curved lines.Beam: The breadth of a ship. The midship side of a ship. Abaft the beam is behind the centre of the ship's side, and forward of the beam is in front of that centre. See also "Abeam."Bear away: To put the helm up and cause the vessel's head to go off the wind.Beating to windward: Making for a point to windward by short tacks.Belay: To make a rope fast to a pin or cavel, without hitching or seizing. "Belay there!" Stop hauling, and make fast.Bend: To attach a sail to a yard. To bend a cable is to attach it to an anchor. A knot by which two ropes are fastened together.Bight: The loop of a rope when doubled.Bilge-pieces: Placed on a vessel's side to support her when grounding.Blanketing: A slang term, used when one vessel covers or becalms another with her sails.Board: The distance a vessel traverses before tackingwhen working to windward. To make a "sternboard" is to make way by the stern, as a vessel will often do in a tideway or when in irons. To go "by the board" is said of a mast when it is carried away.Bobstay: A rope or chair with tackle and double blocks attached to the bowsprit end and stem of a vessel, and used to keep the bowsprit down when the jib is set.Boom: The spar that extends the foot of fore-and-aft sails.Bowline: A rope used to stretch taut the after leech of a sail when on a wind. A vessel is said to be on a bowline when close hauled.Bowsprit: A spar that extends from the bows of a vessel. A "running" bowsprit is such as a cutter has, and is horizontal, and can be reefed at pleasure.Brace: A rope by which a yard is worked.Break off: A vessel when close-hauled is said to break off when the wind comes more ahead.Bridle: Two or more ropes extending from the leech of a sail to which the bowline is attached.Cable length: 100 fathoms, or 200 yards. A cable length denoted on a chart is 607·5 feet.To Check-sheets: To ease them off.Claw: To beat to windward off a lee-shore, or generally to beat to windward when such is difficult on account of heavy weather.Cleat: A piece of wood used to belay ropes to.Clew: The after lower corner of a fore-and-aft sail.Clew-line: A line used to hoist up the lower corners of a sail.Close-hauled: When a vessel's sheets are hauled so flat that she sails as near the wind as possible. A schooner yacht will sail 4½ points off the wind, and a cutter about 4¼.Coamings: Pieces of timber forming a frame on the deck round a hatchway or skylight.Crank: Said of a vessel when she will not stand up well to her canvas. A narrow and deep vessel is sure to be "crank."Cross sea: A sea or swell caused by a wind different from that blowing at the time the cross sea is running.Cross-trees: Pieces of timber supported by the trestle-trees, used to spread the topmast rigging.Crutch: Forked pieces of timber or iron fixed into a socket of the taffrail, and used to support the boom when the mainsail is stowed.Cuddy: A cabin under the deck, put in the fore-part of small boats.Davits: Iron stanchions or pieces of timber fixed on a vessel's side or stern, to carry boats, they being hoisted to the davits by tackles.Earings: Small ropes used to fasten the upper corners of sails to the yards.Ease off, or Ease away: To slacken out the fall of a tackle, sheet, or any rope that is belayed.Ease the helm: To put the helm down when close-hauled, so that a vessel's head may enter a sea fairly. Generally to put the helm more amidships when it has been put either to port or starboard.Eyelet-hole: Holes in a sail through which a lacing is passed or reef nettles rove.Fair: Said of a wind which a vessel has when she can lay her course a point or any number of points free.Fetch: To arrive at a point when sailing to windward by weathering it.Fly up in the wind: Said of a vessel when she comes up suddenly head to wind, by reason of her griping or through the bad steering of the helmsman.Foot: The lower part of a sail or mast.Fore-and-aft sails: Sails that are set on gaffs and stays, and not on yards.Fore-reach: When close-hauled to sail ahead of another vessel. To fore-reach to windward is to sail ahead of a vessel and yet to windward of her at the same time.Free-wind: When a vessel has the wind so as not to be close-hauled. When the wind comes abeam or on the quarter, a vessel is said to be going large. A fair wind may mean free, large, or any wind that blows between 1-2 points of the compass from the point on which the vessel would be close-hauled.Gaskets: Ropes used to secure sails to their yards or booms when furled or stowed.Goose-winged: Said of a schooner whose mainsail and foresail are extended on opposite sides as she runs before the wind.Guy: A rope used to