Have you ever watched tennis with commentary and wondered what certain terms like Walkover and Unforced Error mean?
This article explains the most popular tennis terms to help you as a viewer and as a player get the most out of tennis matches.
Table of Contents
Dictionary A-W
A
Ace = A serve where the ball lands within the boundaries of the serving area and the opponent is unable to touch the ball.
Ad-In = The server wins the point in a 40-40 situation.
Ad-Out = The receiving player wins a point in a 40-40 situation.
Advantage = The player with the advantage is one point away from winning that game. Ad-40 (server’s advantage) or 40-Ad (returner’s advantage).
All-courter = A player who is comfortable playing from all areas of the court.
Alley = The alley constitutes the section of the court located between the singles sidelines and the doubles sidelines and it is used in doubles matches.
ATP = The Association of Tennis Professionals, men’s international tennis association. The ATP organizes the annual ATP Tour.
ATP Tour = An annual tennis league organized by the ATP.
Australian Open = The Australian Open, the first of four Grand Slam tournaments. Played on a hard court.
B
Backhand = Backhand, i.e. a shot from the side of the weaker hand. Right-handed players hit it from the left and left-handed players hit it from the right. The backhand is usually a two-handed shot, but a one-handed variation is also possible.
Backswing = Backwards swing of the racket before hitting the ball.
Bagel = A situation where a player has won 6-0.
Ball Abuse = Hitting the ball at an opponent, the crowd, the referee, or the court walls due to frustration. This may result in a warning, a points deduction, and a fine.
Ball Boy = A ball boy is a young person who is responsible for collecting and delivering the balls to the players in a match.
Ball Toss = Throwing the ball upwards for a serve.
Banana Shot = A forehand shot that goes around the outside of the court, but drops inside the court next to the sideline.
Baseline = The lateral boundary at the back of the court which separates the playing area from the area outside the court. Players start the point by serving behind the baseline.
Baseliner = A player who likes to play from the backcourt and rarely goes to the net.
Break point = A situation in which the returning player has a chance to win the current game. In tennis, the serving player has the advantage so breakpoints are important situations where you can make a point difference to your opponent.
Brutaliser = Hitting the ball at an opponent.
Bye = A situation where a player can progress from the first round of a tournament without having to play the first match.
C
Call = The verdict on whether the ball was in or out. At the professional level, the referees make the calls, while at the amateur level, both players call their own sides, i.e. decide whether the ball was in or out.
Carpet = Carpeted tennis court surface.
Centre mark = The center line at the back of the court, indicating the player’s side to serve from.
Challenge = In professional games, each player has a certain number of challenges, so in an unclear situation a player can appeal the umpire’s decision on whether the ball was in or out.
The challenge is followed by a video review of the ball’s trajectory and bounce. If the player’s challenge is correct he does not lose the challenge, but if the challenge is wrong the player loses one of his challenges.
Challenger = Lower-level tournaments for players ranked between 80 and 350.
Changeover = Changing sides.
Chip-And-Charge = A situation where a player returns an opponent’s serve with a slice and goes to the net.
Clay Court = A slow court type made of crushed bricks. The official surface of the French Open.
Code Violation = penalty given by the match umpire to a player for breaking the rules of the game. Throwing a racket or excessive swearing can be interpreted as a rule violation.
Continental = A straight grip on the club, which can be used for serving, slicing, and volleying.
Crosscourt = A cross stroke, for example, a tennis serve.
D
Dampener = A small piece of plastic that is inserted into the strings of the racket. A vibration damper changes the feel and sound when hitting the ball.
Deep shot = A long shot that drops close to the opponent’s baseline.
Deuce = Tie, i.e. 40-40
Double Fault = A situation where both of a player’s serves fail.
Double Bagel = A situation where a player has beaten his opponent 6-0, 6-0.
Down The Line = A shot along the line, i.e. a situation where a player hits the ball directly in line with the sideline.
Draw = The order of matches to be played in the competition.
