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Tennis Terminology | A - B - C

A

Ace

A serve that the opponent cannot return; as a verb, to serve an ace.

Ad

Short for advantage; see entries beginning with that word, below.

Advantage

The player who scores the first point after deuce is said to have the advantage, since winning the next point will also win the game.

Advantage court

The left service court, where the receiver takes service when either player has the advantage.

Advantage in

Indicates that the server has the advantage; also "ad in"

Advantage out

Indicates that the receiver has the advantage; also "ad out"

All

Used in scoring to indicate a tie, as in "40-all."

Alley

One of the areas outside the singles court that come into play in doubles. The alleys are 4 ½ feet wide.

American twist

A serve that has spin causing it to bounce high and to receiver's left, off a right-handed player's racket. Opposite of reverse twist.

Approach shot

A shot hit hard and deep to allow the player to take the net.

Attack the net

See take the net.

B

Backboard

A wall, usually of wood, that's used for practice. It's often marked with a line at the height of the net.

Back court

The area of the court from the baseline to the service line.

Backhand

A shot hit from the "wrong" side of the body, i.e., the side away from the racket; the left side for a right-handed player.

Backspin

Backward rotation on the ball, caused by drawing the racket strings down during the stroke, that results in a low bounce. On some surfaces, the ball may even bounce back toward the net. Also known as underspin. See also chip; chop.

Backstop

A fence, wall, or other boundary behind the end of the court that retains balls within a limited area.

Ball boy/girl

A youngster who retrieves balls, usually from errant serves, to keep the court clear during a match.

Ball toss

The action of tossing the ball into the air to initiate a serve.

Band

The strip of canvas at the top of the net.

Baseline

A line at the end of the court, parallel to the net, that marks the lengthwise boundary of the playing area.

Baseline game

A playing style in which the player hits almost all of his or her shots from near the baseline, rather than taking the net.

Baseline judge

An official, stationed on a line with the baseline, who is responsible for determining whether shots are in or out. The baseline judges are seated on the same side of the court as the umpire.

Baseline player

A player who practices the baseline game.

Block

To return the ball by holding the racket stationary rather than swinging it.

Break

To win a game as receiver; as a noun, a synonym for service break.

Break back

To win a game as receiver immediately after having suffered a service break.

Break point

A point which will result in a service break if it's won by the receiver.

Bye

The right to advance to the next round of a tournament without playing a match. Top-seeded players are often given byes in the first round. See seed.

C

Carry

An illegal shot, on which the ball is ball is held and/or carried on the racket, rather being struck. Also used as a verb.

Center court

The main court at a tennis arena, where the championship and other major matches are played.

Center line judge

An official who is responsible for watching the center service line to determine whether a serve has entered the service court.

Center mark

A line, 2 inches wide and 14 inches long, that marks the midpoint of the baseline.

Center service line

A line, extending from the net to the midpoint of the service line, which marks the boundary for both service courts.

Chair

The umpire's seat and, by extension, the umpire, as in "The chair ruled that the shot was out."

Changeover

A 90-second period after every odd-numbered game in a set, when players change sides.

Chip

A soft shot, hit with backspin, that just drops over the net; as a verb, to hit such a shot. It's similar to the drop shot, but is more commonly used against an opponent who is at the net, forcing a difficult volley.

Chop

A shot hit with a sharp, downward chopping motion, resulting in a great deal of backspin; as a verb, to hit such a shot.

Clean winner

A shot that cannot be reached by the opponent.

Closed grip

A grip in which the racket face is tilted downward, toward the court.

Closed racket

A racket held with a closed grip.

Court

The tennis court is 78 feet long and 27 feet wide for singles, 36 feet wide for doubles. It is divided across the middle by the net. Service lines are marked 21 feet from each side of the net and parallel to it. The area bounded by the singles sidelines and the service line is divided into two equal parts, the service courts, by the center service line, which is halfway between the sidelines and parallel to them.

Court tennis

The ancestor of modern tennis, court tennis apparently developed during the Middle Ages in monastery courtyards and then moved into the courtyards of castles, where it was played by kings and nobles. It has a very complicated scoring system, which has been somewhat simplified for modern lawn tennis. Also known as "real tennis," in which "real" is the Spanish word for "royal."

Cross-court

Descriptive of a shot that is hit from one side of the court to the other, as well as over the net. For example, the player hits from the right-hand side of the back court to the right-hand side of the opponent's backcourt.

Cut

To hit the ball with a short, downward slicing motion, often drawing the racket strings across it to give some sideways spin in addition to backspin.