prevent a boom swinging aboard either fore or aft. In running before the wind a guy is often attached to the main boom of a schooner to prevent a sudden gybe.Gybe: When running before the wind, to bring the wind on the other side by putting up the helm, and thereby cause the sails to fall over.Halyards: The ropes used to hoist sails, yards, etc.Hatches: Openings in the decks.Haul aft a sheet: To haul a sail flatter or at a less angle to the wind.Haul her wind: Said of a vessel going free, when she comes up closer to the wind and flattens her sheets.Helm: Generally applied to the tiller, but properly it means the whole apparatus for steering.Housed: The situation of a topmast that has been lowered.In irons: A vessel is said to be in irons when in going about she comes up head to wind, and will not fill off one way or the other.Jack-stay: A stay along a mast or yard to which a sail is bent.Jack-yard: A small yard used to extend the foot of a fore-and-aft balloon topsail that extends beyond the end of the gaff.Jaws: The part of a gaff or boom which encircles the mast.Jib: A triangular sail set on a stay in square-rigged ships, and then called a standing jib.Jib-boom: A spar that extends beyond the bowsprit. A flying jib-boom is another spar that extends beyond the jib-boom.Jib-foresail: The fore-staysail of fore-and-aft schooners.Jib-purchase: A tackle used for setting up a jib.Jib-topsail: A triangular sail set on the fore-topmast stay of fore-and-aft vessels.Jib-traveller: The travelling ring that encircles thebowsprit to which the tack of a jib is secured and hauled out on the bowsprit or jib-boom, as the case may be.Larboard: Port. (Obsolete.)Large: A vessel is said to be going large when she has the wind three or four points free.Leech: The outer edge of a sail.Luff: To sail closer to the wind.Lug-sail: A sail set on a yard, as generally used in small boats.Main-boom: The spar that extends the foot of the mainsail of a fore-and-aft craft.Mainsheet: The sheet of a mainsail.Martingale: A short spar under the bowsprit, used to give more spread to the stays that set the bowsprit or jib-boom down.Nautical mile: 2025·2 yards: thus 13 knots or nautical miles are nearly equal to 15 statute miles.Nautical day: From noon till noon, 24 hours.Nothing off: Said to a helmsman when he has to keep a vessel as close to wind as practicable.Off-and-on: Working along a shore by standing off, and then on, by short boards.Painter: A rope attached to the bows of a boat, used to make her fast to a landing-place, etc.Preventer stays: Additional ropes set up taut to prevent spars carrying away when a vessel is under a press of canvas.Reef-points: Short pieces of rope by which the foot of a sail is secured when a reef is rolled up, or, as the nautical term has it, hauled down.Reef-tackles: The tackles by which the reef-pendants are hauled down.Schooner: A fore-and-aft rigged craft with two masts. Sometimes schooners carry square topsails, and then are distinguished by being called "square-topsail schooners."Spinnaker: A modern adaptation of a jib-shaped sail, often seen set from the top masthead and boomed out from the mast. It is made of light canvas, and hoists to the topmast-head, and is boomed out from the mast. Some cutters carry enormous spinnakers, containing in one sail nearly as much canvas as is spread in mainsail and topsail. A spinnaker is a very handy sail, and preferable to a squaresail in light weather.Steady!: An order after the helm has been put to port or starboard, to put it no farther in either direction, but bring it back amidships. When the wind is fair, an order given to a steersman to "Steady!" is to keep the helm as it is.Tack: The lower weather corner of a sail.To tack: To go about from one tack to the other.Tackle: A purchase composed of blocks and a rope, for multiplying power.Tail block: A tackle consisting of two blocks, to one of which is attached a length of rope for fastening to any object at pleasure.Taunt: Tall.Taut: Tight.Thwart: Athwart; across. The seat of a boat.Tiller: The bar of wood or iron by which the rudder is worked.Toggle: A pin placed through the bight or eye of a rope to secure it round a stay, mast, etc.Top a boom: To raise one end of it by hoisting on the topping-lifts.Topmast: The next mast to the lower mast; in ships, the topmast is succeeded by top-gallant mast and royal mast.Wear: To come round with the wind until it blows on the opposite side. In tacking, a vessel is turned round against the wind.Yaw: A vessel is said to yaw when in running she flies off her course.Yawl: A vessel rigged like a cutter, with the addition of a short mizzen-mast.
