,illustration3 ,mrs4 ,lambert ,chambers ,,lawn ,,tennis ,,for ,,ladies ,,by ,,mrs4 ,,lambert ,,chambers ,,with ,,twenty-,,three ,,illustrations ,first published in #aiaj1 ,london ,,to ,,my ,,father ,,whose ,,keenness ,,and ,,encouragement ,,have ,,always ,,been ,,such ,a ,,great ,,help ,,to ,,me ,,during ,,my ,,lawn ,,tennis ,,career ,,preface ,as a rule an author writes a preface to explain or to apologize for a book4 ,i shall do neither3 ,i have tried to explain my meaning simply and clearly in the book itself1 and ,i am optimistic enough to think that my favourite game is too popular to require an apology for increasing its literature1 however unpretentious the attempt may be4 ,moreover1 ,i am still too much affected by the brilliant and feverish glow of enthusiasm to dream of offering one4 ,two things only ,i wish to say4 ,first1 that ,i am writing with no academic pride1 but only with a passionate fondness for what ,i consider a great sport1 and with a keen desire to make others equally devoted4 ,secondly1 ,i should like to thank all those who have assisted me with suggestions and the loan of photographs1 especially my arena colleagues who have rallied round me so graphically in the last chapter4 ,,dorothea ,,lambert ,,chambers ,,contents ,i4 ,,athletics ,,for ,,girls ,,ii4 ,,practice1 ,,and ,,how ,,to ,,improve ,,iii4 ,,match ,,and ,,tournament ,,play ,,iv4 ,,rackets1 ,,courts1 ,,dress1 ,,and ,,training ,v4 ,,tournament ,,and ,,club ,,management ,,vi4 ,,some ,,personal ,,reminiscences ,,vii4 ,,my ,,most ,,memorable ,,match 7,,by ,,leading ,,players7 ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations ,,mrs4 ,,lambert ,,chambers ,,wimbledon1 #aije3 ,,miss ,,may ,,sutton ,,winning ,,the ,,ladies' ,,championship ,,for ,,the ,,first ,,time ,from a photograph by ,bowden ,brothers4 ,,the ,,fore-,,hand ,,drive ,,the ,,back-,,hand ,,drive ,,service ,from photographs by ,dexter4 ,,mrs4 ,g4,w4 ,,hillyard ,,and ,,mr4 ,,norman ,,brookes ,,miss ,,pinckney ,,and ,,mr4 ,g4,w4 ,,hillyard ,,miss ,d4,k4 ,,douglass ,,and ,,mr4 ,a4,f4 ,,wilding ,,miss ,,eastlake ,,smith ,,and ,,mr4 ,r4,f4 ,,doherty ,,miss ,,may ,,sutton1 ,,who ,,won ,,the ,,ladies' ,,championship ,,at ,,wimbledon1 #aije1 #aijg ,from a photograph by ,bowden ,brothers4 ,,on ,,tour3 ,,the ,,late ,,miss ,c4 ,,meyer1 ,,miss ,,pinckney1 ,,and ,,miss ,e4,w4 ,,thomson 7,,mrs4 ,,larcombe7 ,,group ,,players ,,at ,,the ,,newcastle ,,tournament1 #aijb ,,after ,,the ,,ladies' ,,final ,,at ,,wimbledon3 ,,tea ,,on ,,the ,,lawns ,from a photograph by ,bowden ,brothers4 ,a ,,tournament ,,house-,,party ,,at ,,newcastle ,,my ,,sisters ,,and ,,myself ,a picture-postcard sent to ,mrs4 ,lambert ,chambers by ,miss ,may ,sutton from her home in ,california4 ,,autographs ,,from ,,my ,,album ,,some ,,of ,,the ,,fruits ,,of ,,victory ,,the ,,challenge ,,round ,,at ,,wimbledon1 #aije3 ,,miss ,,sutton 7,,america7 v4 ,,miss ,d4,k4 ,,douglass ,from a photograph by ,bowden ,brothers4 ,,motor-,,cars ,,waiting ,,outside ,,the ,,all ,,england ,,ground ,,at ,,wimbledon ,,during ,,the ,,ladies' ,,challenge ,,round1 #aijf ,,wimbledon1 #aijf3 ,,miss ,,douglass 7now ,,mrs4 ,,lambert ,,chambers7 ,,wresting ,,the ,,championship ,,from ,,miss ,,sutton1 ,,the ,,holder ,,mrs4 ,,hillyard ,,mrs4 ,,sterry ,,miss ,v4,m4 ,,pinckney ,,miss ,d4 ,,boothby ,from a photograph by ,g4 ,r4 ,lavis1 ,eastbourne4 ,,mrs4 ,,larcombe ,,mrs4 ,,lamplough ,,miss ,a4,m4 ,,morton ,,miss ,a4,n4,g4 ,,greene ,from a photograph by ,g4 ,r4 ,lavis1 ,eastbourne4 ,,lawn ,,tennis ,,for ,,ladies ,,chapter ,i ,,athletics ,,for ,,girls ,i hope and believe there are comparatively few people who will deny that athletics have done much for the health and mind of the modern girl4 ,exercise in some form or other is essential1 and although ,i am quite ready to admit that games of the strenuous type1 such as hockey and lawn tennis1 can be and sometimes are overdone1 yet the girl of to-day1 who enters into and enjoys her game with scarcely less zest than her brother1 is1 ,i am convinced1 better in health and happier in herself than the girl of the past generation4 ,what are the objections to games for girls8 ,it seems to me the chief arguments against them are 7#a7 that they are injurious to health2 7#b7 that they impair the womanliness of woman2 7#c7 that they mar her appearance4 ,there may be something to be said for these contentions1 but to my mind the pros materially outweigh the cons4 ,as to the injury to health1 ,i deny that the case is proved4 ,indeed1 evidence is rarely forthcoming4 ,a delicate girl would probably become more delicate if she did not play games in moderation and take exercise4 ,a friend of mine1 an old doctor1 told me the other day that in his youth the great plague of his life was the hysterical female4 ,she would put in an appearance obtrusively at critical moments1 and the anticipation of a scene always shadowed his arrangements4 ,we rarely see this type now4 ,games have driven her away4 ,the woman of the present generation is calm1 collected1 and free from emotional outbursts1 and ,i believe that invigorating outdoor exercise is the chief cause4 ,as to the second objection1 the injury to the womanliness of woman1 the answer depends on what is meant by the essential feature of womanliness4 ,i am afraid most people1 including most men1 say with ,hamlet1 ,frailty1 thy name is woman4 ,womanliness to most men implies just frailty4 ,they may perhaps call it delicacy1 and refer to the weaker sex1 but they mean that just as a man's glory is his strength1 so a woman's glory is her weakness4 ,they argue that you must impair this weakness by strenuous games4 ,is this true8 ,is the essential feature of a woman her weakness1 just as the essential feature of a man is his strength1 not merely physical1 but mental and moral strength8 ,i do not think so4 ,woman is a second edition of man1 if you will2 therefore1 like most second editions1 an improvement on the first6 ,as ,lessing puts it1 ,nature meant to make woman its masterpiece4 ,i well remember reading in a stirring narrative of the ,indian ,mutiny how a small party of ,english men and women were besieged in their quarters by a body of rebels1 and while the men fought at the windows and doors the women were busy preparing ammunition1 loading guns1 bandaging wounds1 and zealously cheering their war-worn defenders4 ,when victory was at length achieved1 the men asked themselves what would have happened but for the women4 ,that1 to my mind1 was a picture of true womanliness4 ,inferior in neither moral strength nor brain-power1 the true woman is a helpmeet1 or man's complement1 giving him just the special form of strength in body and soul that he needs for the special experience4 ,if this1 then1 be womanliness1 can athletic games injure it8 ,do they spoil woman's usefulness as a woman8 ,do they damage her specific excellence8 ,do they tend to give her less endurance and nerve at critical times8 ,i do not think so4 ,certainly lawn tennis does not4 ,it is undoubtedly a strenuous game4 ,there is more energy of physical frame1 more brain-tax and will-discipline demanded in one hardly contested match than would suffice for a whole day's devotion to many other games4 ,these requirements must help a woman1 and in the possession of the qualities that games bestow athletic girls have a great pull over their sisters4 ,if you are skilled and well drilled in discipline and sportsmanship1 you are bound to benefit in the strife of the world4 ,you are the better able to face disappointments and sorrows4 ,for what do these strenuous games mean8 ,exercise in the open air1 and exercise of a thorough and engrossing character1 carried out with cheerful and stimulating surroundings1 with scientific methods1 rational aims1 and absorbing chances4 ,surely that is the foundation of health culture4 ,the truth is1 games have done for women what the dervish's subtle prescription did for the sick sultan4 ,you perhaps remember the story4 ,the sultan1 having very bad health from over-feeding1 sedentary habits1 and luxurious ease1 consulted the clever dervish4 ,the dervish knew that it would be useless to recommend the sultan simply to take exercise4 ,he therefore said to him1 ,here is a ball1 which ,i have stuffed with certain rare and costly medicinal herbs1 and here is a bat1 the handle of which ,i have also stuffed with similar herbs4 ,your highness must take this bat and with it beat about this ball until you perspire freely4 ,you must do this every day4 ,his highness acquiesced1 and in a short time the exercise of playing bat and ball with the dervish greatly improved his health1 and by degrees cured him of his ailment4 ,now1 the tennis ball1 to my mind1 is stuffed with medicinal herbs which impart vigour and health to the player4 ,the racket is possessed with a magic handle that has the power of quickening all the pulses of life in the plenitude of healthy vigour and wholesome excitement4 ,in a medical book now before me the subject is put tersely thus3 ,health and strength depend on rapid disorganisation1 and rapid disorganisation depends on rapid exertion4 ,now1 if this is true1 what better and more interesting method of rapid exertion could be devised than a game of lawn tennis8 ,body and mind alike are wholly absorbed with the utmost rapidity1 and there is no doubt the sense of refreshment is largely due to the rapid exertion demanded for the proper playing of the game4 ,the medical book goes on to say1 ,during exertion we drink1 as it were1 oxygen from the air4 ,this oxygen is the only stimulating drink we can take with lasting advantage to ourselves for the purpose of invigorating our strength4 ,it is the wine and spirit of life1 an abundance of which ,nature has supplied us with ready-made4 ,if you are low-spirited1 drink oxygen4 ,take active exercise in the open air and inhale it4 ,when next you see a lawn tennis player hard at a strenuous game1 remember he or she is not necessarily overstraining or injuring health1 but taking long1 deep draughts of oxygen1 imbibing the wine and spirit of life and laying up a store of vigour in readiness for the varied experiences of life4 ,of all games lawn tennis is the one most suited to girls4 ,its claims are many and potent4 ,it is strenuous and very hard work1 but if not overdone it is not too taxing for the average girl4 ,the exercise depends naturally upon the nature of the game played and the players engaged1 from the championships to the garden-party patball game4 ,the greater the knowledge of the game the greater the enjoyment and benefit derived from it1 and there is really no reason why a girl should not excel at the game and therefore thoroughly appreciate and enjoy it4 ,it is not physical and brute strength that is wanted so much as scientific application--finesse1 skill1 and delicacy of touch1 all of which women are just as capable of exercising as men4 ,i am well aware that if you compare the lady champion of any year with any first-class man of the same year you will find a great disparity between their actual play4 ,that is to say1 the first-class man would be able to give the lady champion thirty or even more in order to have a close struggle4 ,i have often played ,mr4 ,r4,f4 ,doherty at the tremendous odds of receive half-forty1 and have not always been returned the winner at that6 ,i wonder sometimes why there is this pronounced discrepancy4 ,garments may make a little difference1 but they do not account for it all4 ,i think perhaps that man's stronger physique1 naturally greater activity1 and severer strokes prevent the girl from playing her own game4 ,she has to be nearly always on the defensive1 and thus plays with less accuracy and power4 ,another claim lawn tennis has for girls is that it is not an expensive game4 ,it is more or less within the reach of all1 rich or poor4 ,it can be played on one's own lawn or at any of the numerous clubs situated all over the world1 or even nowadays in some of the public parks4 ,the time required to play a game is not excessive4 ,the implements1 rackets1 balls1 nets1 etc41 are neither numerous nor prohibitive in price4 ,the club subscriptions are moderate1 and the actual expenses of pursuing the game are small as compared with golf4 ,illustration3 ,,wimbledon1 #aije3 ,,miss ,,may ,,sutton ,,winning ,,the ,,ladies' ,,championship ,,for ,,the ,,first ,,time4 ,,she ,,beat ,,miss ,,douglass ,,in ,,the ,,challenge ,,round4 ,then1 again1 lawn tennis is not difficult to learn1 although of course by this ,i do not mean that it is an easy game to play well--far from it4 ,but a rudimentary idea of it suffices to give any one a good deal of healthy exercise and enjoyment1 and provided that one is keen and wishes to improve1 and possesses what is known as a good games' eye1 there is no reason why advance should not be rapid4 ,it is also a pastime in which women can combine with and compete against men without in any way spoiling the game2 and mixed doubles1 to which ,i refer1 are perhaps the most popular department with the average spectator4 ,i think ,i am not wrong in saying that there is no other game at the present time in which this combination of the sexes does not tend to minimize the enjoyment of the player and the interest of the spectator4 ,a mixed foursome at golf is poor sort of fun for the man1 unless the ladies are quite first-class2 the game is rather spoilt for him4 ,mixed hockey is an abomination2 splendid sport absolutely spoiled for both sexes4 ,but a mixed double at lawn tennis seems like a distinct game1 so different is it to the other forms of lawn tennis and so well adapted to the combination of both sexes4 ,then it is asserted that strenuous games mar the appearance of girls4 ,this charge was very deliberately brought against hockey for women some little time ago in an influential ,london journal1 and was rightly and promptly answered by a spirited article with illustrations of some well-known lady hockey players--proof positive of the fallacy that hockey damaged their appearance4 ,i am afraid most of these contortions are the product of the snapshot camera4 ,it must be remembered that instantaneous photographs show players of games as they are really never seen4 ,girls are doubtless in the ungraceful position represented for a fraction of a second2 but the time is too short for the eye to see1 although the camera1 worse luck1 catches the view1 and what is more1 registers it for ever6 ,though a girl should always try to be as neat and look as nice as she possibly can1 even when playing a strenuous game1 it is hardly possible or natural to be just so every second of a long struggle4 ,in fact1 ,i think it is more interesting to see a girl not absolutely immobile4 ,i prefer that she should show some signs of excitement1 that her muscles should be strained and her face set4 ,this has a very real pleasure of its own1 and ,i do not think it unsightly4 ,public speaking and singing may distort the mouth and disturb the facial muscles to a most ludicrous extent and give the eyes quite an unnatural appearance2 but ,i have never yet heard it said that a man or woman should give up either because of its effect upon the appearance4 ,why1 then1 should women abandon athletic exercises1 which they enjoy so much1 and which do them so much good1 merely because1 just for a moment or two perhaps1 their appearance is distorted8 ,,chapter ,,ii ,,practice1 ,,and ,,how ,,to ,,improve ,players1 even tournament players1 often ask how they can improve4 ,i have been at the same stage so long2 what can ,i do to play a better game8 ,that is not infrequently the question4 ,now ,i think many who are very anxious to advance go to work in the wrong way4 ,to my mind1 the great point to remember when you are practising is not that the match must be won1 but that all your weak strokes must be improved4 ,we all know our special failures2 if not1 some kind friend will soon point them out to us4 ,tackle these doggedly in practice4 ,strokes naturally avoided in a match should be given as much experience as possible in a knock-up game4 ,it is the only way4 ,many players make the cardinal mistake of playing day after day in the same way2 they starve all their weak strokes and overdo all their best ones2 in fact1 they play in precisely the same manner as if the occasion were an important match4 ,if you do this1 you must always preserve those weak strokes2 they are not even given a chance to develop4 ,i once asked a girl whom ,i noticed continually running round her back-hand in a practice game1 why she did this4 ,the characteristic answer came back3 ,i cannot take a back hand4 ,i should be hopelessly beaten if ,i didn't run round the ball4 ,but what does it matter if you are beaten fifty times in a practice game if you are improving your strokes8 ,that girl's back-hand could never improve2 she made absolutely no distinction between a practice game and a match4 ,in fact1 it was very little of a practice game to her4 ,how can your game improve1 or move forward1 if you make no effort to strengthen what is feeble8 ,practise1 then1 conscientiously1 and with infinite patience2 never mind who beats you4 ,take each weak stroke in turn1 and determine to master it1 and ,i think you will find that you will be amply rewarded for all your painstaking work by a vast improvement and keener enjoyment in your game4 ,what greater delight than to feel a stroke you have always dreaded becoming easier and less embarrassing each time you use it1 to know that you are genuinely advancing instead of making no progress and playing the same old bad shots time after time8 ,i am sure you will say such a sense of achievement is worth all the trouble which must be faced and all the patience which must be exercised4 ,of course in match play it is quite different4 ,you avoid your weak strokes as much as you can2 your object then is to win the game4 ,but after discriminate practice you will find1 probably to your surprise1 that there are not so many weak spots after all to remove1 that your game is opening out and steadily advancing4 ,do not get easily disheartened if you find improvement slow2 for a game that is worth playing at all is worth playing well1 and to play lawn tennis well you must go through a stiff apprenticeship4 ,you must school yourself to meet disappointments and failures2 you must cultivate a philosophic spirit1 or you will never reach the goal of perfection4 ,i need not say that if you wish to go forward enthusiasm is essential4 ,lawn tennis players never seem to me to be nearly so keen on their game as golfers4 ,so many of them appear quite satisfied to remain at a fixed stage4 ,they will certainly not get their handicap reduced unless there is an ardent desire to become better acquainted with the science of the game4 ,a struggling golfer is never tired of learning talking about his pastime--often1 ,i admit1 to the annoyance of people who are not so obsessed4 ,nevertheless1 he is on the right track2 and being so thoroughly absorbed and in earnest1 he ought to improve4 ,you will find him buying every new book that comes out and poring over its pages4 ,he may play in a few competitions1 but his time is more seriously occupied with practice and improvement4 ,he wisely deprecates the continuous strain of match play4 ,he prefers to acquire a working knowledge of the game1 to make the various strokes with some degree of accuracy1 before he pits his skill against others4 ,i think this lack of adequate practice is one of the reasons why there is such a dearth of rising talent among lawn tennis players4 ,some of the competitors one meets at tournaments have been for years at exactly the same stage4 ,they never pause to take stock of their game4 ,they never advance or cultivate a new stroke4 ,they go from one tournament to another1 struggling to win by hook or by crook4 ,assisted by a generous handicap1 they may win a prize1 and1 apparently1 they are satisfied4 ,let me say1 in regard to tournaments1 that when you are taking your strokes correctly and are really adding to your knowledge of the game1 open competitions are admirable1 and are essential if the highest honours are to be achieved4 ,but tournaments can very easily be overdone1 especially by young players who have not completed what ,i may call stroke-education4 ,when you are practising1 remember to practise head-work as well as strokes4 ,cultivate thinking about the game4 ,never mind asking an experienced player for advice4 ,most people who play the game well are anxious that every one should improve2 they want them to get more enjoyment out of the game1 and they want the general standard of play to advance4 ,as a rule they never mind giving a helpful hint4 ,do not hesitate1 therefore1 to ask for that help4 ,discuss the game with your friends and find out all you can about it4 ,read all the excellent books that have been written on the game from time to time4 ,i have often noticed that beginners will willingly pay their entrance fees for open events at tournaments1 when they know very well that nothing but a miracle will take them through the first round4 ,yet the same players grumble at the expense of purchasing books dealing with the game4 ,the book would most probably help them a great deal1 whereas the one solitary match does them no good4 ,it is over so quickly1 the difference in the class of play is so great1 that the beginner hardly hits the ball at all4 ,a good way of practising is to play up against a brick wall4 ,in my own case ,i found the method very useful4 ,it helps one to keep the eye on the ball1 to time well1 and place with accuracy4 ,another good way of practising is not to score1 but to get some friend to hit or even throw the ball where you want it4 ,systematic stroke-play like this for half an hour a day1 finishing up with a game which brings into play the stroke you have been developing1 is bound to improve your game4 ,i know of one champion of ,england who always practised in this way4 ,any new stroke that had to be mastered was passed through the mill and assiduously exercised until perfection came4 ,if no friend were available for the purpose1 the butler had to devote an hour a day to throwing the ball in the given direction4 ,to come to the various strokes1 ,i do not mean to enter into these elaborately4 ,there are now so many good books in the market that deal exhaustively with this subject1 such as ,the ,complete ,lawn-,tennis ,player1 by ,a4 ,wallis ,myers1 that ,i shall not aim at covering old ground4 ,the first and foremost stroke to be learnt is ,the ,fore-hand ,drive4 ,a good fore-hand is one of the chief assets of the game2 a good length must be one of the first things to cultivate4 ,the ball must be sent as near the base line as possible4 ,do not at first try to get a severe shot1 but practise getting a good-length slow ball until you are very accurate at that4 ,you will find that pace and direction will come afterwards4 ,when making a fore-hand drive stand sideways to the net4 ,your left shoulder should face the net1 your left foot should be in front of your right4 ,wait as long as possible1 for the ball4 ,by this ,i mean1 do not rush in to it2 wait for it to come to you4 ,stand well away from it1 sideways and lengthways4 ,swing your racket slowly back to about the level of your shoulder1 then bring it slowly forward1 and simultaneously transfer your weight from your right foot to your left4 ,this transference of weight1 let me add1 is most important1 and can only be achieved by careful practice4 ,if it is transferred too soon or too late1 the whole power of the stroke is lost4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,fore-,,hand ,,drive ,,beginning ,,middle ,,finish ,the ball must be hit firmly and cleanly with the centre of the racket4 ,feel as if you were literally sweeping it along--your movement must be so perfectly timed--to the place you wish it to go1 not forgetting to follow well through with your arm and shoulder in a line with the flight of the ball4 ,great muscular strength is not needed to play well4 ,timing your stroke1 transferring your weight at the right moment1 and following well through at the finish--these are the chief secrets of good and powerful strokes4 ,do not be content merely to watch the ball1 but keep your eye fixed on it until the last possible moment1 following it right on to the centre of your racket4 ,until you have tried this you cannot realize how difficult it is1 or how greatly it will improve your stroke2 and it helps to complete concentration1 which to my mind is one of the chief attributes of success4 ,the ,back-hand ,drive is taken in the same way as the fore-hand1 only with your position reversed4 ,here1 too1 you must not face the net1 but stand sideways4 ,this time your right shoulder must face the net4 ,the position of your feet for a back-hand stroke is most important2 it is where so many beginners go wrong4 ,take a step towards the ball with your right foot in front of your left1 and with your weight at the start of the stroke on the ball of your left foot4 ,swing your racket well back1 with its head raised above your wrist1 and hit the ball firmly with the centre of your racket4 ,be transferring your weight all the time from your left foot to your right1 and follow well through in the direction of the flight of the ball4 ,when playing a back-hand across the court1 from corner to corner1 let your arm and shoulder on the follow through be extended as far as they will go1 and your body brought round to face the net4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,back-,,hand ,,drive ,,beginning ,,middle ,,finish ,the lob is a most important and useful stroke and should be constantly practised4 ,it is by no means an easy stroke to play really well and accurately4 ,it is generally a defensive shot1 and makes your opponent move from the net1 unless she intends to be beaten by it4 ,i am speaking1 of course1 of the singles game4 ,it is a useful stroke for giving you breathing time if you are made to run about much1 or for enabling you to get back into position if you have been forced out of it4 ,it is nearly always best to lob to your opponent's back-hand1 since the majority of players are weaker there4 ,there are three kinds of lobs3 7#a7 ,the high lob1 sent well out of reach of your opponent's racket1 but with the disadvantage of taking some time to reach the ground4 ,although it moves your opponent out of her dangerous position right up at the net1 there is time for her to run back and return it4 7#b7 ,the low lob1 which only just passes over your opponent's racket--a much more risky shot than the high lob1 but with the advantage of falling much quicker4 ,if you succeed in getting the ball out of her reach1 it is almost certain to be a winning shot1 because she will not have time to turn and go after what is a very fast-dropping ball4 7#c7 ,the lob-volley is one of the prettiest strokes and a most effective one4 ,it is very difficult to accomplish with success2 there is always great risk of not getting it out of your opponent's reach and having it killed outright4 ,it is generally played with an under-hand stroke by hitting the ball before it has reached the ground1 and lifting it well over your opponent's head4 ,it should be a high lob4 ,the racket must be grasped firmly and held nearly1 horizontal for this stroke4 ,in playing lobs the racket must come well underneath the ball1 which should be struck very truly in the centre of the racket4 ,the ,half ,volley4--,this stroke has great possibilities1 and is efficacious both in attack and defence1 although chiefly used for defence4 ,the ball must be hit immediately after it has bounced2 in fact1 within a few inches after its impact with the ground4 ,for attacking it can easily be seen how useful this stroke can become2 the time gained1 as compared to waiting for the ground stroke1 is invaluable4 ,but it wants a perfect eye to play it with any facility2 the majority of players do not watch the ball long enough4 ,lack of confidence is another reason why this stroke is not used more on the offensive4 ,a short drop shot from the back of the court1 or1 in fact1 from any position in the court 7but ,i think more effectively used from the back of the court71 is a very paying stroke to have at your command4 ,it is difficult to be accurate with this shot1 and it needs much patient practice4 ,yet it is one on which trouble may very profitably be expended1 for it often turns the tide at a critical moment4 ,i remember playing one match where ,i used this stroke a great deal4 ,owing to its success--my opponent never even attempted to reach it--,i won ace after ace4 ,at the end of the match my opponent indignantly upbraided me4 ,i cannot admire your length1 she protested4 ,neither did she think it was fair to play sneaks1 adding1 ,anybody could win if they cared to play like that4 ,in her opinion it wasn't tennis6 ,i'm afraid ,i did not take this censure very seriously4 ,as the object of the game is to put the ball as far out of reach of your opponent as possible1 ,i could not see what difference there was between making her run from side to side of the base-line or to the net and back again4 ,both methods as regards placing are just as good tennis1 and should be used judiciously in turn4 ,but this sort of argument did not appeal to my opponent2 she still thought any one could win who cared to play that unsporting game4 ,perhaps the incident caused her to think a little1 and it may be she tried the stroke in her next match4 ,if so1 ,i am quite sure she did not find it so easy to play accurately as she had imagined4 ,the danger of this stroke is that unless it is just in the right spot1 instead of giving you an advantage it will be a very easy ball for your opponent to score off4 ,if it is short1 it will find the net2 if hit too far1 it becomes a bad-length ball and will get the punishment it deserves4 ,it is difficult to explain how this stroke should be played4 ,i think it is best to stand very close to the ball and get rather in front of it1 drawing the racket across it from right to left--stroking the ball1 as it were1 rather than hitting it4 ,it requires a delicate touch1 and can be very deceptively played4 ,your opponent is kept in the dark until the last moment1 when the ace has probably been won4 ,the ,service4--,i should1 as a rule1 advise an overhead service4 ,at the same time1 an underhand cut service is very useful as a change4 ,variety of stroke and tactics should always be encouraged4 ,for an overhead service stand sideways to the net1 with your left foot just behind the base-line1 the left shoulder facing the net1 and the right foot a little to the right of and behind the left4 ,throw the ball high up over your right ear1 bend your body well back and your right shoulder down4 ,raise the racket at the same time as you throw up the ball1 hit it with the centre of your racket1 bringing your body forward with all its weight on to the ball1 and transferring your weight from the right foot to the left at the moment of impact4 ,bring your racket right through1 and finish a little to the left of your left knee4 ,at the time you throw the ball into the air the left shoulder must be facing the net1 and as your racket hits the ball and follows through to your left knee your body should be brought round to face the net4 ,illustration3 ,,beginning ,,of ,,service ,,middle ,,of ,,service ,do not at first attempt a fast service2 keep your ardour down until you have gained a mastery of the ball and can vary its direction4 ,place is always better than pace2 this applies1 generally speaking1 to other strokes besides the service4 ,try to cultivate a second service which bears a likeness to the first4 ,that is to say1 if you have served a fault 7and the best players in the world cannot be absolutely sure that their first delivery will not pitch just over the side-line or service-line or hit the top of the net71 do not be contented with a soft and guileless second which has no length and which gives your opponent an excellent chance of making a winning drive4 ,most players are weaker on their backhand4 ,remember that fact and place your ball accordingly4 ,it is a good plan1 when serving from the right-hand court1 to aim for the spot where the centre line bisects the service-line4 ,length and direction will both be good1 and in nine cases out of ten your opponent will be required to move to make the return--always a point in your favour4 ,remember that variety in service1 as in tactics and general play1 is essential4 ,however fast your service may be1 if its pace and placing are stereotyped1 a good deal of its efficacy is lost1 since your adversary knows what to expect1 where to stand1 and the kind of stroke suitable for return4 ,it is better to possess a variety of slow services1 if they have good length1 than to own one fast service which has no particular merit except speed4 ,and1 of course1 the faster the ball comes off the racket the more liable is it to go astray4 ,another reason why you should temper zeal with discretion is that a vigorous service will tire you out like nothing else1 and in a long match stamina should be judiciously preserved4 ,you never know when an extra spurt may not be required to turn the scale in your favour4 ,i have often noticed the difference in length and sting between the service of some players at the beginning of the match and in the third set1 and ,i am sure that one of the reasons why so many matches are ultimately lost after a promising start is the decline in the service1 in its sustained vigour and in its length4 ,by the way1 why do many lady players1 even those who compete at open tournaments1 stand several feet behind the base-line when serving8 ,are they aware that the length of their service is probably just so many feet short of what it ought to be and that they voluntarily give themselves an extra journey to recover short returns1 even if they reach them at all8 ,you will never find expert players1 who appreciate what ,i may call the geometry of the court1 penalise themselves in this manner4 ,yet the habit1 for some reason or other1 would appear to be on the increase4 ,low ,volleys4--,for these strokes the head of your racket should be above your wrist1 your elbow low down1 and your knees slightly bent4 ,you should1 in fact1 stoop so that your eye is level with the flight of the ball4 ,the late ,mr4 ,h4,s4 ,mahony used to say that if girls would only bend down more to the ball they would be able to volley much better4 ,you should not swing back as far for a volley as for a ground stroke1 nor relax a firm grip of your racket1 remembering to follow through to the place you wish the ball to go4 ,in overhead work it is most important to remember the oft-repeated maxim3 ,keep your eye on the ball4 ,watch it up to the moment of striking4 ,do not always smash every overhead ball when a well-placed volley will win the ace just as well4 ,it is a waste of much-needed strength1 and there is a greater risk of making a mistake4 ,for a smash the right shoulder should be down and well under the ball1 the head and weight well back1 the weight transferred at the moment of striking from the right to the left leg1 the body balanced with extended left arm1 and the body-weight brought right on to the ball as it is hit4 ,finish to the left of your left knee as in the service4 ,,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 way1 then1 as ,i have said1 tournament and match play is the very best method of improvement4 ,i would emphasize the need for a certain standard of efficiency1 because ,i am convinced that at the present time there are too many weak players competing at open meetings4 ,the style of these players has only to be watched to be condemned1 and their knowledge of the game is hopelessly limited4 ,invariably making strokes in a wrong way1 tournament play only serves to consolidate weaknesses and check advance4 ,but assuming you have practised on sound lines and are fit to take part in what1 after all1 should be a test of trained skill1 tournaments will then be a great help to you4 ,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 defence4 ,you have the chance of watching first-class matches and learning at first hand how the different strokes should be played4 ,you should be careful1 however1 to limit the number of your tournaments1 especially when the excitement and strain are new to you2 otherwise you will do much more harm than good4 ,i am convinced that1 generally speaking1 players attend too many meetings4 ,instead of their play improving1 it may deteriorate4 ,they run the fearful risk of staleness--one of the greatest dangers to a lawn tennis player--and they become physically worn out4 ,as soon as you find you are losing interest in the game1 when it becomes an effort to go into court1 give the game a rest4 ,it is clear you have overdone it and need a period of recuperation4 ,one or two tournaments at a time1 and then a rest to practise the new strokes and tactical moves you have learnt and seen1 would1 ,i feel sure1 be much more helpful to your game than tournament touring1 week-in and week-out4 ,some people advise you to dismiss the coming match entirely from your mind before going into court4 ,personally ,i find this physically impossible1 and ,i do not commend the suggestion4 ,i think it is much better to study your opponent's game before pitting your own against it4 ,many matches may be lost while you are finding out the right line of attack4 ,therefore ,i advise you to think about the match you are going to play4 ,mentally rehearse your mode of campaign4 ,but do not worry over the possible result4 ,at all costs it must not be allowed to disturb your sleep the night before--there is nothing puts me off my game so much as a sleepless night4 ,as soon as you know who your opponent is1 seize every opportunity to watch her play1 get to know her strong and her weak points1 and map out your plan of campaign4 ,then come the first preliminaries1 the toss for choice of sides or service4 ,in choosing your side you must take into consideration the position of the sun1 the wind1 the slope of the court 7if any71 and the background4 ,if you have won the toss and do not mind on which side you start playing1 and also have a good service1 elect to begin the service4 ,if you have won the toss and for some good reason do not wish to serve first1 you can make your opponent serve2 but remember that you also give her choice of courts4 ,one of the great things to remember in match play is this--do not strive to win outright with every stroke4 ,especially does this maxim apply to the return of the service4 ,so many players are inaccurate with this important stroke simply because their sole ambition is to make it end the rest4 ,much better to work for your opening4 ,try to imagine where your opponent will be after taking a certain stroke1 and then according to this position determine which is the best stroke to play next4 ,it is similar to playing chess4 ,you should think a move or sometimes two moves in advance4 ,length1 variety of stroke1 and direction are the chief factors in success when playing a single4 ,very often when the place to send the ball is obvious1 even to the spectators1 it is just as obvious to your opponent1 and she will probably be making for that place before you have even hit the ball4 ,then is the time to return the ball1 not where every one1 your opponent included1 anticipates1 but straight back to the original place--that is1 the spot your opponent is just hurriedly leaving4 ,she will most probably be beaten by this simple device4 ,trite though the hint may appear1 always try to send the ball where it will be least expected4 ,illustration3 ,,two ,,well-,,known ,,pairs ,,who ,,competed ,,in ,a ,,private ,,mixed ,,doubles ,,tournament ,,at ,,thorpe ,,satchville ,,mrs4 ,c4,w4 ,,hillyard ,,and ,,mr4 ,,norman ,,brookes ,,miss ,,pinckney ,,and ,,mr4 ,g4,w4,,hillyard ,again ,i would urge the importance of keeping your whole attention absorbed on the game4 ,complete concentration is absolutely essential4 ,you must lose yourself in the game--eye1 mind1 and hand all working together4 ,if you find that events transpiring outside the court are attracting your attention1 you cannot be watching the ball4 ,many players1 even when concentrating1 take their eye off the ball too soon1 with the result that it is not properly timed and not hit cleanly in the centre of the racket4 ,in match play remember that a game is never lost until it is won4 ,never give up trying4 ,matches have been won 7you have only to read the experiences related in the final chapter of this book7 after a player has had a set and five games to love called against her4 ,therefore1 unless the game is over1 it is never too far gone to be pulled out of the fire4 ,even if your opponent requires only one more stroke to win the match1 remember how difficult it often is to make that one4 ,,illustration3 ,,miss ,d4,k4 ,,douglass ,,and ,,mr4 ,a4,f4 ,,wilding ,,miss ,,eastlake ,,smith ,,and ,,mr4 ,r4,f4 ,,dougherty ,,two ,,well-,,known ,,pairs ,,who ,,competed ,,in ,a ,,private ,,mixed ,,doubles ,,tournament ,,at ,,thorpe',s ,,satchville ,the same applies if you have a good lead4 ,play hard the whole time2 never for one moment slack off4 ,for if you do it is very hard to get going again1 and you may find yourself caught up and passed at the post before you have a chance of getting back into your stride4 ,i well remember being a set up and five games to one against ,miss ,c4,m4 ,wilson 7now ,mrs4 ,luard7 one year at ,newcastle1 when victory for me meant permanent possession of the challenge cup4 ,this cup was very valuable1 for it had a splendid list of names inscribed upon it2 it had been going for very many years4 ,miss ,wilson seemed so off her game1 and ,i was winning so comfortably1 that ,i could almost see that cup on my sideboard6 ,but it was not to be4 7,at any rate not that year4 ,i was lucky enough to win the ,cup outright in #aijh1 when it was even more valuable1 as ,miss ,sutton's name had been added47 ,whether ,i unconsciously slacked off1 thinking the match was mine 7which is a fatal thing to do at any time71 or whether ,miss ,wilson suddenly found her game1 is impossible for me to say1 but she eventually won that match and the cup and championship for the year4 ,she never gave in1 but played most pluckily right up to the end4 ,i remember another match where the result hung in the balance for some time4 ,i was playing ,miss ,a4,n4,g4 ,greene at ,eastbourne in #aijg2 again the ,cup would be my own property if ,i won it4 ,i met ,miss ,greene in the second round4 ,she won the first set1 and was five games to four in the second set1 and seven times she only wanted one point to win that match4 ,i was able to make it five games all4 ,it was very bad luck for ,miss ,greene1 as the moral effect1 after having had seven chances of winning the match1 was so great that it completely put her off her game1 and ,i won that set and the third quite easily4 ,be careful also1 when you are behind1 and are slowly but surely catching up your opponent1 that when you do draw level you do not relax your efforts4 ,this danger is most insidious1 and must be fought against4 ,the strain and anxiety involved in catching up1 and the great relief when you are games all1 provoke a reaction unless you are on your guard4 ,a rest is taken1 often involuntarily4 ,it is fatal1 because before you realize it and can get going again your opponent has run out a winner4 ,this happened to me at ,wimbledon in #aijh against ,mrs4 ,sterry4 ,i was behind the whole time1 and it was a great relief in the second set to hear the score at last called five games all4 ,but ,i had hardly taken a breather when ,mrs4 ,sterry secured the set by seven games to five4 ,the eleventh game ,i played almost unconsciously1 so relieved was ,i at getting on even terms1 when ,i ought to have spared no effort to win that critical game1 even if ,i had failed4 ,these three matches--and ,i could mention many others--show how important it is to play hard right up to the last stroke of the match1 letting nothing put you off1 never losing your temper1 taking umpire's bad decisions and all the little annoyances that may disturb you in a sportsmanlike manner--keeping your whole attention1 in fact1 absolutely concentrated on the game4 ,illustration3 ,,miss ,,may ,,sutton1 ,,who ,,won ,,the ,,ladies' ,,championship ,,at ,,wimbledon1 #aije1 #aijg ,in a single it is best when serving to stand as near the centre of the base-line as possible4 ,in this position you have greater command of your court1 and there is not so much scope for your opponent to put the ball out of your reach4 ,miss ,may ,sutton1 the ,american lady champion and ex-champion of ,england1 in her desire to stand as near the centre of the court as she possibly can1 gets so close that umpires find it very difficult to tell whether she is serving from the right court or the wrong4 ,in fact1 ,i think ,i am right in saying she has actually been pulled up for stepping over the centre line of the base-line4 ,if you stand as close as she does you are liable to step over the line unconsciously4 ,stand as near the centre line as possible1 but without any risk of stepping over it4 ,on the other hand1 there are players who prefer to serve from the other extreme end4 ,mr4 ,a4,w4 ,gore1 the present champion of ,england1 is one of these1 but personally ,i cannot see any advantage in this position4 ,it seems to leave so much open court1 of which your adversary will not be slow to make use4 ,use the overhead service for choice1 but have an underhand service ready at your command--it may come in very useful for a change4 ,remember that a good-length1 well-placed service is better than a very fast one1 and much less tiring in a long match4 ,keep your opponent wondering where the service will come next2 vary it as much as you possibly can1 both as to pace and direction4 ,be sure to make your opponent move to take it4 ,i have tried the ,american service1 but ,i think the strain is too severe for the average girl1 and the advantage gained would be very slight1 for the rest of your game would deteriorate1 owing to fatigue4 ,it places so much tension on all the muscles of the body1 and ,i do not think it would do a girl's health any good to cultivate it4 ,of course if she were abnormally strong and did not feel the effects of the physical effort1 she would be a tower of strength in the land1 and her service would be an invaluable one4 ,i am not an advocate of persistent volleying in a lady's single4 ,i think it is too great a tax on the physique4 ,nor do ,i think it pays in the long-run4 ,a volleyer1 to my mind1 is much easier to play against than a base-liner1 and most of the first-class base-line players agree with me4 ,the great physical exertion entailed in running continually to the net will after a time make the ground strokes weaker and weaker2 and you must have good length to be able to come up and volley with any