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Tennis Terminology and Definitions
'Tennis Game Terms: Love Being an Ace and Become a Winner'
TENNIS TERMS: A concise list of terminologies of tennis. You will find 100s of tennis terms and definitions used by players and officials, all listed from A to Z.
Tennis players and competition referees can use this vocabulary of tennis terminology. The titles and common match rulings will also help spectators and sports fans.
The official tennis rules and regulations is a good place to start if you are learning to play. This list of tennis words covers advanced tennis lingo and sports terms related to the game.
Shoot through to the most common terminology in tennis by clicking the alphabetic facility below. Or, take a break and sharpen your knowledge and understanding of the game.
This comprehensive glossary of tennis terms and definitions continues to grow. Check in often for more words and phrases associated to tennis playing techniques and match-winning strategies.
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TENNIS TERMS: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
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A - Ace
Serving an ace means you hit a winner and the receiving player was unable to return the ball.
Advantage
Advantage in tennis occurs after the score reaches 40-all and the winner of the next point will have taken the advantage.
That means the player can win the game by taking the next point after the score was deuce.
The score reverts to 40-all if the player with advantage loses the next point.
Advantage Court
In basic tennis terms the advantage court refers to the left side section of the court for each player.
Alley
The alley is used in doubles tennis games and it is the extra area of the side court which is bordered by the singles and doubles sidelines.
Angle-game
The angle-game refers to a style of play where you force your opponent wide of the court.
ATP
ATP is one of the abbreviated terms used in tennis. ATP stands for the Association of Tennis Professionals.
B - Backhand
The tennis backhand stroke is a swing technique where the tennis racquet hits the ball with a swing that comes across the body and struck on the opposite side of the body to the racket hand.
Backspin
Using a backspin tennis technique spins the ball and produces a slow and low bounce.
Backswing
The backswing is a motion of the swing that moves the racquet into position to swing forward and strike the ball.
Ball
A tennis ball is made mostly of rubber with a green and yellow fluffy surface coating.
Ballboys
Tennis ballboys are assistants whose role is to collect the balls and return them to the serving player.
Baseline
The baseline is a two-inch wide mark at the rear of the court indicating the back of the court area.
Baseliner (counterpuncher)
Baseliner is a tennis term describing a player whose strategy is to play predominantly from the baseline - sometimes called a counterpuncher.
Break
A break situation occurs when the server loses the game.
Break Point
Break point means the player is one point away from breaking their opponent's service game.
C - Chip
Chip is tennis terminology describing a blocking a shot and played with backspin.
Chip and Charge
Playing the 'chip and charge' is seen as an aggressive strategy in an attempt to return the opponent's serve with backspin and followed by a swift move forward to the net for a volley.
Chop
The tennis chop is one of the unusual terms used in tennis. The 'chop' is a shot played with an extreme amount of backspin and meant to stop the ball abruptly wherever it lands.
Court
According to the codified rules and regulations of tennis the rectangular court is the area where a tennis game is played.
Crosscourt
A tennis crosscourt shot is and impressive shot played diagonally across the court into your opponent's court zone.
D - Deep
Deep is a tennis word describing a shot bouncing near to the baseline and some distance from the net.
Deuce
Deuce is a situation when the tennis score is 40 all in a game (40 to 40).
Deuce Court
The deuce court refers to the right side of the court for each player.
Doubles
Doubles tennis games are played by four players which means there are two on each side of the court.
Double Fault
Essentially a double fault occurs when a server faults twice in a row and loses one point.
Down the Line
Down the line is a tennis phrase meaning the shot has been played straight down the baseline.
Drop Shot
The drop shot is a volley where the ball drops tightly over the net. It is a tennis strategy used when the opponent is not close to the net.
Drop Volley
The drop volley is a sharp drop shot played from a volley.
E - Elbow (tennis)
Tennis elbow is a condition that causes pain around the outside of the elbow and clinically known as lateral epicondylitis. It often occurs after strenuous overuse of the muscles and tendons of the forearm, near the elbow joint.
F - Fault
A fault occurs most often during a serve and happens when the ball does not land inside the service area on the full (service that is not in play). A player committing this service fault loses a point after two consecutive faults.
First Service
The first service is the initial delivery of the two serves of the tennis ball. Players are allowed two serves by generally the server will try to deliver the most difficult serve to return on their first service.
Flat
The word 'flat' is one of the regular terms used for tennis. Playing a flat shot means there is little or no spin on the delivery.
Follow Through
The follow through describes the part of the swing technique after hitting the ball. A good follow through in tennis is important for power and accuracy.
Foot Fault
A foot fault occurs when a server places their foot over the baseline while making a serve.
Forecourt
The forecourt refers to the area of between the service line and the net.
Forehand
For many players the forehand is their best stroke. It is a tennis swing hitting the ball from behind the body.