Dropshot = A shot where the player hits a slow shot that drops near the opponent’s side of the net.
E
Eastern = Also known as Eastern grip is a way to hold the tennis racket. In eastern grip, the base knuckle of the index finger rests on or around the third bevel of the handle. This is a versatile grip that allows the player to hit a variety of shots.
Error = A fault committed by a player in a match, for example, when a ball goes out of bounds.
F
Flat = A low and straight shot.
Follow-Through = The follow-through of the stroke, i.e. the movement of the racket after the stroke. The follow-through allows you to control the spin of the ball.
Forced Error = An error due to a good shot by an opponent. For example, if an opponent hits the ball into the corner and another player hits the ball but is unable to hit it over the net.
Forehand = A forehand stroke, i.e. a stroke from the side of the stronger hand, usually made with one hand.
French Open/Roland-Garros = The French Open, the second Grand Slam and the only Grand Slam to be played on a clay court.
Futures = The lowest professional-level tournament for which ranking points are awarded. Usually aimed at younger players under 24.
G
Game = When a player wins four points, he/she gets one game added to his/her score.
Grand Slam = Biggest tournament format of tennis. There are four total Grand Slams which are the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open.
Grip = Racket handle and the way of holding the racket.
Grooving = The player plays less aggressively and hits the ball into the opponent’s center area of the court.
Grunting = Shouting/Screaming sound a player makes when hitting the ball.
H
Half Court = Area near the service line.
Hawk-Eye = Technology that calculates the trajectory of the ball. Used in challenges.
I
Inside-In = A situation where a player hits the ball from the backhand side using a forehand stroke or from the forehand side using a backhand stroke. In an inside-in shot, the ball is hit straight down the line.
Inside-Out = A situation where a player hits the ball from the backhand side using a forehand stroke or from the forehand side using a backhand stroke. In an Inside-Out shot, the ball is hit crosscourt as opposed to an Inside-In shot.
ITF = International Tennis Federation
K
Kick-Serve = Usually a player’s second serve, is served more slowly than the first serve, but with a stronger spin. In a kick, the ball bounces sharply upwards as it hits the court.
L
Let = A situation where the point in question is replayed. Let can occur if the ball hits the net on a serve and falls into the opponent’s service box. Another option for a Let is if there is an external disturbance in the game, for example, if another ball is thrown into the court.
Lob = A shot with the aim of lobbing the ball over an opponent. Usually used in a situation where the opponent has risen to the net.
Long = A long serve or a shot where the ball has flown over the service line or back line.
Love = If a player has zero points, for example, 0-30 = love-thirty.
Lucky Loser = A player who loses in the qualifying round but qualifies because another player withdraws.
M
Masters = ATP Tour 1000 tournament
Match = The whole tennis game. To win a match player is required to win 2 or 3 sets depending on the tournament type.
Match-Point = If a player wins that point, he wins the whole game.
Mixed Doubles = Doubles teams are formed by one man and one woman.
N
Net Cord = The top part of the tennis net, usually white.
Net Sticks = Sticks used in a singles game to raise the net from the sides. The aim of the net sticks is to make the game easier by lifting the net from the edges.
Net Posts = Posts with a net hanging between them.
No Ad = A game format in which you play without advantages.
No-Man’s Land = The area between the back line and the service line.
O
Official = Match referee and linesmen
Out = If the ball flies out of bounds.
Overgrip = A thinner grip on top of the basic tennis racket grip, which is easier and quicker to change.
Overhead = An overhand shot such as a smash.
P
Passing Shot = A shot that flies past an opponent in the net from left or right.
Poach = A shot in doubles where the player at the net hits a shot intended for his partner.
Point Penalty = Penalty for breaking the rules. In the event of a point deduction, the player is deducted one point from the current game. For example, if the player who is serving is penalized in a 40-40 situation, the new situation is 30-40.
Pusher = Player who doesn’t hit the ball back hard but instead “pushes” it over the net. A negative term because it’s boring to play against a pusher.
