should, in fact, stoop so that your eye is level with the flight of the
ball. The late Mr. H.S. Mahony used to say that if girls would only bend
down more to the ball they would be able to volley much better. You
should not swing back as far for a volley as for a ground stroke, nor
relax a firm grip of your racket, remembering to follow through to the
place you wish the ball to go. In overhead work it is most important to
remember the oft-repeated maxim: "Keep your eye on the ball." Watch it
up to the moment of striking. Do not always "smash" every overhead ball
when a well-placed volley will win the ace just as well. It is a waste
of much-needed strength, and there is a greater risk of making a
mistake. For a _smash_ the right shoulder should be down and well under
the ball, the head and weight well back, the weight transferred at the
moment of striking from the right to the left leg, the body balanced
with extended left arm, and the body-weight brought right on to the ball
as it is hit. Finish to the left of your left knee as in the service.

CHAPTER III

MATCH AND TOURNAMENT PLAY

When you have acquired a certain knowledge of the game and can play the
various strokes in the correct way, then, as I have said, tournament and
match play is the very best method of improvement. I would emphasize the
need for a certain standard of efficiency, because I am convinced that
at the present time there are too many weak players competing at open
meetings. The style of these players has only to be watched to be
condemned, and their knowledge of the game is hopelessly limited.
Invariably making strokes in a wrong way, tournament play only serves to
consolidate weaknesses and check advance.

But assuming you have practised on sound lines and are fit to take part
in what, after all, should be a test of trained skill, tournaments will
then be a great help to you. You will more often than not play against
better players than yourself--an advantage denied you in practice--and
against all varieties of attack and defence. You have the chance of
watching first-class matches and learning at first hand how the
different strokes should be played. You should be careful, however, to
limit the number of your tournaments, especially when the excitement and
strain are new to you; otherwise you will do much more harm than good. I
am convinced that, generally speaking, players attend too many meetings.
Instead of their play improving, i