at a tax on the physique. Nor do I think it pays in the
long-run. A volleyer, to my mind, is much easier to play against than a
base-liner, and most of the first-class base-line players agree with me.
The great physical exertion entailed in running continually to the net
will after a time make the ground strokes weaker and weaker; and you
_must_ have good length to be able to come up and volley with any
success. Miss E.W. Thomson (now Mrs. Larcombe), one of our best lady
volleyers, put up a magnificent game in the first set against Miss
Sutton at Wimbledon in the championship singles of 1905. She had
carefully watched Miss Sutton's game and thought out the best way to
play her. Volleying most judiciously, she would force Miss Sutton up to
the net with a short drop stroke, and then, lobbing over her head nearly
on to the base-line, take up a position at the net, winning the ace with
a neat cross volley. These tactics she repeated again and again, and
actually led by five games to two. If she could have lasted she must
have won that match. But she could not keep it up. She became obviously
exhausted, did not get up to the net quickly enough, and her length got
shorter and shorter. Miss Sutton eventually won that set and the next
easily. I do not know what would have happened if Miss Thomson, when
she found she was tiring, had stayed back for a little while and then
resumed her tactics at the net. Perhaps she would have come much nearer
to victory.

A very large majority of non-volleyers in singles have won the ladies'
championship, and I think that fact helps to prove my argument. Miss
Maud Watson, Miss Rice, Mrs. Hillyard, the late Miss Robb, Miss Sutton,
Miss Boothby and myself are base-liners. Miss Dod and Mrs. Sterry are
the only two volleyers. Every girl, however, should learn how to volley.
You may be inveigled up to the net, and you should then know how to play
and place a volley. And you should go up now and then on a good-length
ball.

In _Doubles_ of course it is different. I think then a girl should
volley. It will greatly improve her play all round, and will also make
the game so much more attractive. I think it would be an excellent plan
if ladies' doubles were always played like men's doubles, both players
moving together and keeping parallel with one another, going up to the
net together and retiring to the back of the court together. Competitors
would improve their volleying, and the double, instead of be