success4 ,miss ,e4,w4 ,thomson 7now ,mrs4 ,larcombe71 one of our best lady volleyers1 put up a magnificent game in the first set against ,miss ,sutton at ,wimbledon in the championship singles of #aije4 ,she had carefully watched ,miss ,sutton's game and thought out the best way to play her4 ,volleying most judiciously1 she would force ,miss ,sutton up to the net with a short drop stroke1 and then1 lobbing over her head nearly on to the base-line1 take up a position at the net1 winning the ace with a neat cross volley4 ,these tactics she repeated again and again1 and actually led by five games to two4 ,if she could have lasted she must have won that match4 ,but she could not keep it up4 ,she became obviously exhausted1 did not get up to the net quickly enough1 and her length got shorter and shorter4 ,miss ,sutton eventually won that set and the next easily4 ,i do not know what would have happened if ,miss ,thomson1 when she found she was tiring1 had stayed back for a little while and then resumed her tactics at the net4 ,perhaps she would have come much nearer to victory4 ,a very large majority of non-volleyers in singles have won the ladies' championship1 and ,i think that fact helps to prove my argument4 ,miss ,maud ,watson1 ,miss ,rice1 ,mrs4 ,hillyard1 the late ,miss ,robb1 ,miss ,sutton1 ,miss ,boothby and myself are base-liners4 ,miss ,dod and ,mrs4 ,sterry are the only two volleyers4 ,every girl1 however1 should learn how to volley4 ,you may be inveigled up to the net1 and you should then know how to play and place a volley4 ,and you should go up now and then on a good-length ball4 ,in ,doubles of course it is different4 ,i think then a girl should volley4 ,it will greatly improve her play all round1 and will also make the game so much more attractive4 ,i think it would be an excellent plan if ladies' doubles were always played like men's doubles1 both players moving together and keeping parallel with one another1 going up to the net together and retiring to the back of the court together4 ,competitors would improve their volleying1 and the double1 instead of being the dreary1 monotonous affair it is now1 especially for the base-liner1 would be varied and instructive4 ,i am sure referees would welcome the change with avidity4 ,the much-dreaded1 interminable ladies' double event would be a thing of the past4 ,if we played the double with the new formation1 perhaps we should succeed in re-establishing the event at ,wimbledon6 ,but it is very difficult to get ladies to volley at a tournament4 ,they think they have more chance of winning from the back of the court4 ,perhaps they have4 ,but they have much less chance of improving their game and learning a variety of strokes4 ,miss ,v4 ,pinckney started a great work in #aijh1 organizing a ladies' volleying league1 in which all ladies who entered a ladies' doubles event at any tournament were obliged to volley4 ,a most successful experiment took place at the ,beckenham tournament4 ,miss ,pinckney and ,i played together at the ,reading tournament1 and although we were both base-liners1 we determined to go to the net4 ,we found at the end of the event 7which we won1 owing fifteen7 that we had both much improved our volleying4 ,of course we made endless mistakes and were frequently in the wrong place1 but it was experience so badly required4 ,unfortunately ,miss ,pinckney1 the pioneer1 did not play much last season1 and ,i think the ladies have rather gone back to their old ways4 ,it seems a thousand pities4 ,in ,mixed ,doubles a girl has a very important part to play4 ,practically speaking1 she has to work for all the openings for her partner1 who comes in and kills4 ,and very often if in watching a mixed double you are inclined to think the man is doing little work1 or that he is playing badly1 it is because his partner is getting him no plums4 ,she is playing a poor length1 or not keeping the ball out of the reach of the opposing man4 ,it is a good plan to keep your head well down1 and of course your eye glued on the ball1 until the very last moment1 so that it makes it difficult for the opposing man at the net to tell in which direction you are going to hit the ball4 ,the late ,miss ,robb1 who was a magnificent mixed doubles player1 used to play in this way4 ,men have told me it was impossible to anticipate her returns4 ,keeping your head down will also help you from getting flurried or put off1 however jumpy the opposing man is1 or however much he is running across4 ,you can always have a mental vision of him to tell you where he is without looking at him4 ,to play a mixed double you must be able to lob4 ,it is really the most necessary stroke to cultivate4 ,a very good return of the opposing lady's service1 when both men are at the net1 is a lob back to the server4 ,it is much safer than lobbing over the man's head--if at all short your ball will be instantly killed--and it also gives your partner at the net plenty of time to anticipate any kind of return4 ,it will be difficult for the server to return a good-length lob out of your partner's reach4 ,the opposing man at the net will not be able to do anything with this lob--it is quite out of his reach--and it would be useless for him to run across as he might do for a cross drive4 ,it is usually best1 ,i think1 for a lady to serve down the centre of the court in a mixed double4 ,it shuts up the angles of the court more1 and there is less risk of her partner being passed down his side line4 ,do not enter for too many events in a tournament4 ,you may get thoroughly worn out and not able to do yourself justice in any1 and you would probably have to play when you were very tired--bad for your game1 and worse still for your partner's chance in a double4 ,remember that before playing an important match it is very injudicious to watch another game4 ,it is likely to put your eye out4 ,if possible1 do not travel by train just before playing1 or carry anything heavy1 such as your tennis bag1 for this will make your hand shaky and unsteady4 ,to sum up1 there are five golden rules which ,i have found very helpful to me when playing an important match4 ,i give them to you in the hope that they may prove equally valuable4 ,always remember that constant practice of these rules will make their pursuit natural in a match4 ,i4 ,,keep ,,your ,,eye ,,on ,,the ,,ball ,you have so often been told this1 ,i know1 and perhaps the familiar ring about the advice may evoke contempt4 ,yet unless this rule is implicitly obeyed you cannot expect much success at lawn tennis4 ,taking your eye off the ball is the secret of every mis-hit and mis-timed stroke4 ,you must not be content merely to look at the ball1 but follow it right on to your racket2 watch it up to the actual moment of striking4 ,the court and the position of your opponent must be mentally engraved at the same time4 ,how frequently attentive observation will reveal a player lifting his or her eye from the ball a fraction too soon6 ,always be on your guard against this inclination4 ,it is at first done almost unconsciously1 but it soon becomes a habit4 ,,ii4 ,,keep ,,your ,,mind ,,on ,,the ,,game ,this is a most important rule4 ,as ,i have remarked before1 complete concentration is absolutely necessary to success4 ,if you are worried about anything1 business or home affairs1 it is bound to affect your game4 ,think of absolutely nothing but the game you are at the moment playing4 ,your whole personality must be absorbed4 ,to play the game well demands the use not only of limb and muscle1 but heart1 eye1 and brain4 ,the first rule will help the second1 because your attention must be more or less fixed on the game if you are carefully watching the ball the whole time4 ,,iii4 ,,keep ,,perfect ,,control ,,of ,,the ,,temper ,this rule some players will find much more difficult than others4 ,you hear of a person having the right temperament for games1 of being naturally imperturbable4 ,it is a priceless quality1 for to my mind it is half the battle if nothing can disturb your equanimity4 ,to be calm and placid at critical moments1 never to get excited or flurried1 or in any way put out1 whatever little worries may turn up--and sometimes these worries seem endless and try one to the uttermost limit--that is one of the keys to fame on court4 ,i think if a good games' temperament is not natural to you1 it can to a great extent be cultivated4 ,but it requires much practice and an abundance of will-power and self-control4 ,it is a very important quality to possess1 because to lose your temper1 or to be upset over any trifle1 not only puts you off your game1 but helps your opponent to take a new lease of life and encourages her to play up harder than ever4 ,she naturally thinks that if you are so upset at something or other your game is bound to deteriorate1 and she will have a much better chance of winning the match4 ,,iv4 ,,keep ,,your ,,heart ,,in ,,the ,,game ,by this ,i mean do not get easily downhearted and discouraged4 ,fight pluckily to the end1 however things are going against you4 ,courage and pluck are wanted above all things to carry you successfully through your matches4 ,never say die1 however hopeless the score may sound against you4 ,if you are very done up1 try not to make it too obvious4 ,your opponent may be just as played out as you are4 ,seeing your signals of distress1 she will buoy herself up and continue the struggle with renewed hope and vigour4 ,v4 ,,keep ,,your ,,method ,,on ,,the ,,move ,this maxim is rather difficult to explain4 ,what ,i mean is1 you should vary your manner of play and re-adapt it in order to counteract your opponent4 ,upset her usual game by your tactics4 ,it is always a great mistake to keep up a method of attack or defence if it is proving unavailing4 ,if necessary1 keep your own method of play continually on the change4 ,a change of tactics has often meant a change of fortune in the game4 ,never let your opponent know what you are going to do next2 do what she would least expect4 ,always try to make a stroke4 ,give her plenty of the strokes you know she doesn't like4 ,i have often felt myself improving an opponent's weak stroke by pegging away at it4 ,it gives her plenty of excellent practice1 of course1 and when you find she is beginning not to mind it so much1 give it a rest4 ,when you go back to it you will probably find it successful again4 ,use your brain1 and always know what you are trying to do4 ,play with an object of attack and defence4 ,do not merely return the ball aimlessly2 let each stroke have its little work to do to complete the whole victory4 ,this is difficult1 ,i know1 but it is so much more fascinating1 and is1 ,i am sure1 the way the game was meant to be played4 ,there is much science that can be brought into lawn tennis1 always something new to learn4 ,and that is the reason why we never tire of playing it4 ,,chapter ,,iv ,,rackets1 ,,courts1 ,,dress1 ,,and ,,training ,a good lawn tennis racket is indispensable2 indeed1 to use a weapon of inferior make is to court failure from the start4 ,you cannot be too particular to have a really well-made racket4 ,fortunately there are now so many good makers that it is a player's own fault if she is not suitably equipped4 ,it may be a little more expensive to buy a really first-class racket2 but the few extra shillings are well worth while if you mean to take up the game seriously1 and to get out of it all the enjoyment you can4 ,personally ,i always play with a ,slazenger racket1 preferring their make to any other2 but there are many other good manufacturers4 ,the weight of your racket should vary according to your strength of wrist1 and should depend on whether you volley or play entirely from the back of the court4 ,i am inclined to think there is a tendency on the part of lady players to use too light a racket4 ,i have often seen them with a #ab-a_/b-oz4 or #ac-oz4 ,these are too light1 and may be condemned4 ,if you use a racket that is too light1 it means that the maker has not been able to string it as tightly as it ought to be strung--the frame would not stand the tension4 ,i do not think a racket should be lighter than #ac-a_/b oz41 which is the normal weight for ladies4 ,myself1 ,i prefer and always play with a #ad-oz41 and hold that unless there is a weakness of the wrist1 or some personal reason why the player should knock off the extra half-ounce1 this weight is the best for ladies to use4 ,i like my racket slightly weighted in the head1 but ,i think most players prefer one evenly balanced4 ,the latter may be recommended to a beginner4 ,the handle should be about five inches in circumference--at least1 that is what ,i use and recommend for a natural and easy grip4 ,of course the circumference must vary a little according to the size of the player's hand or length of her fingers1 but ,i counsel all ladies to fight shy of the handle that is abnormally large4 ,i am quite sure it is a mistake2 it tends to tire and stiffen the hand4 ,endeavour to standardize your requirements4 ,find out by careful trial what weight1 what size of handle1 and what stringing suits your game best2 and then you will find1 when you use a new racket for the first time1 that the tool is familiar and has a friendly influence over your strokes4 ,what more embarrassing experience than to play a match with a racket you cannot recognize8 ,you should always take a wet-weather racket with you when you go to tournaments2 it is1 like a pair of steel-pointed shoes1 a necessary item in your tennis bag4 ,in ,england1 with such variable weather1 it is necessary to play in the rain1 or at any rate on a wet ground1 and with sodden balls2 and the very best gut in the world cannot stand rough usage4 ,it is a good plan1 too1 to take to tournaments at least two rackets as much alike as possible4 ,if anything goes wrong with one1 you will have a good substitute1 one that is not strange to you4 ,always take great care of your rackets4 ,they are very susceptible both to damp and excessive dry heat1 and should always be kept in a press when not in use4 ,a warped frame is fatal4 ,if you do not use a tennis bag1 your racket should be protected in a waterproof case4 ,it is a good plan1 after use in the wet1 to rub the surface of the strings with a little beeswax or varnish4 ,most makers keep a special preservative in stock4 ,and now for a few remarks on dress4 ,there has been a great improvement during the last few years in the costumes worn by those who take part in tournaments held all over the country4 ,first-class players know from experience how to dress to be most comfortable and least hampered by their clothing4 ,but the less experienced are wont to appear in a garden-party trailing skirt1 trimmed hat and dressy blouse--a most unbusiness-like costume for the game4 ,it is essential to remember that you want1 above everything else1 free use of all your limbs2 physical action must not be impeded in any way by your clothing4 ,an overhead ball which may require your arm to be extended as far as it will go1 a low volley at the net where you must bend down1 a run across the court or up to the net--all these strokes you must be able to perform with freedom and facility4 ,illustration3 ,,on ,,tour3 ,,the ,,late ,,miss ,c4 ,,meyer1 ,,miss ,,pinckney ,,and ,,miss ,e4,w4 ,,thompson 7,,mrs4 ,,larcombe7 ,i advise a plain gored skirt--not pleated2 ,i think these most unsuitable on court--about four or five inches from the ground4 ,it should just clear your ankles and have plenty of fullness round the hem4 ,always be careful that the hem is quite level all round2 nothing is more untidy than a skirt that dips down at the back or sides--dropping at the back is a little