Abeam: Said of an object that is in a line at right angles from the centre of a vessel's side.
About: The act of a vessel going from one tack to the other, when working to windward.
Abreast: Beam and beam; abeam. Two ships are said to be abreast when alongside of each other.
A-lee: The situation of the tiller or helm when it is put down or to leeward, when going about, or luffing.
All in the wind: When a vessel's sails are shaking from sailing too near the wind.
A-weather: The opposite of a-lee. The helm is a-weather when "put up" in the direction of the wind to bear away for "gybing," "wearing," or merely to alter course and keep a point or so more off the wind.
To back a sail: To bring the sail round so that the wind comes on its other side.
Backstays: Large ropes used to support the masts. They come aft either side of the ship from the masthead.
Balloon foresail or fore staysail: An enormous sail set on the forestay of cutters and schooners, and used for close-hauled sailing in light weather.
Balloon-jib: An enormous jib made of light canvas carried by fore-and-aft rigged craft; the foot extendsfrom the bowsprit end to the fore-rigging. It is used when sailing from one to eight or nine points free.
Balloon-Topsail: A square-headed gaff topsail of very large proportions, set with a yard and a jack-yard at clew; to the latter the sheet is bent.
Battens: Strips of wood let into the mast to prevent its wearing. Strips of wood put round hatches over tarpaulins to keep the latter down. A batten of wood is also used for several purposes on a vessel's rigging. A thin splint of wood used by naval architects for making curved lines.
Beam: The breadth of a ship. The midship side of a ship. Abaft the beam is behind the centre of the ship's side, and forward of the beam is in front of that centre. See also "Abeam."
Bear away: To put the helm up and cause the vessel's head to go off the wind.
Beating to windward: Making for a point to windward by short tacks.
Belay: To make a rope fast to a pin or cavel, without hitching or seizing. "Belay there!" Stop hauling, and make fast.
Bend: To attach a sail to a yard. To bend a cable is to attach it to an anchor. A knot by which two ropes are fastened together.
Bight: The loop of a rope when doubled.
Bilge-pieces: Placed on a vessel's side to support her when grounding.
Blanketing: A slang term, used when one vessel covers or becalms another with her sails.
Board: The distance a vessel traverses before tackingwhen working to windward. To make a "sternboard" is to make way by the stern, as a vessel will often do in a tideway or when in irons. To go "by the board" is said of a mast when it is carried away.
Bobstay: A rope or chair with tackle and double blocks attached to the bowsprit end and stem of a vessel, and used to keep the bowsprit down when the jib is set.
Boom: The spar that extends the foot of fore-and-aft sails.
Bowline: A rope used to stretch taut the after leech of a sail when on a wind. A vessel is said to be on a bowline when close hauled.
Bowsprit: A spar that extends from the bows of a vessel. A "running" bowsprit is such as a cutter has, and is horizontal, and can be reefed at pleasure.
Brace: A rope by which a yard is worked.
Break off: A vessel when close-hauled is said to break off when the wind comes more ahead.
Bridle: Two or more ropes extending from the leech of a sail to which the bowline is attached.
Cable length: 100 fathoms, or 200 yards. A cable length denoted on a chart is 607·5 feet.
To Check-sheets: To ease them off.
Claw: To beat to windward off a lee-shore, or generally to beat to windward when such is difficult on account of heavy weather.
Cleat: A piece of wood used to belay ropes to.
Clew: The after lower corner of a fore-and-aft sail.
Clew-line: A line used to hoist up the lower corners of a sail.
Close-hauled: When a vessel's sheets are hauled so flat that she sails as near the wind as possible. A schooner yacht will sail 4½ points off the wind, and a cutter about 4¼.
Coamings: Pieces of timber forming a frame on the deck round a hatchway or skylight.
Crank: Said of a vessel when she will not stand up well to her canvas. A narrow and deep vessel is sure to be "crank."
Cross sea: A sea or swell caused by a wind different from that blowing at the time the cross sea is running.
Cross-trees: Pieces of timber supported by the trestle-trees, used to spread the topmast rigging.
Crutch: Forked pieces of timber or iron fixed into a socket of the taffrail, and used to support the boom when the mainsail is stowed.
Cuddy: A cabin under the deck, put in the fore-part of small boats.
