to tilt upward just as you meet the ball. This, shot should
seldom go above 10 feet in the air, since it tends to go out with
the float of the ball.

The chop lob, which is a decided under cut, should rise from 20
to 30 feet, or more, high and must go deep. It is better to lob
out and run your opponent back, thus tiring him, than to lob
short and give him confidence by an easy kill. The value of a lob
is mainly one of upsetting your opponent, and its effects are
very apparent if you unexpectedly bring off one at the crucial
period of a match.

I owe one of my most notable victories to a very timely and
somewhat lucky lob. I was playing Norman E. Brookes in the fifth
round of the American Championships at Forest Hills, in 1919. The
score stood one set all, 3-2 and 30-15, Brookes serving. In a
series of driving returns from his forehand to my backhand, he
suddenly switched and pounded the ball to my forehand corner and
rushed to the net. I knew Brookes crowded the net, and with 40-15
or 30-all at stake on my shot, I took a chance and tossed the
ball up in the air over Brookes' head. It was not a great lob,
but it was a good one. For once Brookes was caught napping,
expecting a drive down the line. He hesitated, then turned and
chased the ball to the back stop, missing it on his return. I
heard him grunt as he turned, and knew that he was badly winded.
He missed his volley off my return of the next service, and I led
at 30-40. The final point of the game came when he again threw me
far out of court on my forehand, and, expecting the line drive
again, crowded the net, only to have the ball rise in the air
over his head. He made a desperate effort at recovery, but