trick a cotton skirt cultivates when it comes home from the laundry4 ,a plain shirt without frills or furbelows--if any trimming at all1 tucks are the neatest--a collar1 tie1 and waistband1 go to make an outfit as comfortable and suitable as you could possibly desire4 ,the material that this plain shirt and skirt is made of does not so much matter1 and must be according to the taste of the wearer4 ,serge1 flannel1 and cotton are the most popular1 and the last predominates4 ,white is undoubtedly the best colour to wear4 ,it washes well and does not fade1 and looks very much neater on the court than a coloured material4 ,i prefer white shoes and stockings1 for ,i think it looks nicer to be in one uniform colour4 ,but this is a matter of taste4 ,some people urge that white shoes make your feet appear much bigger than black or brown4 ,i do not agree4 ,if you are wearing a white skirt1 the black or brown shoe must show up more distinctly against it than a shoe of the same colour4 ,i have also heard it decided that when girls are compelled to play in the rain or on dreadfully muddy courts1 as unfortunately they often are1 it is better for them to don a dark skirt of thicker material4 ,this seems to me a great mistake4 ,a white skirt will wash well1 and it does not matter how dirty it gets2 so long as you do not have it trailing in the mud it cannot come to much harm4 ,it looks as neat as anything can look that is surrounded by rain and mud4 ,a dark stuff skirt1 on the other hand1 which many players use in wet weather1 does not wash1 and is absolutely ruined after a soaking4 ,moreover1 it is twice as heavy to drag about the court4 ,if you do not happen to have steel-pointed shoes with you1 and are called upon to play in the wet1 it is a good plan to wear a pair of men's thick shooting stockings or socks over your tennis shoes4 ,it is wonderful what a firm grip they give without in any way impeding your movements4 ,i find1 after having tried nearly every sort of shoe for tennis1 that the simple white gymnasium shoe suits me best4 ,most players use a proper tennis shoe or boot with a thick sole4 ,i have tried these1 but find they make me much slower in court and are not as comfortable as the gym shoe4 ,some people say the thicker sole is less tiring to the feet1 but ,i find ,i am much less foot-weary after a match when playing in the thin shoe--there is less weight to carry about4 ,of course thin soles soon wear through1 but then they have the advantage of being very cheap4 ,i pay half a crown a pair for mine1 and one can have several pairs in use and can always replace them without any great expense4 ,i think it is best1 if you can1 to play without any hat at all4 ,there is not the bother of keeping it on1 and it is much cooler4 ,nor is it easy to find a suitable hat for lawn tennis4 ,a girl's hair is generally a good safeguard against sunstroke4 ,a long warm coat is a very necessary article of wearing apparel1 especially for girls who are playing in tournaments4 ,it should be put on immediately after a strenuous match1 however hot the day4 ,there is the great danger when overheated of contracting a chill4 ,the coat should be of a thick warm material--blanket is very popular and serviceable--and it should reach to the end of your skirt1 if not beyond4 ,i do not think it is wise to wear bracelets when playing unless they are plain and tight to the wrist4 ,although you might not think it1 ornaments1 however small1 can and do get in your way4 ,i remember one match that was entirely lost because of the presence of a gold curb bracelet with a small dangling chain attached4 ,putting up her hand to adjust a hairpin1 the owner did not know that the chain had caught on to her fringe-net1 and1 bringing her hand down quickly1 the fringe-net and most of the hairpins were dragged from her hair4 ,the result was that the player1 who might easily have left the court and fixed up her hair again firmly1 adjusted it as best she could1 her hair blowing about in all directions4 ,in between every stroke she had to clutch wildly at stray portions that blew across her face and into her eyes4 ,this diversion naturally upset her game1 and ,i think that was the last time she wore a bracelet in court4 ,training for match play is rather a difficult subject for me to write about1 for ,i have never gone in for proper training4 ,the great secret is to keep perennially fit4 ,remember that an important match is a great strain1 a challenging test of stamina4 ,to come through the ordeal successfully you must be in a good condition of health4 ,if you are not1 you ought not to be playing4 ,personally ,i know what it means to play an important match when feeling really ill4 ,honestly it is not worth it4 ,it is no enjoyment to yourself1 and it is no pleasure to your opponent to beat you when she knows you are unfit4 ,besides1 it is very injurious to your own health4 ,on the other hand1 if you are in good condition1 and leading a healthy outdoor life1 a well-contested match cannot harm you2 it is most beneficial in every way4 ,therefore ,i think the best training for an important match is to be always in training2 not to have to alter your habits before a match is the secret4 ,to change your diet and mode of living suddenly1 as some players do1 is more calculated to upset you than to make you fitter for the ordeal4 ,common sense must of course be used4 ,for instance1 you should not eat a heavy meal just before playing4 ,i generally prefer bread-and-cheese1 a milk pudding of some sort1 and perhaps a little fruit for lunch if ,i have a match1 in the afternoon4 ,i find this diet very satisfying and sustaining1 and of course much lighter than meat4 ,bananas or apples go very well with the cheese4 ,as ,i like this sort of lunch at any time1 ,i do not have to change my diet materially before a match4 ,after the day's play is over1 ,i make absolutely no difference1 eating for dinner in the evening whatever is going4 ,lunch is the chief meal over which care should be exercised1 for important matches generally begin about two o'clock4 ,a heavy meal would make me slow and sleepy4 ,i know of one well-known player who never has any breakfast at all4 ,she may play hard matches all the morning1 and when the luncheon interval arrives she has only bread-and-cheese and fruit4 ,of course this is a very exceptional case1 and ,i should not care to try it myself4 ,i find a good breakfast a necessity before a long and hard day at a tournament4 ,but the no-breakfast regime certainly suits the player in question4 ,she is always fit1 and has great stamina1 coming through exhausting matches without showing the slightest sign of distress4 ,i need not add that sleep is one of the chief factors for making you feel buoyant and well2 if you have not had your right measure of sleep the night before an important contest1 you are greatly handicapped4 ,remember1 too1 how necessary it is to sleep in a well-ventilated room with the windows open4 ,as to ,courts1 there are so many surfaces now used for the game1 such as grass1 wood1 asphalt1 cement1 gravel1 and sand1 that it is possible to play the game all the year round1 under cover or out in the open4 ,i think1 however1 most players will agree with me that a good grass court is the ideal surface for lawn tennis4 ,the sensation of playing a genuinely hard match with evenly balanced players on a good grass court1 under ideal weather conditions1 has only to be experienced to be appreciated4 ,it is then you realize what great enjoyment this game gives to any one who loves it4 ,alas6 the really good grass court and ideal weather are very hard to get in ,england4 ,i suppose there was scarcely a day in #aiji that could be described as perfect for lawn tennis2 and our good grass courts are few and far between4 ,the climate we cannot control1 but ,i often wonder why there should be such a dearth of true grass courts at open meetings4 ,of course maintenance involves a certain amount of expense1 but surely many clubs are quite well enough off to command at least one or two really good courts4 ,can it be ignorance1 or is it a want of necessary energy and constant attention8 ,lawn tennis seems to suffer in this respect more than most games4 ,there are hundreds of splendid golf greens and cricket pitches all over the country1 but for some inexplicable reason a good grass lawn tennis court is1 as ,mr4 ,g4,w4 ,hillyard has remarked1 almost as rare a sight as a dead donkey4 ,happily we get this rare spectacle at ,wimbledon under ,mr4 ,hillyard's able care and management4 ,illustration3 ,,group ,,of ,,players ,,at ,,the ,,newcastle ,,tournament1 #aijb ,what a difference a general improvement in surface would mean6 ,i am convinced that if courts were better the standard of play would advance more rapidly4 ,it is marvellous what beneficial effect a good court has on play4 ,i have seen an average player1 who had always played on bad courts1 with cramped surroundings and poor background1 put up a really good game the very first time he played on a first-class court--,i refer to a well-known private court at ,thorpe ,satchville1 perhaps the best in the country4 ,that player surprised himself and every one else present4 ,he performed about half-thirty better than his usual game4 ,the moral is that if other players had the opportunity of playing regularly on a true and fast court they must essentially improve4 ,on bad courts you can never be sure what the ball will do2 it is a toss-up whether you get a false bound or not4 ,a player once told me that he thought it a good thing to have these bad courts at your house or club to practise upon4 ,when you went to tournaments1 he argued1 you would not mind what you found there1 as the conditions could not be worse1 and might be better1 and you would always be in the happy frame of mind of not expecting too much and never being disappointed4 ,your game would not be put off by depressing conditions--you were so used to them6 ,but that is poor logic4 ,after all1 we play the game for pleasure1 and there can be no enjoyment in playing on wretched courts4 ,many unfortunate players1 if they wish to play the game at all1 are forced to play on what ,mr4 ,mahony used to call cabbage patches--7,sorry1 partner1 it hopped on a cabbage1 was his favourite expression after missing a ball in a double72 but ,i cannot understand any one voluntarily choosing such a surface4 ,a wood floor has such an absolutely true bound that it must provide very good practice1 and one winter's play on the indoor courts at ,queen's ,club is to my mind a quicker way of improving your game than two or three seasons on grass courts which are not of the best4 ,these covered wood courts are very scarce1 and it is a thousand pities there are so few of them4 ,would that this winter game were in the reach of everybody6 ,on the other hand1 you can overdo the game by playing continuously2 and if you have been playing all through the summer with scarcely a break1 it is a good plan to rest during the winter months1 taking up some other game to keep your eye in and your condition fit4 ,since true grass courts are so scarce in this country1 ,i sometimes wish we could dispense with turf altogether1 and have at our tournaments the same surface which finds favour abroad1 at places like ,cannes1 ,homburg1 and ,dinard4 ,the bound of the ball on these courts is absolutely uniform1 the surface being hard sand4 ,one great advantage they possess--we should welcome it over here--is that when it rains play is quite out of the question4 ,wading about in the mud and playing in a steady downpour1 often our lot in ,england1 is unknown on the ,continent4 ,and foreign courts also dry quickly after rain1 and often play better for their watering4 ,,chapter ,v ,,tournament ,,and ,,club ,,management ,i wish an ,order of ,play could be used more at ,english tournaments4 ,that is to say1 ,i wish matches could be arranged to take place at a certain hour1 following the plan adopted at ,wimbledon and at all the meetings on the ,continent4 ,such an arrangement would greatly add to the comfort and enjoyment of competitors1 and would1 ,i imagine1 be a great boon to the referee4 ,spectators1 ,i know1 would welcome it4 ,i think a time-table might prove unworkable where handicap events are concerned1 but in the case of open events ,i feel sure it could be introduced with great advantage to all concerned4 ,i have so often sat hour after hour at a ,london tournament 7having only entered for the open events71 perhaps playing one match1 perhaps not playing at all4 ,if ,i had been told overnight that ,i should not be wanted1 or exactly at what hour my match would take place1 it would have been so much more satisfactory and saved so much wasted time4 ,this waiting about takes away half the pleasure of playing in ,london meetings4 ,even if there are good matches going on you do not care to watch them incessantly2 there may be a chance of your playing off a tie1 and it would tend to put your eye out4 ,on one occasion1 having a long way to go to a tournament in which ,i was only entered for the open mixed doubles1 ,i telephoned to know whether ,i should be wanted or not4 ,well1 replied the referee1 if ,i call you and you are not on the ground1 ,i shall scratch you4 ,in your own interest you had better come over4 ,for my partner's sake1 as well as my own1 ,i was bound to go4 ,as ,i expected1 ,i sat the whole afternoon and evening doing absolutely nothing4 ,when ,i begged to be allowed to play1 as ,i had come some distance for this one match1 the referee examined his programme and said1 ,oh1 it is quite impossible to-day4 ,they have not played the round in front of you yet6 ,illustration3 ,,after ,,the ,,ladies' ,,final ,,at ,,wimbledon3 ,,tea ,,on ,,the ,,lawns ,this sort of thing implies gross mismanagement1 besides resulting in unnecessary wear and tear for the competitors4 ,if there was an order of play arranged for each day1 all the bother would be obviated4 ,i believe that business men who cannot get away in the early afternoon have their matches timed and arranged for them4 ,why are not all competitors treated alike8 ,while ,i am on this subject of waiting about1 let me say that ,i think ladies do not take nearly enough care of themselves after playing4 ,they ought to wrap up well if they have not time to change before their next match4 ,men are much more careful4 ,they put on their coats immediately they leave the court1 and change their clothes as soon as they can4 ,but you will see girls chatting after a match1 and even having tea1 without deigning to put on an extra wrap4 ,it is courting disaster4 ,the colds and more dangerous ailments that arise from this little want of care naturally afford people a line of attack when they object to girls engaging in violent exercise4 ,you cannot be too careful after strenuous play4 ,i am well aware that ladies are catered for very badly at most of the tournaments in regard to changing-room accommodation4 ,some places we have had to put up with are disgraceful4 ,i think most lady players will agree with me when ,i say that ,wimbledon and ,queen's ,club are about the only two grounds where you can change with any degree of comfort4 ,this is not right1 and ,i am sure if men had to experience the changing-room accommodation afforded for our use there would not be many of them competing at tournaments4 ,i think the two clubs ,i have mentioned are the only two where we even get a bathroom6 ,some tournaments provide a draughty tent for our use4 ,moreover1 there is generally only one dressing-room1 and feminine spectators often crowd round the one looking-glass1 staring at the players as if they were animals on