Davits: Iron stanchions or pieces of timber fixed on a vessel's side or stern, to carry boats, they being hoisted to the davits by tackles.
Earings: Small ropes used to fasten the upper corners of sails to the yards.
Ease off, or Ease away: To slacken out the fall of a tackle, sheet, or any rope that is belayed.
Ease the helm: To put the helm down when close-hauled, so that a vessel's head may enter a sea fairly. Generally to put the helm more amidships when it has been put either to port or starboard.
Eyelet-hole: Holes in a sail through which a lacing is passed or reef nettles rove.
Fair: Said of a wind which a vessel has when she can lay her course a point or any number of points free.
Fetch: To arrive at a point when sailing to windward by weathering it.
Fly up in the wind: Said of a vessel when she comes up suddenly head to wind, by reason of her griping or through the bad steering of the helmsman.
Foot: The lower part of a sail or mast.
Fore-and-aft sails: Sails that are set on gaffs and stays, and not on yards.
Fore-reach: When close-hauled to sail ahead of another vessel. To fore-reach to windward is to sail ahead of a vessel and yet to windward of her at the same time.
Free-wind: When a vessel has the wind so as not to be close-hauled. When the wind comes abeam or on the quarter, a vessel is said to be going large. A fair wind may mean free, large, or any wind that blows between 1-2 points of the compass from the point on which the vessel would be close-hauled.
Gaskets: Ropes used to secure sails to their yards or booms when furled or stowed.
Goose-winged: Said of a schooner whose mainsail and foresail are extended on opposite sides as she runs before the wind.
Guy: A rope used to prevent a boom swinging aboard either fore or aft. In running before the wind a guy is often attached to the main boom of a schooner to prevent a sudden gybe.
Gybe: When running before the wind, to bring the wind on the other side by putting up the helm, and thereby cause the sails to fall over.
Halyards: The ropes used to hoist sails, yards, etc.
Hatches: Openings in the decks.
Haul aft a sheet: To haul a sail flatter or at a less angle to the wind.
Haul her wind: Said of a vessel going free, when she comes up closer to the wind and flattens her sheets.
Helm: Generally applied to the tiller, but properly it means the whole apparatus for steering.
Housed: The situation of a topmast that has been lowered.
In irons: A vessel is said to be in irons when in going about she comes up head to wind, and will not fill off one way or the other.
Jack-stay: A stay along a mast or yard to which a sail is bent.
Jack-yard: A small yard used to extend the foot of a fore-and-aft balloon topsail that extends beyond the end of the gaff.
Jaws: The part of a gaff or boom which encircles the mast.
Jib: A triangular sail set on a stay in square-rigged ships, and then called a standing jib.
Jib-boom: A spar that extends beyond the bowsprit. A flying jib-boom is another spar that extends beyond the jib-boom.
Jib-foresail: The fore-staysail of fore-and-aft schooners.
Jib-purchase: A tackle used for setting up a jib.
Jib-topsail: A triangular sail set on the fore-topmast stay of fore-and-aft vessels.
Jib-traveller: The travelling ring that encircles thebowsprit to which the tack of a jib is secured and hauled out on the bowsprit or jib-boom, as the case may be.
Larboard: Port. (Obsolete.)
Large: A vessel is said to be going large when she has the wind three or four points free.
Leech: The outer edge of a sail.
Luff: To sail closer to the wind.
Lug-sail: A sail set on a yard, as generally used in small boats.
Main-boom: The spar that extends the foot of the mainsail of a fore-and-aft craft.
Mainsheet: The sheet of a mainsail.
Martingale: A short spar under the bowsprit, used to give more spread to the stays that set the bowsprit or jib-boom down.
Nautical mile: 2025·2 yards: thus 13 knots or nautical miles are nearly equal to 15 statute miles.
Nautical day: From noon till noon, 24 hours.
Nothing off: Said to a helmsman when he has to keep a vessel as close to wind as practicable.
Off-and-on: Working along a shore by standing off, and then on, by short boards.
Painter: A rope attached to the bows of a boat, used to make her fast to a landing-place, etc.
Preventer stays: Additional ropes set up taut to prevent spars carrying away when a vessel is under a press of canvas.
Reef-points: Short pieces of rope by which the foot of a sail is secured when a reef is rolled up, or, as the nautical term has it, hauled down.
Reef-tackles: The tackles by which the reef-pendants are hauled down.
