Tennis Dictionary

Every tennis lover minimun knowledge terminology
You are a tennis fan, you love the game , but there are still some tennis' wording' that you would like to check out , or find out a bit more about it.

In our Tennis dictionary you will find a basic but 'all-embracing' glossary that offers you a simple and easy to understand explanation of the most commonly used tennis terms.  Learn all about the essential tennis jargon.

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The most commomly used tennis terms
Tennis Dictionary
 
A
Ace A good serve that is not touched by the opponent
Advantage The game point following deuce. If a player wins the "advantage" point, he or she wins the game.
Alley The court area between the singles and doubles lines
All rounder A player with the ability to play well both offensively and defensively.
Anticipation The ability to predict where the opponent is going to play the ball.
Approach A ground stroke played just before you run to the net to volley
Approach shot A shot played with the aim of winning a point quickly, often hit from mid-court deep into the corner of the opponent's court.
ATP Association of Tennis Professionals
B
Backcourt The back half of the court between the service and baseline. This zone is a taboo zone also known as - no man's land.
Backhand A stroke played with the back of the hand towards the net
Baseline The line at the end of the court that is parallel to the net
Baseline rally A point that is played when both player hit the ball from their respective baseline.

Best of (3 or 5)		 The maximum number of sets in any match. In "best of three" matches, players need to win two of the three sets. In men's tennis, most matches are "best of five," i.e. a match finishes when a player has won three sets.
Big point A crucial point deciding which player wins a set or an important game. For example, when the scores are level and the server is 30-40 down.
Block A short punched groundstroke that is used when returning a very fast ball
Break When the person who is serving loses the game
Bye Free pass into the next round of a tournament
C
Center mark A mark half-way across the baseline, effectively the extension of the center line. When serving, players must remain on the correct side of this mark.
Change ends The players change ends of the court regularly during tennis matches, e.g. after every "uneven" game (1,3,5) in a set.
Clay court A court with a surface made of crushed stone or brick
Continental grip The most common grip used by players
Cross shot A stoke played diagonally across the court
D
Defensive play A type of player who generally stays at the baseline and tries to keep the ball in play without taking risks. Players like this leave the attacking to their opponents, winning most of their points from opponent errors.
Deuce A tie at 40
Double-fault Two service faults in a row from the same part of the court
Double-handed A player who keeps both hands on the racket during a stroke (mostly on the backhand)
Drive A powerful stroke with slight topspin. Given its long, straight trajectory it is well-suited as a passing shot or attempted winner.
Drop shot A slice shot that stops very quickly and hardly bounces.
E
Eastern grip Forehand grip. Describes a grip which allows the ball to be hit easily ahead of the body and the racquet swung all the way through.
F
Fault If a ball is served or hit into the net
Flat serve A serve without any kind of spin.
Foot fault It occures if the player steps on or over the baseline while serving, before hitting the ball.
Foot work Player's technique for moving most economically to the ideal position to play a stroke. Techniques include tango, side-step and cross-step.
Forecourt The area between the two service lines.
Forehand A stroke played so that the palm of yor hand is towards thenet.
G
Game One a player reaches 6 games is a set (some cases may go to seven games or tie-breaks). the game consisits of 4 poins - love, 15, 30, 40, and sometimes five advantage scores.
Game point The point needed to win that game.
groundstroke A stroke ,forehand or backhand, played after the ball has bounced on the side of the hitter.
H
Half court A tennis court whose surface is usually asphalt or concrete.
Hard volley A stroke played right after the ball has bounced.
I
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J
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K
Kick serve A serve with heavy spin, also known as a twist serve.
knockout comp. A tournament whereby players are eliminated when they lose a match.
L
Let When someone serves, and the ball touches the net and then falls into the opposite service box, a let is called. The point is replayed.
Lob A ball high into the air, behind the opponent who approached the net.
Long line A stroke played straight down the court, either along or adjacent to one of the sidelines.
Love Means zero, nothing.ex: love-thirty = 0-30.
M
Match The best of three-set or five-set format.
Match point The player needs one more point to win the match.
Mini break When the server loses the point during a tie-break, this is referred to as a mini-break.
N
Net Runs at the half of the court, is made out of nylon, it's height is 3ft.
Net or let The call from the net-cord judge when a serve touches the top of the net.
No man's land The area between the service line and the back court line.
Not up The call from the umpire when a ball, having bounced twice, is dead.
O
Offensive player Offensive players use aggressive tactics in an attempt to force errors from their opponents.
Overhead A smash. A stroke above the head, it's similar to the serve.
Overrule The umpire option to correct a call made by one of the linejudges.
P
Passing shot A stroke played when the opponent is clode to the net and unable to intercept the ball.
Penalty point Points deducted for unsporting behavior.
Placement The ball is hit to a precisely chosen part of the court, usually one that the opponent cannot reach.
Point A game has four points (0, 15, 30, 40)
Q
Qualifying competition Tournament giving low-ranked players the opportunity to qualify for the tournament proper.
R
Rally A long exchange of strokes.
Receiver The player who receives the ball from the server.
Return The stroke that returns the service.
S
Second serve the server has two chances: first serve, and if that fails, second serve.
Seeding A graded list of the best players entering a tournament. The best players are normally "seeded" before a tournament begins.
Server The stroke used to start each point.
Serve or Service Every point begins with a serve. From a position behind the baseline, the server has to hit the ball diagonally over the net into the opponent's service court. Players get two attempts to serve the ball correctly in each point. In the first point of any game or set, the serve is played from the right-hand side of the court. After this the server alternates side ,from right to left and vice-versa, at the start of every new point.
Serve & volley A tactic where players serve and then rush to the net with the aim of playing a winning volley off the opponent's return.
Set Is usually composed of six games, unless it's a tie. If there is a tie at six,then a tie-breaker is caled.
Set point Point needed to win a set.
Sidespin A ball rotates sideways into the air, making difficult to return.
Slice A backspin serve or shot,that makes the ball stay in the air longer.
Split step Get ready position before moving into a shot.
Stop volley A volley where the player takes the pace off the ball, so that it drops softly on the other side of the net - making it difficult or impossible for the opponent to reach.
Swing The forward action of a groundstroke.
T
The 'T' Where the middle line joints the service line.
Tie-breaker Is played when the game score is 6-6. Teh first player to win seven points leding by two, wins the set.
Topspin The way that a ball rotates, usuallis opposite of backspin.
Twist serve A service with both top spin and side spin.
U
Umpire The umpire decides which player has won a point and also keeps the score. In major tournaments the umpire is assisted by a number of judges
Underspin The opposite of topspin.
Unforced error An error made while under no pressure from the opponent.
USPTA United States Professional Tennis Association.
V
Volley When a player hits the ball before it bounces.
W
Warm-up The period of time before starting the game, when player loosen up practicing their strokes.
Wild card Irrespective of their positions in the rankings, an organizer can invite one or more players to take part in a tournament, offering them wildcards.
Wimbledon The number one world tennis tournament.
WITA Women's Tennis Association.


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