show6 ,it is sometimes even impossible to sit down to rest after a hard and tiring contest4 ,i appeal to secretaries of tournaments for some reform4 ,a number of lady players have asked me to use this opportunity to point out some of our most pressing grievances4 ,i hope these remarks1 which are none too strong1 may bear fruit4 ,visitors who come over from other countries are always loud in their complaints1 and ,i am not surprised4 ,i believe the ,beckenham authorities are doing all they can to impart a little more comfort to the ladies' changing and resting-room1 and they have greatly improved their accommodation4 ,it is time other meetings followed their example4 ,at the seaside meetings it does not so much matter4 ,most of the players stay near the ground and can go to their own rooms and be back in time to play again1 if necessary2 but in ,london tournaments1 where there is often a long drive or train journey before one reaches home1 it is most important that there should be a good changing-room4 ,,illustration3 ,a ,,tournament ,,house-,,party ,,at ,,newcastle ,front row 7left to right73 ,,the ,,late ,,miss ,c4 ,,meyre1 ,,mr4 ,g4,w4 ,,hillyard1 ,,mrs4 ,,hillyard1 ,,mrs4 ,,lambert ,,chambers1 ,,mr4 ,n4,e4 ,,brookes1 ,,mr4 ,a4,j4 ,,roberts ,there is another improvement which ,i feel sure would be greatly welcomed by competitors1 and that is a separate tea-tent for their use4 ,often a player has only a few minutes to get her tea1 and1 with the general public engaged in the same amiable pursuit1 she is not able to be served and has to go away tealess4 ,if there were a competitors' tea-tent1 a player could obtain her tea in comfort when she wanted it4 ,always bear in mind that a referee at a tournament has a most worrying time of it4 ,players can and should help to make his task lighter4 ,there are many ways in which they can assist to make the tournament as successful as possible4 ,one is by being punctual and ready dressed to play when wanted1 and another is by umpiring when they are disengaged and have not an important match just coming on4 ,taking the chair may help them not to dispute an umpire's decision when they are in court themselves4 ,they will realize how difficult umpiring is1 and that bad as umpires often are they are doing their best4 ,to dispute a decision or to argue with the umpire never helps matters2 it usually makes him nervous4 ,a bad decision must be taken as a fortune of war1 and borne in a sportsmanlike manner4 ,but you must never allow the crowd to influence the umpire4 ,it is a hopeless expedient1 for many people who watch matches are ignorant of the rules of the game4 ,sometimes--,i suppose it is ,hobson's choice--an umpire is chosen from the gate4 ,if he knows little or nothing of his duties the result is disastrous4 ,should there be difficulty in getting an umpire who knows something of his work1 ,i think the match should take care of itself4 ,i have experienced umpires who do not even know how to score6 ,and now a word or two about ,clubs4 ,it is very difficult to manage a lawn tennis club successfully2 much tact is required4 ,i think it is almost impossible to prevent a club being cliquey1 and ,i should always advise a player who wishes to improve her game to join one which is more concerned with its tennis than its social side4 ,some clubs still use the game for a garden-party1 where long trailing skirts1 sunshades1 and basket chairs predominate4 ,perhaps a game or two is played in the cool of the evening4 ,that sort of club should be avoided if you are a keen and enthusiastic player4 ,the committee of a club should be a small one1 consisting of members who are devoted to the best interests of the game4 ,their aim should be to keep in touch with all the latest developments1 and above all to keep up to date1 advancing with the times4 ,a committee sometimes embraces old supporters of the club who have been members for years and years4 ,they have old-fashioned ideas1 are very conservative1 and do not like innovations of any sort1 even if changes are obviously necessary for the benefit of the game4 ,a committee should see that their club has a good match-card1 for inter-club contests are excellent practice for the members1 and there is nothing like fostering a spirit of friendly rivalry4 ,care should be taken to choose players who make a good pair and combine well together4 ,a committee should do all in its power to improve the standard of play1 and that can only be accomplished by having well-tended courts and good balls4 ,many clubs are not equipped with side-posts for the single game4 ,that is a great mistake1 because a player will practise without them in her club1 and then when she enters for a tournament will have to use them4 ,it is bound to put her off her game4 ,such details make all the difference between good and bad management of a club4 ,illustration3 ,,my ,,sisters ,,and ,,myself ,a picture postcard sent to ,mrs4 ,lambert-,chambers by ,miss ,may ,sutton from her home in ,california4 ,it is an excellent plan for members of the committee to drop in at some of the tournaments and see how things are done there4 ,developments may have occurred of which they know nothing1 and they could pick up many a wrinkle by a tour of inspection4 ,before one secretary of a fairly large tournament went to ,wimbledon he had never seen a canvas background4 ,,chapter ,,vi ,,some ,,personal ,,reminiscences ,i have been asked to write what ,i can remember of my earliest tennis days4 ,this is rather difficult1 as it is now thirteen years since ,i entered for my first tournament in #ahif4 ,it is never easy or pleasant to write one's own biography1 but ,i have been assured that readers will be interested to hear something of my career in court4 ,i have said that #ahif was the first year ,i entered for a tournament1 which is quite true2 but ,i always reckon that my tournament experience did not really start until the year #ahih1 because in the two previous years ,i only entered for one tournament 7,the ,gipsy71 and only in the handicap at that1 and ,i came out first round4 ,in #ahih ,i played in three tournaments1 and in more events at each one4 ,my earliest recollections of a racket and tennis ball go back to when ,i was quite small4 ,my greatest amusement was to play up against a brick wall1 with numerous dolls and animals of all kinds as spectators--really as big a gate as we get now at some tournaments6 ,each toy in turn was chosen as my opponent4 ,needless to say1 ,i always won these matches4 ,my adversaries took very little interest in the proceedings4 ,this was some years before ,i even played in a court1 and ,i think it was a very good way of starting the game4 ,i then played in a court we had at home1 which was not very good2 gooseberry bushes prevented our running outside the court at all4 ,i next joined a club at ,ealing ,common1 and at the age of eleven won my first prize1 the ,handicap ,singles at our club tournament4 ,of course ,i was receiving enormous points1 and ,i remember to this day how bored the best lady players in the club were when they had to play me4 ,my game then1 from all accounts1 involved a sequence of very high lobs4 ,i am now quite envious of the accuracy of my lobbing in those days4 ,i had absolutely no pace1 but was active and very steady1 and desperately serious and keen about the game4 ,at this time also ,i used to play at college1 preferring tennis to cricket1 which was the exception4 ,cricket was the great game4 ,tennis was pushed into the background1 and very little interest was taken in it1 even when the matches were played to decide the winner of the racket presented each year to the best player in the school by some kind parent4 ,i won this racket one year1 but could never use it1 as it was heavily weighted with an enormous silver shield on which was a lengthy inscription4 ,of course the balance of the racket was absolutely upset4 ,there was not much chance of improving at school1 because nobody took the trouble to have the court or net of the right dimensions4 ,the rules of the game were not even known4 ,every ball that touched the line was given out4 ,i remember a very heated argument ,i had with a mistress who was umpiring a match for me1 the result of which was that ,i had lines to write for impertinence6 ,in #ahii ,i joined the ,ealing ,lawn ,tennis ,club1 and won the singles championship cup three years in succession1 thus keeping it for my own property4 ,at one time ,mrs4 ,hillyard and ,mrs4 ,sterry had both been members of this same club4 ,curiously enough1 ,mrs4 ,hillyard1 ,mrs4 ,sterry1 ,miss ,sutton1 and myself have all lived1 at different periods of our lives1 very close together--,mrs4 ,hillyard at ,greenford1 ,mrs4 ,sterry and myself at ,ealing1 and ,miss ,sutton at ,acton4 ,i think about this time ,i very much improved my game by constantly playing singles against the best men in the club1 and also doubles with three men4 ,this was undoubtedly excellent practice for me4 ,illustration3 ,,autographs ,,from ,,my ,,album ,in #ahih ,i won my first prizes in open tournaments1 the handicap singles at ,chiswick ,park and ,queen's ,club4 ,at ,chiswick ,i received #ae4d1 and met ,miss ,c4 ,cooper in the semi-final4 ,i remember quite well my stage fright when ,i went into court against this famous player1 even at the tremendous odds of owe #ae4c and give #ae4d4 ,i lost the first set easily1 and the game was then postponed until the next day owing to failing light4 ,after that first set1 a friend said to me1 ,if you could only forget it's ,miss ,cooper1 ,i am certain you could win4 ,the next day ,i tried to follow out this advice1 and eventually won the match with the score of #c_/f1 #f_/a1 #f_/d4 ,at ,queen's ,i met ,miss ,c4 ,cooper again4 ,she was owing #dj and ,i was receiving #b_/f4 ,i again managed to win1 this time in two sets1 #f_/b1 #f_/c4 ,at ,eastbourne the same year1 my third tournament1 ,i was in the second-class handicap owing #ae1 and survived a few rounds4 ,miss ,c4,m4 ,wilson was also in the second class at #d_/f1 but we did not meet4 ,miss ,a4,m4 ,morton1 ,miss ,a4,n4,g4 ,greene1 ,miss ,garfit1 ,miss ,robb1 ,mrs4 ,hillyard1 ,miss ,dyas1 ,miss ,austin1 and ,miss ,c4 ,cooper were in the first class4 ,the classification for that year 7#ahih7 was3 ,miss ,c4 ,cooper ,scratch ,miss ,austin #a_/f ,miss ,dyas #a_/f ,mrs4 ,hillyard #a_/f ,miss ,martin #a_/f ,miss ,steedman #b_/f ,mrs4 ,pickering #c_/f ,miss ,robb #c_/f ,miss ,garfit #d_/f ,mrs4 ,kirby #d_/f ,miss ,legh #d_/f ,the first player of any repute that ,i beat in ,open ,singles was ,miss ,e4,r4 ,morgan1 whom ,i defeated in #ahii at ,chiswick ,park4 ,i was beaten in the next round by ,miss ,b4 ,tulloch after a severe tussle4 ,i again won the ,handicap ,singles at ,queen's4 ,i was on the scratch mark1 the farthest back ,i had yet been4 ,miss ,austin was back-marker at owe #cj4c4 ,the classification for #ahii was3 ,mrs4 ,hillyard ,scratch ,miss ,martin ,scratch ,miss ,c4 ,cooper #a_/f ,miss ,austin #a_/f ,mrs4 ,durlacher #b_/f ,mrs4 ,pickering #c_/f ,miss ,m4,e4 ,robb #d_/f ,miss ,steedman #e_/f ,miss ,bromfield #ae ,mrs4 ,kirby #ae ,miss ,tulloch #ae ,in #aijj ,miss ,marion ,jones1 then ,american lady champion1 came over to ,england4 ,i played one of the most exhausting matches against her that ,i have ever experienced4 ,it was at ,queen's ,club in the ,handicap ,singles4 ,i was owing #c_/f and ,miss ,jones receiving #c_/f4 ,there was a good deal of discussion at the time about this match1 and in spite of the tremendous heat 7we do not get such summers now7 we were persuaded to go into court4 ,in truth it was a gruelling day4 ,i remember men walked about the streets fanning themselves4 ,we played for hours in a blazing sun1 and ,i eventually won1 the score being #h_/aj1 #f_/b1 #g_/e4 ,after the match ,miss ,jones was taken to the dressing-room in a fainting condition1 and when ,i reached home ,i had an attack of sunstroke1 and had my head packed in ice4 ,the umpire was also seriously ill for some time4 ,it was only the international element in the game and the controversy about the relative points that made us fight it out to the bitter end4 ,we both thoroughly agreed with the notice of this match which appeared in ,lawn ,tennis the following week3 ,the ladies had their example of untiring effort and splendid patience in the second round of the ,handicap ,singles1 when ,miss ,marion ,jones1 the ,american champion 7receive #c_/f7 met ,miss ,d4,k4 ,douglass 7owe #c_/f74 ,the tie was played off under exceptionally trying circumstances4 ,a fiercely hot sun was pouring its rays on the court1 and there was scarcely a breath of air1 yet for #b-a_/b hours1 without hats1 did these ladies strive for mastery4 ,the first set fell to ,miss ,jones after #ah games had been played4 ,the second was secured by ,miss ,douglass with comparative ease1 neither the odds nor the previous exertions appearing to affect her4 ,the third set brought out a remarkable display of patience1 determination1 and cool judgment1 for when it stood out at #e games to #a in ,miss ,jones's favour1 ,miss ,douglass won the next #f games right off1 each game being fought out with great resolution4 ,it may be doubted whether either for tennis' sake or 'kudos' such a contest under such conditions is wise4 ,i was not surprised to hear it mentioned that not only had both competitors severely felt the strain1 but that even the umpire had suffered4 ,this year 7#aijj7 it is interesting to note that the champion of to-day1 ,miss ,d4 ,boothby1 won the ,handicap ,singles at ,beckenham1 receiving #ae4d4 ,this year1 too1 saw my first appearance at ,wimbledon4 ,i was not in the lists very long1 meeting ,miss ,l4 ,martin first round4 ,i do not think the game lasted long1 and ,i have only a very faint recollection of it2 but ,i remember thinking ,miss ,martin's strokes were the finest ,i had ever seen4 ,at ,eastbourne a couple of months later ,i was lucky enough to meet ,miss ,c4 ,cooper on a very off day and run her close in the open singles4 ,the match caused quite a sensation4 ,we started rather late1 in the tea interval1 and nobody took the least interest in what was considered a forgone conclusion4 ,however1 when it got abroad that ,misss ,cooper had actually lost the first set1 people came hurrying round the court in great consternation lest ,miss ,cooper1 whom they all knew so well1 should go down to a play who was quite unknown2 ,i had been in the second class only the year before4 ,miss ,cooper eventually secured the match1 #c_/f1 #i_/g1 #i_/g4 ,i met ,mrs4 ,sterry on many subsequent occasions before ,i could get anything like so close to her4 ,i really used to get quite weary of being beaten by her4 ,when the ,handicap ,singles came out the day after this match ,i was put to owe #ae in the first class1 which pleased me immensely4 ,miss ,robb1 ,mrs4 ,greville1 and ,miss ,c4 ,cooper were owe #ae4c and ,mrs4 ,hillyard owe #cj4 ,i was in the classification for the first time at the end of this year4 ,mrs4 ,hillyard ,scratch ,miss ,c4 ,cooper #a_/f ,miss ,martin #b_/f ,mrs4 ,greville #b_/f ,mrs4 ,pickering #c_/f ,miss ,robb #d_/f ,miss ,bromfield #e_/f ,mrs4 ,evered #e_/f ,miss ,c4 ,hill #e_/f ,miss ,longhurst #e_/f ,mrs4 ,winch #e_/f ,miss ,lane #ae ,miss ,a4,m4 ,morton #ae ,miss ,tulloch #ae ,miss ,d4,k4 ,douglass #ae ,in #aija ,i won my first ,challenge ,cup in an open tournament1 beating ,mrs4 ,greville in the challenge round at ,beckenham4 ,mrs4 ,greville's defeat came as a great surprise to every one4 ,it was her third year for the cup1 and this may have accounted for her being much below her usual form4 ,i had certainly improved a great deal1 even in that one week1 for ,i had had a hard match every day1 meeting ,miss ,tulloch1 ,miss ,morton1 and ,countess ,schulenberg 7with whom ,i had a tremendous three-set match7 in the preceding rounds4 ,mrs4 ,greville1 on the other hand1 had been standing out--the custom at ,beckenham1 one that ,i personally always find a great disadvantage4 ,i was easily beaten this year at ,wimbledon by ,mrs4 ,sterry4 ,classification for #aija3 ,mrs4 ,sterry ,scratch ,mrs4 ,hillyard #a_/f ,miss ,martin #a_/f ,miss ,d4,k4 ,douglass #b_/f ,mrs4 ,durlacher #c_/f ,mrs4 ,greville #c_/f ,mrs4 ,pickering #c_/f ,miss ,robb #c_/f ,miss ,lowther #d_/f ,miss ,a4,m4 ,morton #d_/f ,miss ,thomson #e_/f ,mrs4 ,winch #e_/f ,mrs4 ,evered #ae ,miss ,lane #ae ,miss ,longhurst #ae ,miss ,tulloch #ae ,at ,wimbledon1 in #aijb1 ,i had two very strenuous matches1 which improved my game immensely4 ,the first1 against ,mrs4 ,durlacher1 ,i just won4 ,the second1 against the late ,miss ,robb1 ,i just lost1 after one of the closest matches ,i have ever played4 ,miss ,robb won the championship this year4 ,it was a great fight2 and though of course it is hard to judge1 ,i always feel ,i played in that game as well as ,i have ever played4 ,the score in ,miss ,robb's favour was #f_/d1 #b_/e1 #i_/g4 ,thus we both won seventeen games4 ,this year ,i paid my first visit to ,newcastle1 a tournament which ,i always look forward to and enjoy as much as any meeting4 ,the management is all one can desire1 the people so keen and hospitable4 ,i had a good hard fight with ,mrs4 ,sterry1 losing #g_/e1 #g_/e1 and winning with her the ,ladies' ,doubles cups4 ,at ,brighton ,i was again beaten by ,mrs4 ,sterry1 although managing this time to get a set4 ,at ,eastbourne the following week ,i won my first match against ,mrs4 ,sterry in ,open ,singles1 the score being #e_/g1 #f_/b1 #f_/c4 ,i was simply delighted1 after so many reverses1 to win a match against this player4 ,i had been beaten so often by her1 and sometimes felt as though ,i never should be rewarded by a victory to my credit4 ,the classification of players for #aijb was as follows3 ,miss ,robb ,scratch ,mrs4 ,sterry ,scratch ,miss ,d4,k4 ,douglass #a_/f ,miss ,l4 ,martin #a_/f ,miss ,longhurst #a_/f ,mrs4 ,hillyard #b_/f ,miss ,h4 ,lane #b_/f ,miss ,a4,m4 ,morton #c_/f ,miss ,greville #c_/f ,miss ,steedman #c_/f ,mrs4 ,durlacher #c_/f ,miss ,c4,m4 ,wilson #c_/f ,miss ,lowther #c_/f ,miss ,bromfield #c_/f ,miss ,thomson #d_/f ,mrs4 ,pickering #d_/f ,in #aijc ,i paid my first visit to the ,northern tournament1 held at ,manchester that year4 ,i won the ,all ,england ,mixed ,doubles ,championship with ,mr4 ,f4,l4 ,riseley1 and was beaten in the challenge round of the ,ladies' ,singles by ,miss ,l4 ,martin after a very hard struggle3 #d_/f1 #g_/e1 #f_/d4 ,it seemed a great pity that ,miss ,martin was not able to play at ,wimbledon that year4 ,it was a lean year1 and for me a lucky one1 for with so many of the best players not competing for the championship 7,mrs4 ,hillyard1 ,mrs4 ,sterry1 ,miss ,robb1 and ,miss ,martin were all absentees7 ,i was given a chance of winning the coveted title4 ,i met ,miss ,e4,w4 ,thomson in the final1 who had beaten ,miss ,morton and ,miss ,wilson in the preceding rounds4 ,i had had a good fight against ,miss ,lowther before reaching the final4 ,although ,i was expected to beat ,miss ,thomson1 and actually did win the match1 ,i scarcely deserved my triumph4 ,miss ,thomson played by far the better tennis1 and it was really very hard luck on her that she did not succeed4 ,at one time she was a set up and four games to one1 and ,i was forced to play on the defensive nearly the whole time4 ,miss ,thomson played beautifully1 placing with great accuracy down the lines and across the court4 ,indeed1 her placing was so good that ,i always seemed to be yards away from her return1 when ,i had thought there was plenty of time to get to the ball4 ,it has always been a marvel to me how ,i won that match2 but ,i think it was chiefly condition--,miss ,thomson was never a very good stayer4 ,illustration3 ,,some ,,of ,,the ,,fruits ,,of ,,victory4 ,in the centre is the ,all ,england ,championship1 won by ,mrs4 ,lambert ,chambers in #aijc1 #aijd1 #aijf ,by the way1 ,miss ,thomson and ,i were introduced to each other at the ,gipsy ,tournament--my first tournament4 ,i had no partner for the ,ladies' ,doubles ,handicap1 and the secretary put us together on the programme4 ,little did ,i dream then that we should one day fight out the final of the ,championship on the centre court at ,wimbledon1 or as a pair twice win the ,all ,england ,doubles ,championship4 ,classification for #aijc3 ,miss ,d4,k4 ,douglass ,scratch ,miss ,l4 ,martin ,scratch ,miss ,e4,w4 ,thomson #a_/f ,miss ,lowther #a_/f ,miss ,c ,m4 ,wilson #b_/f ,miss ,greene #c_/f ,miss ,morton #c_/f ,miss ,longhurst #c_/f ,miss ,bromfield #d_/f ,miss ,h4 ,lane #d_/f ,mrs4 ,greville #d_/f ,miss ,kendal #e_/f ,mrs4 ,houselander #e_/f ,miss ,stawell-,brown #e_/f ,in #aijd ,i again won the championship1 beating ,mrs4 ,sterry in the challenge round4 ,this year and #aijf were my most successful years4 ,i was fortunate enough in both to go through the season without a reverse in open singles4 ,classification for #aijd was as follows3 ,miss ,d4,k4 ,douglass ,scratch ,mrs4 ,sterry #a_/f ,mrs4 ,hillyard #a_/f ,miss ,c4,m4 ,wilson #a_/f ,miss ,thomson #b_/f ,miss ,morton #b_/f ,miss ,w4 ,longhurst #c_/f ,miss ,v4 ,pinckney #c_/f ,miss ,greene #c_/f ,miss ,lane #c_/f ,mrs4 ,greville #d_/f ,miss ,stawell ,brown #d_/f ,mrs4 ,winch #d_/f ,miss ,garfit #e_/f ,miss ,kendal #e_/f ,miss ,d4 ,boothby #e_/f ,miss ,m4 ,coles #e_/f ,miss ,a4 ,ransome #e_/f ,miss ,e4 ,longhurst #ae ,miss ,squire #ae ,miss ,eastlake ,smith #ae ,miss ,paterson #ae ,miss ,tootell #ae ,in #aije ,i paid my first visit to the ,south of ,france4 ,i was unlucky enough to sprain my wrist2 but in spite of this mishap1 the change of conditions1 courts1 and surroundings were all so novel that ,i thoroughly enjoyed my visit4 ,the courts at the ,beau ,site1 ,cannes1 are absolutely perfect1 both as regards surface and background2 and when one has got used to the different bound of the ball and the rather trying glare of the sun1 one could not wish for better conditions for good tennis4 ,many a famous match has been fought out on these courts2 and situated as they are in the beautiful grounds of the ,hotel ,beau ,site1 where most of the players stay1 the environment is ideal4 ,i was only able to play in the ,monte ,carlo tournament1 after a few days' practice on the ,beau ,site courts1 for it was just at the start of the ,nice tournament that the accident to my wrist occurred4 ,it was very disappointing to default after coming so far to take part in these tournaments4 ,several months elapsed before ,i could use my wrist again1 and ,i was not able to play in any of the tournaments before ,i defended my title at ,wimbledon4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,challenge ,,round ,,at ,,wimbledon1 #aije3 ,,miss ,,sutton 7,,america7 v4 ,,miss ,d4,k4 ,,douglass ,this year ,miss ,may ,sutton1 the ,american lady champion1 paid her first visit to ,england1 and carried all before her1 winning the championship of ,england and many other events1 all without the loss of a single set--truly a wonderful performance4 ,if any one had pluck it was ,miss ,sutton4 ,to come to a strange country1 practically friendless 7,miss ,sutton made many friends over here1 but she came over alone71 and to play and defeat one after another of the best players in this country1 was a feat which filled us all with unbounded admiration4 ,illustration3 ,,motor ,,cars ,,waiting ,,outside ,,the ,,all-,,england ,,ground ,,at ,,wimbledon ,,during ,,the ,,ladies ,,challenge ,,round1 #aijf ,i have played ,miss ,sutton five times1 losing three and winning two of the matches4 ,of the three matches ,i lost1 two were at ,wimbledon1 in the challenge rounds of #aije and #aijg1 and the third at ,beckenham in the challenge round of #aijg4 ,my two victories were both gained in #aijf1 in the challenge rounds at ,liverpool and ,wimbledon4 ,certainly the most exciting match ,i have ever played1 and the one that gave me the most pleasure to win1 was my match at ,wimbledon against ,miss ,sutton in #aijf4 ,the match itself was not exactly enjoyable--the strain was too great2 so much seemed to depend upon me1 both for my own reputation1 and that of my country4 ,when ,mr4 ,palmer1 secretary of the ,all ,england ,club1 escorted us into the centre court and left us1 with a word of encouragement in my ear1 ,i felt helpless and destitute4 ,you cannot realize what it means to face four thousand people and know that so much depends on your own exertions and coolness4 ,miss ,sutton1 ,i think1 must have felt this loneliness in a still greater degree1 for she was away from her country1 her own people and friends4 ,i have never had such a craving to speak to some one as ,i had in this match--just one friendly word to tell me whether ,i was playing the right sort of game or not4 ,i confess my feelings were very strung up4 ,i remember in the second set1 when ,miss ,sutton led at three games to love1 ,i said to the umpire as we crossed over1 ,i wonder1 have ,i gone off1 or is she playing much better8 ,but1 of course1 his face was like a mask2 he didn't vouchsafe a word4 ,not that ,i expected him to speak1 but ,i felt ,i simply must say something to some one4 ,he told me afterwards he wanted to say1 ,i don't know2 but stick to it whatever happens6 ,concentration on the game in this match was terribly difficult1 as the crowd was so huge and seemed so excited2 it was almost impossible to forget the people and lose yourself in the game4 ,i can quite well remember a dispute going on in the open stand for quite a long time during the first set4 ,i think a lady would not put down her sunshade2 there was quite a commotion about it4 ,and then people near would shout advice to me1 or scream out1 ,it's over6 ,run6 ,this happened two or three times2 and although ,i knew they were trying to help me1 which in itself was cheering and encouraging1 it was very distracting and disconcerting4 ,but after some time ,i lost it all1 and became engrossed in the game4 ,i think in #aijg ,miss ,sutton was much steadier and played a better all-round game1 but ,i do not think she had quite the same terrific fore-hand drive as in the first two years she was over here4 ,her strokes were safer perhaps1 but not so formidable and powerful4 ,illustration3 ,,wimbledon1 #aijf3 ,,miss ,,douglass 7,,now ,,mrs4 ,,lambert ,,chambers7 ,,wresting ,,the ,,championship ,,from ,,miss ,,sutton1 ,,the ,,holder4 ,one of the great charms of playing in various tournaments is the means it affords of visiting all the different towns and countries4 ,it may involve considerable travelling and expense1 but the touring abroad is both an education and a delight4 ,monte ,carlo1 ,nice1 ,cannes1 ,homburg1 ,baden-,baden and ,dinard1 all bring the pleasantest reminiscences4 ,many of us have travelled about together1 which is the jolliest way of doing the tournaments4 ,i remember one most enjoyable trip1 when ,miss ,lowther motored the ,hillyards and myself through ,germany--an ideal way of doing tournaments6 ,the place at which a meeting is held1 its surroundings1 also the facilities it offers for amusement in the evening after your day's tennis is over1 add to the enjoyment and make a material difference4 ,it will always be one of my chief delights1 in thinking of my tennis career1 to remember the hospitality and many courtesies ,i have everywhere received1 and the many friends ,i have made1 who ,i trust will remain friends long after my tennis is a thing of the past4 ,it is extraordinary how nave the general public sometimes are4 ,people will watch first-class tennis1 sitting for hours together perhaps in great discomfort1 and yet display a lamentable want of knowledge about the game4 ,in fact1 to many its object is a mystery6 ,this seems hardly possible1 but it is quite true4 ,i once overheard a lady who was watching a match in the centre court at ,wimbledon remark1 ,there1 that's the very first time that man has hit the net with the ball1 and he has had hundreds of tries6 ,i thought the man mentioned must be playing pretty good tennis6 ,one really wonders why these onlookers spend so much time round a court1 or where the pleasure can come in for them4 ,at a garden party not so very long ago where tennis was on the programme1 the visitors1 arriving on the court1 found one solitary ball1 tied round with a long piece of string1 the other end being attached to the net4 ,to a natural inquiry the hostess replied1 ,oh1 they lost so many balls in the shrubbery last year1 ,i really couldn't afford it1 and thought of this plan4 ,it has been most successful4 ,this ball has lasted for ages6 ,another lady at ,eastbourne1 whom ,i had noticed because she never left her seat1 bringing her lunch with her so as not to lose a moment's play1 asked me at the end of the week1 while watching a double1 whether the partners were side by side or opposite1 as in bridge6 ,one of the most rooted mistakes in the public mind is that the first-class player is a professional4 ,many times people have said to me1 ,you must be making quite a nice bit of pocket-money from your tennis4 ,making8 ,i say4 ,spending1 you mean6--which always makes them stare in amazement4 ,this fallacy annoys me very much1 and is1 ,i find1 very common4 ,let me take the opportunity here of pointing out that there are no professional lawn tennis players excepting a few coaches at ,queen's ,club1 ,london1 and at some of the clubs abroad2 these men1 of course1 cannot compete in open tournaments4 ,,chapter ,,vii ,,my ,,most ,,memorable ,,match 7,,by ,,leading ,,players7 ,the following contributions1 in response to a request for some account of their most noteworthy encounter on court1 have been kindly furnished for this volume by leading lady players4 ,,mrs4 ,g4,w4 ,,hillyard 7,champion1 #ahhf1 #ahhi1 #ahid1 #ahig1 #ahii1 #aijj7 ,one of the most exciting matches ,i remember was the final for the ,championship at ,wimbledon1 played on the centre court on ,july #f1 #ahhi1 between ,miss ,rice and me4 ,i started very nervously1 as ,miss ,rice had given me rather a fright in the ,irish ,championship the month before1 when she appeared in ,dublin as a dark horse4 ,on that occasion ,i had only scraped through #g_/e1 #g_/e4 ,i began the match at ,wimbledon by serving a double fault1 and lost several games by doing the same thing in the first set4 ,my length was awful1 and ,miss ,rice was playing well from the start4 ,she had a very fine fore-hand drive1 but1 like myself1 a bad back-hand4 ,she led at #c games to #a1 and took the first set at #f_/d4 ,in the second set ,i regained my confidence a little1 winning three love games out of the first four2 but ,miss ,rice won the next four games in succession1 the score being called #e_/c and #dj_/ae against me4 ,at this point1 in my despair1 ,i said to ,mr4 ,chipp1 who was umpiring the match1 ,what can ,i do8 ,his grim answer was1 ,play better1 ,i should think4 ,i then fully realized that ,i had not been playing my best game1 and that to win ,i must hit harder4 ,this ,i did1 with the result that my length improved and ,i snatched this game from the fire--although ,miss ,rice was three times within a stroke of the match--and ,i eventually won the set at #h_/f4 ,the last set was well fought out1 for1 although ,i began well and led at #c_/a1 ,miss ,rice won the next three games in succession and reached #dj_/cj in the following game4 ,this was her last effort1 as ,i ran out at #f_/d1 winning the ,championship for the second