Short-line
The line on the floor at the distance of about 39 feet from the front wall and parallel to it.
Note. The distance is different in some courts.
Volley. A ball which is struck before it has touched the floor is said to be struck at, or on, the volley; the stroke is called a volley.
LAWS.
The Single Game. 1. The right to serve first shall be determined by the spin of the racket. The player who wins the spin shall have the right to serve first. 2. The server, in serving, must stand with at least one foot within the service-box and not touching any of the lines that bound it. 3. The server may begin serving from the right or the left service-box as he pleases; but after serving from the right he must serve from the left or vice versa; and so on alternately as long as he remains hand-in. 4. The ball served must strike the front wall before touching any other part of the court, and must strike it above the cut-line, and must drop within the lines¹ which bound the court on the side opposite to the box from which the ball was servea, ana must not touch either of such lines. 5. Hand-out may declare that he was not ready for the service; and if the marker decides in favour of his claim, the service shall count for nothing, and the server shall serve again from the same box, but if he decide otherwise the server shall score an ace. If hand-out make any attempt to take the service, he cannot claim that he was not ready. 6. Hand-out may take a fault; but if he do so the rally must be played as if the service had been good. 7. Aces are scored by hand-in only. 8. Hand-in wins and scores an ace: (a) If hand-out fail to return the ball served or in-play to the front wall, above the board, before the ball has touched the floor twice, except in the case of a let (see Law 10); or (b) If hand-out return the ball served or in-play so that it goes out-ofcourt; or (c) If the ball in-play touch hand-out, or anything that he wears or carries except his racket in the act of striking. 9. Hand-in becomes hand-out: (a) If he serve the ball so that it touches him before dropping in the proper court as provided by Law 4; or (b) If he serve the ball on the floor or out of court. (c) If the ball served touch any part of the court before striking the front wall, or (d) If he serve two consecutive faults. (e) If he fail to return the ball in-play to the front wall above the board, except in the case of a let (see Law 10); or (f) If he return the ball in-play so that it goes es out of court, or (g) If the ball in-play touch him or anything that he wears or carries, except his racket in the act of striking.