Tennis – Glossary
| Ace |
A serve that the returner does not touch with his racket. The server wins the point immediately. |
| Advantage |
The point after deuce; winning it secures the game, losing it resets the score to deuce. |
| Backhand |
A shot played on the non-dominant side, either with one or both hands gripping the racket. |
| Break Point |
A situation where the receiving player has a chance to win the game by breaking the opponent’s serve. |
| Deuce |
A term for a tie of 40:40 in a game. From this point onwards, a player must win by two points. |
| Drop Shot |
A gently hit ball that just crosses the net and then drops sharply. |
| Forehand |
A stroke that is executed from the same side of the body as the club hand (the right side for right-handers). |
| Lob |
A high, arcing shot that is often used to send the ball over the opponent’s head and push them back to the baseline. |
| Serve |
The shot with which every point begins. It is hit by a player standing behind the baseline into the diagonally opposite service box. |
| Smash |
A forceful overhead shot, typically used to finish a point when the ball is high in the air. |
| Tiebreak |
A special game played when the score is 6:6 to determine the winner of a set. |
| Unforced Error |
A mistake made without significant pressure from the opponent, such as hitting the ball into the net or out of bounds. |
| Volley |
A shot where the ball is struck before it hits the ground and is usually played near the net. |
| Winner |
A shot that is not touched by the opponent and wins the point. |
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