ot
realize how difficult it is, or how greatly it will improve your stroke;
and it helps to complete concentration, which to my mind is one of the
chief attributes of success.

_The Back-hand Drive_ is taken in the same way as the fore-hand, only
with your position reversed. Here, too, you must not face the net, but
stand sideways. This time your right shoulder must face the net. The
position of your feet for a back-hand stroke is most important; it is
where so many beginners go wrong. Take a step towards the ball with your
right foot in front of your left, and with your weight at the start of
the stroke on the ball of your left foot. Swing your racket well back,
with its head raised above your wrist, and hit the ball firmly with the
centre of your racket. Be transferring your weight all the time from
your left foot to your right, and follow well through in the direction
of the flight of the ball. When playing a back-hand across the court,
from corner to corner, let your arm and shoulder on the follow through
be extended as far as they will go, and your body brought round to face
the net.

[Illustration: THE BACK-HAND DRIVE BEGINNING MIDDLE FINISH]

_The lob_ is a most important and useful stroke and should be constantly
practised. It is by no means an easy stroke to play really well and
accurately. It is generally a defensive shot, and makes your opponent
move from the net, unless she intends to be beaten by it. I am speaking,
of course, of the singles game. It is a useful stroke for giving you
breathing time if you are made to run about much, or for enabling you to
get back into position if you have been forced out of it. It is nearly
always best to lob to your opponent's back-hand, since the majority of
players are weaker there.

There are three kinds of lobs: (1) _The high lob_, sent well out of
reach of your opponent's racket, but with the disadvantage of taking
some time to reach the ground. Although it moves your opponent out
of her dangerous position right up at the net, there is time for her to
run back and return it. (2) _The low lob_, which only just passes over
your opponent's racket--a much more risky shot than the high lob, but
with the advantage of falling much quicker. If you succeed in getting
the ball out of her reach, it is almost certain to be a winning shot,
because she will not have time to turn and go after what is a very
fast-dropping ball. (3) _The lob-volley_ is one of the prettiest strokes