Q
Qualifying = A preliminary tournament where players qualify for the main draw. For example, a situation where a player’s ranking is not good enough to qualify directly for the main draw.
R
Rally = A series of strokes that take place in practice or in a game.
Receiver = Player receiving the serve
Return = Returning the serve.
S
Scratch = Withdrawal from the match due to injury.
Seed = A bracket format where players are divided according to their skill level. The purpose of the seed is to spread the players in the tournament so that the top-ranked players do not play against each other at the start of the tournament.
Serve = The starting shot of the point.
Serve and Volley = A situation where a player serves a hard and goes to the net to finish the point. For example. Pete Sampras’ favorite tactic.
Service Box = A box-like area where the server must drop.
Shank = An unsuccessful shot where the ball hits the edge of the racket and not the strings.
Shot Clock = A visible clock that shows how much time a player has left to execute a serve. According to the rules, the player must put the ball into play within 30 seconds. If the player does not pass the ball in time, he loses the serve.
Slice = A spin shot in which a player hits the ball downwards from above to produce a downward spin. Slice is a slow spinning shot that allows the player to buy themselves more time.
Smash = An overhead shot that is hit directly from the air towards the opponent’s court.
Split Step = A small hop that a player makes before every shot. Split Step helps the player to rhythm his movements on the court.
Stringbed = The string area on a tennis racket.
Stance = How the player’s body is adjusted before a shot
Sunshine Double = If a player wins Indian Wells and the Miami Open in the same year, he/she has won Sunshine Doubles.
Sweet Spot = The most optimal hitting area of the racket, which produces the best impact on the ball. When a player hits the ball within the sweet spot, the shot will be the most accurate and powerful. The sweet spot is usually located in the center of the string pattern of the racket and its size depends on the racket and the string tension.
T
T = That is the T-point, located in the middle of the service line.
Tanking = A situation or mental block where a player plays below his level or deliberately plays badly. This is usually due to frustration.
Tiebreak = A game format in which players take turns serving in the form of 1 serve, 2 serves, 2 serves, 2 serves… In the tiebreak, the normal tennis scores are not used, but the tiebreak score is counted as 1,2,3, etc.
Topspin = A situation where the ball is hit from underneath the ball upwards. In topspin, the trajectory of the ball curves towards the court.
Toss = Throwing the ball upwards for a serve.
Tweener = A shot where the player hits the ball between his/her legs.
U
Umpire = The referee of a tennis match, who supervises the match and keeps score.
Underhand Serve = A serve from below the waist, i.e. a serve where the player does not throw the ball up but hits it from below the waist. Underhand serve is usually considered unsportsmanlike even though it is a legal serve.
Unforced Error = A situation where a player makes a blunder on an easy ball.
US Open = Fourth Grand Slam tournament. Played on a hard court like the Australian Open.
V
Volley = A shot in which a player hits the ball directly from the air while in the net (usually with a hammer grip).
Drive Volley = A more challenging volley, where the player hits a normal forehand or backhand shot with topspin directly from the air.
W
Walkover = A walkover is a situation where the opponent is unable to participate in the match and the other player automatically gets the “win” (however, a walkover is not an official win, which would be displayed in the results).
Warning = A player can be issued a warning if he/she breaks the rules of the game. However, a warning does not result in a points deduction.
Western = Also known as Western grip which is a slightly steeper grip, which allows more topspin.
Wide = A wide shot, where the first bounce of the ball has been out of bounds in a lateral direction.
Wildcard = Access to the pre-qualification or main draw. A wild card may be given to a player who would otherwise not have qualified for the event because of his ranking.
Wimbledon = The third and most famous Grand Slam tournament. Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament and the only Grand Slam tournament played on grass.
Winner = The shot by which a player wins that point.
WTA = Women’s Tennis Association, the international women’s tennis association.
WTA Tour = An international tennis league organized annually by the WTA.