Schooner: A fore-and-aft rigged craft with two masts. Sometimes schooners carry square topsails, and then are distinguished by being called "square-topsail schooners."
Spinnaker: A modern adaptation of a jib-shaped sail, often seen set from the top masthead and boomed out from the mast. It is made of light canvas, and hoists to the topmast-head, and is boomed out from the mast. Some cutters carry enormous spinnakers, containing in one sail nearly as much canvas as is spread in mainsail and topsail. A spinnaker is a very handy sail, and preferable to a squaresail in light weather.
Steady!: An order after the helm has been put to port or starboard, to put it no farther in either direction, but bring it back amidships. When the wind is fair, an order given to a steersman to "Steady!" is to keep the helm as it is.
Tack: The lower weather corner of a sail.
To tack: To go about from one tack to the other.
Tackle: A purchase composed of blocks and a rope, for multiplying power.
Tail block: A tackle consisting of two blocks, to one of which is attached a length of rope for fastening to any object at pleasure.
Taunt: Tall.
Taut: Tight.
Thwart: Athwart; across. The seat of a boat.
Tiller: The bar of wood or iron by which the rudder is worked.
Toggle: A pin placed through the bight or eye of a rope to secure it round a stay, mast, etc.
Top a boom: To raise one end of it by hoisting on the topping-lifts.
Topmast: The next mast to the lower mast; in ships, the topmast is succeeded by top-gallant mast and royal mast.
Wear: To come round with the wind until it blows on the opposite side. In tacking, a vessel is turned round against the wind.
Yaw: A vessel is said to yaw when in running she flies off her course.
Yawl: A vessel rigged like a cutter, with the addition of a short mizzen-mast.
1.—For the single-handed game, the Court is 27 ft. in width and 78 ft. in length. It is divided across the middle by a net, the ends of which are attached to the tops of two posts, which stand 3 ft. outside the Court on each side. The height of the net is 3 ft. 6 in. at the posts, and 3 ft. at the centre. At each end of the Court, parallel with the net, and at a distance of 39 ft. from it, are drawn theBase-lines, the extremities of which are connected by theside-lines. Half-way between the side-lines, and parallel with them, is drawn thehalf-court-line, dividing the space on each side of the net into two equal parts, called theright and left courts. On each side of the net, at a distance of 21 ft. from it, and parallel with it, are drawn theservice-lines.
2.—The balls shall not be less than 2½ in., nor more than 2-9/16 in. in diameter; and not less than 1-7/8 oz., nor more than 2 oz. in weight.
3.—In matches where Umpires are appointed, their decision shall be final; but where a Referee is appointed, an appeal shall lie to him from the decision of an Umpire on a question of law.
4.—The choice of sides and the right of serving during the first games shall be decided by toss; provided that, if the winner of the toss choose the right to serve, the other player shall have the choice of sides, andvice-versâ; and provided that the winner of the toss may, if he prefer it, require the other player to make the first choice.
5.—The players shall stand on opposite sides of the net; the player who first delivers the ball shall be called theServer, the other theStriker-out.
6.—At the end of the first game the Striker-out shall become Server, and the Server shall become Striker-out; and so on alternately in the subsequent games of the set.
7.—The Server shall stand with one foot beyond (i.e., further from the net than) the base line, and with the other foot upon the base line, and shall deliver the service from the right and left Courts alternately, beginning from the right.
8.—The ball served must drop within the service-line, half-court-line, and side-line of the Court which is diagonally opposite to that from which it was served, or upon any such line.
9.—It is afaultif the service be delivered from the wrong Court, or if the Server do not stand as directed in Law 7, or if the ball served drop in the net or beyond the service-line, or if it drop out of Court or in the wrong Court; it is not afaultif the Server's foot, which is beyond the base-line, do not touch the ground at the moment at which the service is delivered.
10.—A fault may not be taken.
11.—After a fault, the Server shall serve again from the same Court from which he served that fault, unless it was a fault because served from the wrong Court.
12.—A fault may not be claimed after the next service has been delivered.
13.—The service may not bevolleyed,i.e., taken before it touches the ground.
14.—The Server shall not serve until the Striker-out is ready. If the latter attempt to return the service, he shall be deemed to be ready.
