To come to the various strokes, I do not mean to enter into these elaborately.  There are now so many good books in the market that deal exhaustively with this subject, such as “The Complete Lawn-Tennis Player,” by A. Wallis Myers, that I shall not aim at covering old ground.

The first and foremost stroke to be learnt is The Fore-hand Drive.  A good fore-hand is one of the chief assets of the game; a good length must be one of the first things to cultivate.  The ball must be sent as near the base line as possible.  Do not at first try to get a severe shot, but practise getting a good-length slow ball until you are very accurate at that.  You will find that pace and direction will come afterwards.  When making a fore-hand drive stand sideways to the net.  Your left shoulder should face the net, your left foot should be in front of your right.  Wait as long as possible, for the ball.  By this I mean, do not rush in to it; wait for it to come to you.  Stand well away from it, sideways and lengthways.  Swing your racket slowly back to about the level of your shoulder, then bring it slowly forward, and simultaneously transfer your weight from your right foot to your left.  This transference of weight, let me add, is most important, and can only be achieved by careful practice.  If it is transferred too soon or too late, the whole power of the stroke is lost.

[Illustration:  The fore-hand drive beginning middle finish]

The ball must be hit firmly and cleanly with the centre of the racket.  Feel as if you were literally sweeping it along—­your movement must be so perfectly timed—­to the place you wish it to go, not forgetting to follow well through with your arm and shoulder in a line with the flight of the ball.  Great muscular strength is not needed to play well. Timing your stroke, transferring your weight at the right moment, and following well through at the finish—­these are the chief secrets of good and powerful strokes.  Do not be content merely to watch the ball, but keep your eye fixed on it until the last possible moment, following it right on to the centre of your racket.  Until you have tried this you cannot realize how difficult it is, or how greatly it will improve your stroke; and it helps to complete concentration, which to my mind is one of the chief attributes of success.

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