Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-07-28
HARD VOLLEYING ONE OF MOST
IMPORTANT PLAYS In TENNIS


and well, but unless he can obtain
good length his efforts must fail.
Nothing is more certain than that the
volleyer viii be passed IL he makes
a bad length return.
When making a cross-eut yolley
a slight cut is. useful and most good
yolleyers uses it.. Not only does the
cut make the ball keep low. but II
imparts a little go away to the ball,
tendencies which make ii difficult for
the player standing back to recover.
fectiye on grass. with its clinging sur.
face That Ii why the cut volleyer
often fares badly on covered courts:
the ball does not bite. / firmly be-
lieve In imparting a little cut to cross
volleys. but beware, as in the case OF
top spin. not to overdo it. Too much
Of good thing is fatal in everything.
especially In regard to putting on cut
and spin in lawn tennis.
In low volleying, get down to the
ball. Do not stand upright and merely
stick the racket down. Bend yourself
down. Another rule to remember is,
whenever possible and convenient,
keep the head of the racket above the
wrist. The question of expediency is
most important, for It Is the greatest
mistake in the world to sacrifice eff.
cheney for style. But the main point
to remember is that low volleys should
be played with horizontal and not
with vertical racket, and that steer
ing is assisted If the head is kept up
Here again, of course. there can
be no hard-and.fast rule, for many
strokes are taken more conveniently
with the head of the racket down.
remember II. s. Mah0ny. magnificent
player and profound student of the
game. with whom / was fortunate
enough to be associated in doubles for
two years. went sosfar as to say that
all Arekes should be executed with
the head 6fthe racket above the wrist.
Whether he was right or wrong, none
of the modern players has excelled for
grace, accuracy and pace the Irish
mans backhand ground stroke or vol
To come back to volleying. When
you are at close quarters, and cannot
follow the flight of- the ball. the best
thing. to do, to myf mind, is to place
your racket In such q position that the
whole and fun face Of it is open to
meet the ball. Then. provided, your
guess is not very far from the mark,
the ball will strike the racket and
return into, the court or course. the
racket must be held firmly.
When the ball comes suddenly, and
the flight has not been followed. many
players execute q stroke with what
cricketer would call q cross bat. 1t is
obvious that i1z moving the racket
across there is only fraction of a
second when the bail can be hit clean
" and timed correctly.
Meet the ball< then, with the full
face of the racket toward it. Above
everything, do not force your yolleys.
Hit them hard provided they are shout
der. high or fobs, and you can see
them all the way and feel sure of the
stroke, but in fast quick volleys the
racket. must be shot down or up into
the correct position, first. Then regu-
late the stroke. If the ball comes fast
hardly any forward motion is .neces-
'sary; Il It spproaches slowly a little
more push may Be given to the ball.
Another very important point Is to-
take the ball when level with the body.
Do not Snatch out att before 1t reach
es you. iH= sach case faulty direc-
ton must inevitably result. Always
take the ball as high from the. ground
as convenient and practicable. Move
in and meet it. The higher YOU take
a volley the greater the command OF
your opponents court. You are pur.
suing that vital principle Of hitting
down. go,