
PART I.
CHAPTER I. HOW TO LEARN TO PLAY.
CHAPTER II. THE COURT AND IMPLEMENTS OF THE GAME.
CHAPTER III. SERVICE.
CHAPTER IV. FIRST STROKE.
CHAPTER V. THE STROKE.
CHAPTER VI. THE VOLLEY.
CHAPTER VII. THE HALF-VOLLEY.
CHAPTER VIII. THE LOB.
PART II.
Step onto the grass and discover a clear, patient guide to the sport of lawn‑tennis as it was first taught in the late 19th century. The author, a pupil of the era’s champion, writes for complete beginners, emphasizing careful observation of skilled players and simple, repeatable drills that can be done even in a small room. From the proper grip to the rhythm of a balanced swing, each lesson builds a solid foundation without overwhelming the newcomer.
Beyond basic strokes, the book walks the listener through the essential mechanics of serving, volleying, and the half‑volley, using wall exercises that sharpen timing and footwork. It also introduces the layout of the court, the etiquette of singles and doubles, and a concise overview of umpiring and scoring. By the end of the first part, anyone can feel confident enough to step onto a real lawn and enjoy the game with proper form.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (142K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by MWS, Adrian Mastronardi, Chris Jordan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
Release date
2018-10-19
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1852–1917
Best remembered as a pioneer of American tennis, he also wrote one of the sport’s earliest instructional books. His life bridged athletics, medicine, and the first organized years of lawn tennis in the United States.
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