15.—A ball isin-playfrom the moment at which it is delivered in service (unless a fault) until it has been volleyed by the Striker-out in his first stroke, or has dropped in the net or out of Court, or has touched either of the players or anything that he wears or carries, except his racket in the act of striking, or has been struck by either of the players with his racket more than once consecutively, or has been volleyed before it has passed over the net, or has failed to pass over the net before its first bound (except as provided in Law 17), or has touched the ground twice consecutively on either side of the net, though the second time may be out of Court.
16.—It is aletif the ball served touch the net, provided the service be otherwise good; or if a service or fault be delivered when the Striker-out is not ready; or if either player be prevented by an accident beyond his control from serving or returning the ball in play. In case of a let, the service or stroke counts for nothing, and the server shall serve again.
17.—It is a good return although the ball touch the net, or, having passed outside either post, drop on or within any of the lines which bound the Court into which it is returned.
18.—The Server wins a stroke if the Striker-out volley the service, or fail to return the service or the ball in-play (except in the case of a let), or return the service or ball in play so that it drop outside any of the lines which bound his opponent's Court, or otherwise lose a stroke, as provided by Law 20.
19.—The Striker-out wins a stroke if the Server serve two consecutive faults, or fail to return the ball in-play (except in the case of a let), or return the ball in-play so that it drop outside any of the lines which bound his opponent's Court, or otherwise lose a stroke, as provided by Law 20.
20.—Either player loses a stroke if the ball in-play touch him or anything that he wears or carries, except his racket in the act of striking; or it he touch or strike the ball in-play with his racket more than once consecutively; 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.
21.—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 win the next stroke, he wins the game; if he lose the next stroke, the score is again called deuce; and so on until either player win the two strokes immediately following the score at deuce, when the game is scored for that player.
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 win the next stroke, he wins the game; if he lose the next stroke, the score is again called deuce; and so on until either player win the two strokes immediately following the score at deuce, when the game is scored for that player.
22.—The player who first wins six games wins a set; except as below:—
If both players win five games, the score is called games-all; and the next game won by either player is scored advantage-game for that player. If the same player win the next game, he wins the set; if he lose the next game, the score is again called games-all; and so on until either player win the two games immediately following the score of games-all, when he wins the set.
If both players win five games, the score is called games-all; and the next game won by either player is scored advantage-game for that player. If the same player win the next game, he wins the set; if he lose the next game, the score is again called games-all; and so on until either player win the two games immediately following the score of games-all, when he wins the set.
Note.—Players may agree not to play advantage-sets, but to decide the set by one game after arriving at the score of games-all.
23.—The players shall change sides at the end of every set, but the Umpire, on appeal from either party, before the toss for choice, shall direct the players to change sides at the end of thefirst, third, and every subsequent alternate game of each set, provided that in such event the players shall not change sides at the end of a set if the number of games in such set be even; but if the appeal be made after a match has been begun, the Umpire shall only direct the players to change sides at the end of thefirst, third, and every subsequent alternate game of the odd and concluding set.
24.—When a series of sets is played, the player who was Server in the last game of one set, shall be Striker-out in the first game of the next.
25.—In the case of received odds:—
a.One sixth of fifteen is one stroke given in every six games of a set in the position shown by the annexed table.b.Similarly, two-sixths, three-sixths, four-sixths, and five-sixths of fifteen are respectively two, three, four, and five strokes given in every six games of a set in the position shown by the table.
a.One sixth of fifteen is one stroke given in every six games of a set in the position shown by the annexed table.
b.Similarly, two-sixths, three-sixths, four-sixths, and five-sixths of fifteen are respectively two, three, four, and five strokes given in every six games of a set in the position shown by the table.
Example.—A player receiving four-sixths of fifteen receives nothing in the first and third games, and fifteen in the second, fourth, fifth and sixth games of a set.
Note.—The table is not carried beyond the sixth game, as in the next and every succeeding six games the odds recur in the same positions.
c.The above odds may be given in augmentation of other receiving odds.d.Fifteen is one stroke given at the beginning of every game of a set.e.Thirty is two strokes given at the beginning of every game of a set.f.Forty is three strokes given at the beginning of every game of a set.
c.The above odds may be given in augmentation of other receiving odds.
d.Fifteen is one stroke given at the beginning of every game of a set.
e.Thirty is two strokes given at the beginning of every game of a set.
f.Forty is three strokes given at the beginning of every game of a set.