time4 ,i think it was one of the closest matches ,i ever played1 and ,i see by ,pastime that ,i only won #ah games to her #af1 and #aaj strokes to her #ajj1 and ,i felt ,i was most lucky to win at all4 ,signature3 ,blanche ,hillyard ,,mrs4 ,,sterry 7,champion1 #ahie1 #ahif1 #ahih1 #aija1 #aijh7 ,of course it goes without saying that my most memorable and exciting matches will all be those in which ,i have excelled or been the most distinguished person at the immediate moment6 ,let me just say that ,i am not going to give details of any match1 as that is beyond my power and1 ,i assume1 of little interest to the reader4 ,winning my first championship of the ,ealing ,lawn ,tennis ,club at the age of #ad was a very important moment in my life4 ,how well ,i remember1 bedecked by my proud mother in my best clothes1 running off to the ,club on the ,saturday afternoon to play in the final without a vestige of nerve 7would that ,i had none now671 and winning--that was the first really important match of my life4 ,another great game will always be imprinted on my memory1 and that was in #ahid1 the first year that the late ,mr4 ,h4,s4 ,mahony and ,i won the ,all ,england ,mixed ,championship4 ,we beat ,mrs4 ,hillyard and ,mr4 ,w4 ,baddeley in the final4 ,the excitement of the onlookers was intense1 and never shall ,i forget the overpowering sensation ,i felt as we walked1 after our win1 past the ,aigburth ,cricket ,ground ,stand1 packed to its limit4 ,how the people clapped and cheered us6 ,it was tremendous4 ,illustration3 ,,mrs4 ,,hillyard ,illustration3 ,,mrs4 ,,sterry ,illustration3 ,,miss ,v4,m4 ,,pinckney ,illustration3 ,,miss ,d4 ,,boothby ,another memory--the year #ahie4 ,certainly ,i must be honest and say it wasn't exactly a good championship win1 for ,miss ,dodd1 ,mrs4 ,hillyard1 and ,miss ,martin were all standing out4 ,any of these could have beaten me4 ,nevertheless it was a delightful feeling to win the blue ribbon of ,england1 especially as my opponent in the final1 ,miss ,jackson1 had led #e-love in both sets6 ,by some good fortune ,i was able to win seven games off the reel in each case4 ,one more match--in #aijg4 ,i had heard a great deal about ,miss ,may ,sutton 7who made her first appearance in ,england in #aije7 beating everybody without the loss of a set4 ,i had also heard she was a giant of strength1 and that the harder one hit the more she liked it4 ,the first time ,i met her was at ,liverpool in #aijg--;,i did not play the previous season4 ,i was determined to introduce unfamiliar tactics1 giving her short balls in order to entice her up to the net4 ,the result was that many of her terrific drives went out1 and ,i think this was primarily the reason why ,i was the first lady in ,england to take a set from her4 ,i recollect her telling me1 after the match was over1 that my game was very different to any other she had ever played1 and that she was not anxious to meet me again--remarks ,i took as a great compliment4 ,there are scores of games just the reverse of pleasant which are imprinted on my memory1 but ,i am not going to revive them at my own expense1 hoping they have been forgotten and forgiven to my account1 by any unfortunate partners ,i have ever let down4 ,signature3 ,chattie ,r4 ,sterry4 ,,mrs4 ,,durlacher 7,doubles ,champion1 #ahii2 ,mixed ,doubles ,champion of ,ireland1 #ahih1 #aija1 #aijb7 ,a match that remains in my memory perhaps more than any other was the final of the ,irish ,championship ,singles at ,dublin in #aijb1 when ,miss ,martin and ,i met and had a long struggle for supremacy4 ,at one time it really seemed as if ,i must win this match1 as ,i led at #e games to #a and was within a stroke of the match4 ,but ,i could not make that one point4 ,once when ,i had the advantage and only wanted an ace to win the match1 one of my returns ran along the top of the net1 and then1 unfortunately for me1 dropped my side4 ,miss ,martin stuck to her guns persistently and eventually pulled the match out of the fire1 winning the next six games straight off and thus becoming ,irish ,champion for #aijb4 ,it was very disappointing to lose after being so near victory4 ,the score in ,mis ,martin's favour was #f_/h1 #f_/d1 #g_/e4 ,signature3 ,ruth ,durlacher ,,miss ,v4,m4 ,,pinckney 7,champion of ,london1 #aijg1 #aijh7 ,in recalling the most remarkable lawn tennis match that ,i have ever played1 ,i do not think ,i can do better than give the ,open ,mixed ,double semi-final that took place on the final day of the ,kent ,championship ,meeting at ,beckenham on ,june #a1 #aijh4 ,mr4 ,roper ,barrett and ,i met ,mr4 ,prebble and ,miss ,boothby1 and the story of the match is one of startling lapses and recoveries4 ,in the first set ,mr4 ,prebble and ,miss ,boothby profited by the combination born of frequent association in ,mixed ,doubles4 ,miss ,boothby was very good from the back of the court and ,mr4 ,prebble seemed to make mincemeat of my returns4 ,it was their set by #f_/d4 ,in the second set ,mr4 ,roper ,barrett was quite wonderful1 and killed every ball that he could possibly reach4 ,the result was that the set was easily ours by #f_/a4 ,our opponents1 however1 had something in reserve1 and1 ,i playing badly1 they ran away to #e_/j in the third set4 ,all seemed over4 ,my partner and ,i made a great effort and got one game1 and we congratulated ourselves on saving a love set4 ,then the excitement began1 and we added game after game to our side4 ,i am sure the crowd beame intensely interested1 and quite worked themselves up as we drew to #e all4 ,mr4 ,barrett at this time was simply invincible1 and ,i managed somehow to keep the balls out of ,mr4 ,prebble's reach and play everything to ,miss ,boothby1 upon whom devolved the responsibility4 ,my partner volleyed at all kinds of remarkable angles1 and1 as ,the ,sportsman in describing the match1 remarked1 sat on the net and was in complete command4 ,we took seven games consecutively and won the set at #g_/e1 and with it a memorable match4 ,signature3 ,violet ,m4 ,pinckney ,,miss ,d4 ,,boothby 7,champion1 #aiji7 ,without doubt my most exciting match was the final last year at ,wimbledon4 ,in every player's heart there must be a faint hope that one day she may win the ,all ,england ,championship4 ,at least it has always been in mine4 ,from ,christmas and all through the spring my family and friends had dinned into my ears that now was my chance1 and if ,i did not win this year ,i never would4 ,only when ,i was leading one set up and #b-love in the second did all these things flash across my mind4 ,i suddenly got nervous4 ,oh1 the misery of it6 ,i served double fault after double fault 7,i learnt afterwards that ,i gave away sixteen points in this way71 and my friends told me that it was a relief to them when my service went over the net at all1 however slowly4 ,my opponent1 ,miss ,morton1 caught up1 won the set #f_/d1 and led me #d_/b in the final set4 ,all this time ,i had been fighting hard to regain confidence4 ,at last my nerve came back--,i was determined to win1 and1 only after a very great effort1 just succeeded in capturing the ,championship with the narrow margin of #h_/f in the final set4 ,it was not until ,i had finished and had come off the court that ,i realized how very excited ,i had been1 and how relieved ,i was when it was all over4 ,only those who have had experience can know how exhausting it is to concentrate one's whole thoughts and efforts1 without cessation1 for an hour or more4 ,fortunately you do not feel the strain until afterwards1 when it does not matter1 and then you can look back with very great pleasure and satisfaction on a hard-won fight4 ,signature3 ,dora ,p4 ,boothby4 ,,mrs4 ,,larcombe 7,doubles ,champion1 #aijc1 #aijd2 ,mixed ,doubles ,champion1 #aijd1 #aije7 ,my most memorable match was in the ,all ,england ,mixed ,doubles ,championship at ,liverpool in #aijd4 ,mr4 ,s4,h4 ,smith and ,i were playing ,miss ,wilson and ,mr4 ,a4,w4 ,gore1 and we had a great struggle for victory4 ,i do not remember the exact score1 but at one time our opponents were within an ace of the match4 ,miss ,wilson served to me in the left court--a good service out on the side line4 ,i played a straight back-hand shot down the line1 passing ,mr4 ,gore's forehand--rather a desperate stroke1 as if it failed to pass him it meant certain death from one of his straight-arm volleys4 ,perhaps he was not guarding his line so well as usual1 under the impression that ,i would not have the courage to try to pass him at such a critical moment--anyway1 we won the point2 and eventually the match and the championship1 beating the holders1 ,miss ,d4,k4 ,douglass and ,mr4 ,f4,l4 ,riseley1 in a most exciting match--almost as memorable to me1 because ,i hit ,mr4 ,riseley three times with smashes4 ,i remember that side-line stroke and those three hits with great joy6 ,signature3 ,ethel ,w4 ,larcombe4 ,,mrs4 ,,lamplough 7,covered ,court ,champion1 #aijg7 ,i find it a matter of some difficulty to decide which is the most memorable of the more important matches in which ,i have played4 ,four or five as ,i recall them seem1 each in turn1 to have left a lasting impression on my memory for one reason or another4 ,yet none of them appear more worthy of note than the others4 ,the match which ,i think ,i shall remember long after many others are forgotten took place last year 7#aiji7 in the comparatively small and little-known tournament at ,romsey4 ,for the first time for some years ,i had missed winter practice on the covered courts at ,queen's ,club and in the ,south of ,france1 and when ,i started again late in ,june1 on moderate club courts and against none too keen opponents1 ,i found myself looking forward with apprehension to my first effort in public4 ,in the semi-final of the ,ladies' ,open ,singles at ,romsey ,i met ,miss ,sugden1 whose well-merited reputation as a lawn tennis player is more or less a local one1 chiefly for the reason that she has not competed in any of the first-class tournaments4 ,it was a close afternoon1 and the court being heavy we both felt the heat very much as the game progressed4 ,i never really looked like winning the first set2 my opponent led #d_/a1 and though ,i managed to equalize she easily ran out at #f_/d4 ,it was in the second set that the real struggle took place4 ,in spite of all my efforts1 ,miss ,sugden won game after game1 until the game stood at #e_/a against me and #cj all2 but by good luck ,i snatched that game and the two following4 ,at #e_/d and my service we had deuce quite ten or twelve times1 but in the end ,i managed to win and took the set at #g_/e4 ,after that ,i felt better1 and with renewed confidence and steadier nerves ,i won the final set at1 ,i think1 #f_/c4 ,there was nothing particularly remarkable in the match1 but somehow ,i felt that confidence in myself for the future depended in a great measure on my success in this event1 and1 in spite of having a very sporting opponent1 ,i never felt more relieved in my life than when the last stroke was played4 ,signature3 ,gladys ,s4 ,lamplough4 ,,miss ,a4,m4 ,,morton 7,runner up for the ,championship1 #aiji7 ,illustration3 ,mrs4 ,larcombe ,illustration3 ,mrs4 ,lamplough ,illustration3 ,miss ,a4,m4 ,morton ,illustration3 ,miss ,a4,n4,g4 ,greene ,i feel ,i owe an apology to ,mrs4 ,luard for writing about a match in which ,i happened to beat her1 as she is1 and was then1 a player altogether a class above me4 ,no doubt it became memorable1 as ,i certainly never expected to win at the outset1 and still less so when ,i was undergoing one of those ghastly creep-ups in the final set4 ,it happened in #aijd at ,wimbledon1 on the centre court1 in the semi-final of the ,championship4 ,miss ,wilson 7as she then was7 started well and won the first set #f_/c1 the second went to me at #f_/d1 and the third set seemed as if it would go to either of us in turn4 ,everything went well for me till ,i actually got to #e_/a and it was #ae_/dj on her service2 then ,i lost two points quite easily--those winning shots are so hard to make6 ,and at deuce we had a tremendous rally1 which ended in a good side-line shot by my opponent that ,i couldn't get to and didn't even try4 ,the linesman called out1 which ,i contradicted1 and general confusion took place1 the spectators joining in the fray--and it all arose through the ball being given out in the middle of the long rally when a train was passing1 and we neither of us heard it4 ,i never knew the explanation till after the match and was quite convinced ,i had sneaked the point1 and somehow ,i went all to pieces1 and everything went as badly as it had gone well before1 till ,miss ,wilson crept up to #f_/e4 ,then ,i made an expiring effort just in time4 ,i dare say she was tired1 for ,i won that game fairly easily4 ,we had a great fight for the thirteenth1 which ,i fortunately won1 and finished the match with a love game4 ,and no one was more surprised than ,i4 ,signature3 ,a4,m4 ,morton4 ,,miss ,a4,n4,g4 ,,greene 7,east of ,england ,champion1 #aijc1 #aije7 ,it is difficult to decide on the most memorable match one has ever played4 ,each in turn seems at the time to be the most important4 ,one which ,i found very exciting at the time was against ,mrs4 ,luard in the final for the ,cup at ,felixstowe4 ,i won the first set #f_/c1 and led #e_/a and #dj_/cj in the next1 when ,mrs4 ,luard sent me a short easy ball--a certain kill at any other time4 ,i sent it out4 ,four times after that ,i was within a point of the match1 but could not quite pull it off1 and ,mrs4 ,luard1 playing up brilliantly1 not only won that set1 but led #e_/b in the third4 ,then ,i made a final effort1 and though it was always touch-and-go ,i managed to make it #f_/e4 ,in the next game ,mrs4 ,luard was #dj-love1 but after a great struggle ,i got it1 and so won the match1 though it was anybody's game to the end4 ,signature3 ,a4,n4,g4 ,greene4 ,,index ,a ,all ,england ,club ,athletics for girls ,austin1 ,miss ,b ,back-hand drive ,baddeley1 ,mr4 ,w4 ,baden-,baden ,barrett1 ,mr4 ,roper ,beau ,site1 ,hotel ,beckenham ,boothby ,brighton ,c ,cannes ,championship1 the ,chipp1 ,mr4 ,h4 ,chiswick ,park ,clubs ,complete ,lawn ,tennis ,player1 ,the ,cooper1 ,miss ,c4 7see also ,sterry1 ,mrs47 ,courts ,d ,diet ,dinard ,dod1 ,miss ,doherty1 ,mr4 ,r4,f4 ,doubles ,douglass1 ,miss ,d4,k4 ,dress ,dressing-rooms ,driving ,drop-shots ,dublin ,durlacher1 ,mrs4 ,dyas1 ,miss ,e ,ealing ,l4,t4,c4 ,ealing ,common ,l4,t4,c4 ,eastbourne ,f ,felixstowe ,fore-hand drive ,france1 ,south of ,g ,garfit1 ,miss ,gipsy ,tournament ,gore1 ,mr4 ,a4,w4 ,greene1 ,miss ,a4,n4,g4 ,greville1 ,mrs4 ,h ,half-volley ,head-work ,health1 effect on ,hillyard ,mr4 ,g4,w4 ,mrs4 ,homburg ,j ,jackson1 ,miss ,jones1 ,miss ,m4 ,l ,lamplough1 ,mrs4 ,larcombe1 ,mrs4 ,see ,thomson1 ,miss ,lawn ,tennis ,lawn tennis and golf cost of ,liverpool ,lobbing ,lob-volley ,low volleys ,lowther1 ,miss ,luard1 ,mrs4 7see also ,wilson1 ,miss ,c4,m47 ,m ,mahony1 ,mr4 ,h4,s4 ,manchester ,martin1 ,miss ,l4 ,match play ,mixed doubles ,monte ,carlo ,morgan1 ,miss ,e4,r4 ,morton1 ,miss ,myers1 ,a4 ,wallis ,n ,newcastle ,nice ,p ,palmer1 ,mr4 ,pastime ,pinckney1 ,miss ,v4 ,practice1 how to ,prebble1 ,mr4 ,a4,d4 ,q ,queen's ,club ,r ,rackets ,reading ,rice1 ,miss ,riseley1 ,mr4 ,f4,l4 ,robb1 ,miss ,romsey ,s ,schulenberg1 ,countess ,service ,american ,shoes ,slazenger ,smash ,smith1 ,mr4 ,s4,h4 ,sportsman1 ,the ,staleness ,sterry1 ,mrs4 ,sugden1 ,miss ,sutton1 ,miss ,t ,tactics ,thomson1 ,miss ,e4,w4 ,thorpe ,satchville ,tournaments1 abuse of ,tournaments1 management of value of ,training ,tulloch1 ,miss ,b4 ,u ,umpires ,v ,volleying ,w ,watson1 ,miss ,m4 ,wilson1 ,miss ,c4,m4 ,wimbledon