Tennis is a much-loved sport all over the world, mainly because it delivers excitement and demands a lot of skill and concentration from the athletes. Because it’s such an interesting sport, we’ve created a tennis glossary, giving you everything you need to know about the main terms.
Here, you’ll learn what words like drop shot, ace, smash, slice, match point, volley and much more mean! The tennis glossary lists the words in alphabetical order with a brief explanation of their meanings.
Our tennis glossary will also help you better understand how the sport works, especially when watching a match. After checking out this article, it will be much easier to follow the matches and understand everything that’s going on.
Get your notes ready because it’s time to check out the tennis glossary!
Join our free Whatsapp community and receive daily tips, news and trivia on over 50 sports! Click here to join.
Tennis glossary
Tennis glossary: complete list
Before you check out the explanation of each term in the tennis glossary, take a look at the complete list with all the words!
- Ace
- Backhand
- Deuce
- Double foul
- Drop shot
- Fault
- Grand Slam
- Lob
- Match point
- Out
- Rally
- Loot
- Slice
- Smash
- Tiebreak
- Topspin
- Volley
- Advantage
- Wimbledon
- Winner
Tennis glossary: get to know the terms
Now, finally, it’s time to find out what each of the sport’s main terms means. Find out more about ace, backhand, deuce, fault, rally, match point and much more!
Check out the tennis glossary:
Ace
A well-executed serve that the opponent cannot hit back is called an ace.
Backhand
The backhand happens when a tennis player hits the ball using his non-dominant hand.
Deuce
The term refers to the moment when both players reach the same score, which usually happens when the points are 40-40. The player who scores after that gains the advantage in the match.
Double fault
A double fault occurs when a player makes two consecutive errors when serving. The point then goes to the opponent.
Drop shot
The drop shot is basically a short, lighter shot, made on purpose so that the ball lands close to the net and makes it harder for the opponent to hit it.
Fault
Fault is a type of serve that fails to reach the opposing player’s area.
Grand Slam
Grand Slam is the name given to the four best tennis tournaments in the world: the Australian Open, Roland Garros (French Open), Wimbledon and the US Open.
Lob
A lob is a high, deep shot that aims to send the ball over the opponent and into the back of the court.
Match point
Match point is the name of the crucial point to declare victory for the player who is ahead, if he hits, or for the player who is losing, if he misses.
Out
An out happens when a ball hits the area outside the court lines. The point then belongs to the opposing player.
Rally
The term given to a sequence of ball exchanges between players during a match.
Service
The serve is basically the initial blow that starts every game. It is played behind the baseline.
Slice
The slice is a type of stroke in which the racket is moved diagonally across the ball. As a result, the ball spins forward in a sideways rotation.
Smash
The smash is a defiant blow made above the player’s head. It is often used to finish off a point, as the ball comes down quickly on the opponent’s side of the court.
Tiebreak
Tiebreak is the name given to the way to decide a set that is tied at 6-6. The players then play until one scores seven points, gaining a two-point lead.
Topspin
Topspin is a type of stroke in which the racket is moved forward and upwards. Thus, the ball spins forward in a topspin motion.
Volley
The volley is a shot executed while the ball is still in the air, before it touches the ground, which usually happens near the net.
Advantage
The advantage happens when a player has won the point right after the deuce, but needs to win one more point to win the match.
Wimbledon
Wimbledon is one of the four Grand Slam tournaments and one of the most important. It is held at Wimbledon in London.
Winner
Winner is the name given to a blow that ends in a direct point for the player who made it, and is usually quite difficult to pull off.
Tennis glossary
- Ace
- Backhand
- Deuce
- Double foul
- Drop shot
- Fault
- Grand Slam
- Lob
- Match point
- Out
- Rally
- Loot
- Slice
- Smash
- Tiebreak
- Topspin
- Volley
- Advantage
- Wimbledon
- Winner
Tennis is a sport that has conquered the whole world and is gaining new followers and fans every year. Every tennis championship brings exciting matches between some of the best athletes in the world!
Did you like learning about the tennis glossary and the main terms used in this popular and exciting sport? Then take the opportunity to continue browsing the site to find out much more about it and other sports.
Don’t forget to leave a comment below telling us what you thought of the article and what else you’d like to read here!