26.—In the case of owed odds:
a.One-sixth of fifteen is one stroke owed in every six games of a set in the position shown by the annexed table.b.Similarly, two-sixths, three-sixths, four-sixths, and five-sixths of fifteen are respectively two, three, four, and five strokes owed in every six games of a set in the position shown by the following table:
a.One-sixth of fifteen is one stroke owed in every six games of a set in the position shown by the annexed table.
b.Similarly, two-sixths, three-sixths, four-sixths, and five-sixths of fifteen are respectively two, three, four, and five strokes owed in every six games of a set in the position shown by the following table:
Example.—A player owing two-sixths of fifteen would owe fifteen in the first and third games, and nothing in the second, fourth, fifth, and sixth games.
Note.—The table is not carried beyond the sixth game, as in the next and every succeeding six games the odds recur in the same positions.
c.The above odds may be owed in augmentation of other owed odds.
c.The above odds may be owed in augmentation of other owed odds.
d.Fifteen is one stroke owed at the beginning of every game of a set.e.Thirty is two strokes owed at the beginning of every game of a set.f.Forty is three strokes owed at the beginning of every game of a set.
d.Fifteen is one stroke owed at the beginning of every game of a set.
e.Thirty is two strokes owed at the beginning of every game of a set.
f.Forty is three strokes owed at the beginning of every game of a set.
27.—The above laws shall apply to the three-handed and four-handed games, except as below.
28.—For the three-handed and four-handed games, the Court is 36 ft. in width. Within the side-lines, at a distance of 4½ ft. from them, and parallel with them, are drawn the service-side-lines. In other respects the Court is similar to that which is described in Law 1.
29.—In the three-handed game, the single player shall serve in every alternate game.
30.—In the four-handed game, the pair who have the right to serve in the first game may decide which partner shall do so, and the opposing pair may decide similarly for the second game. The partner of the player who served in the first game shall serve in the third; and the partner of the player who served in the second game shall serve in the fourth, and so on in the same order in all the subsequent games of a set.
31.—The players shall take the service alternately throughout each game; no player shall receive or return a service delivered to his partner; and the order of service and of striking out, once arranged, shall not be altered, nor shall the Striker-out change Courts to receive the service before the end of the set.
32.—The ball served must drop within the service-line, half-court-line, and service-side-line of the Court, which is diagonally opposite to that from which it was served, or upon any such line.
33.—It is afaultif the ball do not drop as provided in Law 32, or if it touch the Server's partner, or anything that he wears or carries.
34.—If a player serve out of his turn, the Umpire, as soon as the mistake is discovered by himself or by one of the players, shall direct the player to serve who ought to have served; but all strokes scored, and any fault served before such discovery, shall be reckoned. If a game shall have been completed before such discovery, then theservice in the next alternate game shall be delivered by the partner of the player who served out of his turn; and so on in regular rotation.
(Revised and approved by the Council of the Lawn-Tennis Association.)
1.—In no case may the Striker-out volley the service, not even if the ball is clearly outside the service court.
2.—A player who is struck by, or strikes a ballin play(unless he thereby makes a good return) loses the stroke, no matter whether he is standing within the limits of the court or outside them. (For definition of "in play" see Law 15.)
3.—If the service is delivered before the Striker-out is ready, and he tries to return it, but fails, he loses the stroke.
4.—If the Striker-out cries "not ready" after the service has been delivered, but before the ball touches the ground, he may not claim a fault because the ball ultimately drops outside the service Court.
5.—If the Server, in attempting to serve, misses the ball altogether, it does not count as a fault, but it the ball is touched, no matter how slightly, by the racket, a service is thereby delivered and the rules governing the service at once apply.
6.—If a ball, served or returned, drops into the proper Court and screws or is blown back over the net, the player whose turn it is to strike may reach over the net and play the ball, provided that neither he nor any part of his clothes or racket touch the net. If he fails to play the ball, the stroke of course scores to his opponent, notwithstanding that the ball has gone back over the net.
7.—If a player throws his racket at the ball and so returns the ball into the proper Court, he loses the stroke.
8.—If a player catches the balls on his racket, walks with it to the net, and, reaching over, drops it into Court, he loses the stroke, as such a proceeding cannot be defined as an "act of striking" (videlaw 15).