G - Game Point
If you have game point it defines that you are one point away from winning the tennis game.
Grand Slam
The Grand Slam refers to any one of the four most prestigious tennis tournaments including the Australian Open, Championship Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, and the French Open.
Groundstroke
Playing a groundstroke is making a forehand or backhand shot after the tennis ball bounces once on the court
H - Head
Head is tennis vocabulary for the top part of the racket where the strings are attached and used to hit the ball.
Hold
Hold is a state of play when the server wins the tennis game.
I - Information
I-formation is one of tennis titles referring to a doubles game where both players stand on the same side of the court in preparation of starting the point.
J - Jamming
In tennis terminology, jamming means hitting the tennis ball straight to the opponent's body which does not usually allow them to extend their racquet for the return ball.
K - Kick Serve
A kick serve is one with an emphasized amount of spin which causes the ball to bounce high.
L - Let
If the tennis ball touches the net from a service but still lands within the service box, it is considered to be a 'let'. The server serves again and this does not count as a fault as seen in the official Tennis Rules Book PDF version.
Linesman
The linesman is an official seated in a chair along the lines of the court and his role is to call whether balls are in or out.
Lob
A lob is a ball hit high in the air and lifted high above the net while attempting to land it behind the opposing player. The lob shot can be defensive in some cases, but can create a winner when the ball lands in play and out of reach of the opponent.
Love
In a glossary of tennis terms, 'love' means the player has zero points in the game.
M - Match Point
Match point occurs when one player requires only one more point to win the entire tennis match.
N - Net
A tennis net is the central barrier which separates the two halves of the court.
Net Cord Judge
The official who determines whether the serve hits the net is called the net cord judge.
O - Out
A ball which lands outside the area of play is termed to be 'out'.
P - Passing Shot
Passing shots are delivered passed the opponent at the net without them being able to return the shot.
Poaching
Poaching is one of the tennis words relating to an aggressive strategy in doubles tennis games. It refers to situations where players attempt volleying shots to the baseline.
Q - Queen's Club Championships
Queens is an annual tournament for male tennis players. It is held on grass courts at the Queen's Club in West Kensington, London.
The Queen's Club Championship is an event in the ATP World Tour 500 series which is on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour calendar.
R - Racket
The racket (or racquet) is an integral piece of tennis equipment. Tennis rackets have a long handle and an oval shaped head containing the string mesh which is stretched across it. Tennis players use a racquet to hit the ball.
Rally
A rally is a series of consecutive shots played by opponents back and forth while the ball continues to land in play and before a final winner shot.
S - Second Service
The second serve is allowed after the server misses the first serve. Second serves must be successful or the server loses the point (a double fault).
Serve
The serve is an overhead shot which starts each point when the server hits the tennis ball into their opponent's half of the court.
Serve and Volley
Serve and volley is a tennis strategy whereby the player serves and then charges forward to the net in anticipation of playing a volley off of the return.
Set Point
A tennis player needing one point to win the set is said to be at set point.
Singles
Singles tennis is a game played by two players - one on each side of the court.
Spin
Playing spin is a method of stroke play which induces a pronounced rolling or rotations of the ball in the air. Skilled tennis players can control the spin and, therefore, the ball's trajectory and bounce.
They make it move sideways and forwards or backwards depending on whether the racket face moves respectively across, over or under the ball as it moves through the air.
Straight Sets
If a player wins every set in a match they are said to have won the competition in straight sets.
Stance
A player's stance refers to their body position. It refers to the terminology of tennis on how players stand prior to playing a shot.
T - Tie Break
These tennis tiebreaker rules are usually used in all major tournaments except the U.S. Open. It allows players to stay on serve instead of heading to a tiebreaker at 6-6 at the end of the fifth set decider.
The Wimbledon tie break rules continue to adhere to a 'no fifth set tiebreaker rules' regulation.
Topspin
Playing topspin causes a forward rotation of the ball after a shot. The ball spins forward often bouncing high and dipping down sharply afterwards.
U - Umpire
A tennis umpire is a match official keeping score during the competition.
Underspin
Playing underspin creates backwards rotation of the ball after a shot.
Unforced Error
An unforced error is a tennis term for a missed shot that was not caused by any particular excellent play by their opponent.
V - Volley
The volley is a shot where a player hits the ball before it makes contact with the ground.
W - Wimbledon
The Wimbledon Tennis Championship is the premier professional tennis tournament held at the All England Club in London SW19 5AE. It is the only major played on grass courts and is regarded as the oldest tennis tournament - and many would say the most famous.
Winner
A winner is a tennis shot that beats an opponent. Winners are seen as outstanding shots that cannot be returned in the normal method by the opponent.
WTA
The abbreviated acronym WTA applies to the terminology in tennis and it stands for the Women's Tennis Association.
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Tennis Terms and Definitions Glossary used by Players and Officials
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