9.—If a player's racket passes over the net after he has returned the ball, he does not lose, providing the ball has passed over the net before being played, and has been properly returned.
10.—If a player or his racket touches the posts or supports of the net or posts while the ball is in-play, he loses the stroke. (For definition of "in-play" see law 15.)
II.—If a player's racket slips out of his hand and touches the net while the ball is in-play, he loses the stroke.
12.—If a player to avoid touching the net, jumps over it while the ball is in play, he loses the stroke.
13.—If a ball is returned outside the posts, either above or below the level of the top of the net, and drops into Court, it is a good return.
14.—If a player succeeds in returning a ball served or in-play which strikes a ball lying in the Court, it is a good return.
15.—If a spectator impedes, or in any way interferes with, a player, a "let" may be allowed under Law 16.
16.—A "let" does not annul a previous fault.
17.—The service always commences from the right-hand Court, even though odds are given or owed, and the service always continues alternately from the right and left Courts.
18.—If an Umpire erroneously calls "fault" and at once corrects himself and cries "play," and the striker-out tails to return the ball, a "let" must be allowed.
19.—If the ball in play (other than a service) strikes any part of the net or its supports, or the centre stay, no matter how low down (provided it does not touch the ground), and eventually goes over into the proper Court, it is a good return.
20.—If in a double game the Server's service strikeseitherof his opponents, he wins the stroke.
21.—If a match is postponed on account of rain or darkness coming on, or for any similar reason, and is continued on the subsequent day, the match shall be resumed from the point where it was discontinued on the previous day. An entirely new commencement may only be made with the consent of the Referee.
22.—If two players in a handicap play at the wrong odds, the match stands, unless they have been wrongly instructed by the referee, or any person or persons acting under his instructions, in which case the loser may claim to have the match replayed, unless the mistake in the odds has been in his favour. Such claim must be made within a reasonable time.
23.—A similar decision must be given if two players neglect to play advantage sets when one of the conditions of the event in which they are competing is that advantage sets should be played.
When two players, both in receipt of odds, meet, the player receiving the smaller odds is put back to scratch. The following Table shows the point at which the other should then start. The number at the left of the horizontal columns denotes the player who goes back to scratch, those at the head of the vertical columns the player who still receives odds; and the numbers within the columns show the odds to be received by the player whose number stands at the head of the column:
This table has been calculated upon the following data:—
When two players meet who are handicapped tooweodds, the player owing the lesser odds is placed at scratch. This Table shows the odds the other will still owe:
This table has been calculated upon the following data:—
In using this table, supply throughout the word "owe" before the odds specified.
1.—At Prize Meetings promoted by associations or clubs affiliated to the Lawn-Tennis Association, the laws of lawn-tennis for the time being sanctioned by the Lawn-Tennis Association, and the regulations hereinafter contained, shall be observed.
2.—All details connected with any Prize Meeting shall be settled by the Committee of the club holding the meeting, or by a Committee specially appointed for the purpose, of whom two, or such larger number as the Committee may determine, shall form a quorum.
3.—A circular shall be issued by the Committee specifying the conditions of the competition (see Recommendation 5).
4.—No cheques, orders for money, or cash payments in any form shall be given as prizes, and the amount actually paid for each prize shall in no case be below the advertised value of the same.
5.—The Committee shall elect a Referee, with power to appoint a substitute to be approved by them.
6.—The Referee, or such other member or members of the Committee as may be selected for the purpose, shall have power to appoint Umpires, and the Referee shall decide any point of law which an Umpire may profess himself unable to decide, or which may be referred to him on appeal from the decision of an Umpire.
7.—The Referee shall, during the Meeting, beex-officioa member of the Committee.
8.—The Courts shall be allotted to the Competitors, and the Competitors shall be called upon to play, by a member or members of the Committee, to be selected for the purpose, and in case of disagreement the Committee shall decide.
9.—The Committee shall help to keep order on the ground, and shall consult and decide upon any question arising out of the competition, if summoned for that purpose by the Referee or by any two of their number; and they shall have power, when so convened, the misconduct of a Competitor having been reported to them by a member of the Committee or an Umpire, to disqualify the offender, and further to order him off the ground, should his misconduct appear to them to justify such action, but before such action shall be taken, an opportunity of offering an explanation shall be afforded to the Competitor whose misconduct has been reported to them.
10.—It is the duty of an Umpire—