A.
Ace - A serve that is not even touched by the opponent. Andy Roddick has the fastest serve to date (6/18/07) clocked at 155 mph.
Advantage (Ad) - The player who scores immediately after a deuce point is said to have the Advantage. If the server has the advantage, many people will say “ad in”. If the returnee has the advantage, many will say “ad out”.
Aerobeam - The Aerobeam is a technology from Babolat which focuses on aerodynamics to reduce wind drag, and to increase a player's swing speed.
Aerogel - Aerogel is a technology used by Dunlop in its series of racquets. Aerogel is a light material which has a three-dimensional nanometer-sized molecular network that delivers an unmatched strength to weight ratio for enhanced stiffness and increased power.
All - A term used when the game score is tied. Instead of calling out a 30-30 score, many players will say 30 all.
Alley - See Double’s Alley
Andre Agassi - Former great American player who is one of only five men in history to have won all four Grand Slams.
Andy Roddick - A top-ranked American player and third-ranked player in the world as of June 2007. He also holds the fastest serve recorded in professional tennis, clocked at 155 mph, or 248.2 km/h.
Approach Shot - A shot, usually a groundstroke, that is hit hard and deep to allow the player time to come in and rush the net.
Australian formation – A formation used in doubles wherein the net player begins roughly at the center of the net. The Australian formation is used mainly to counter teams that prefer a crosscourt return.
B.
Backboard - A wall, usually constructed of wood, which is used for practice. It is often marked with a line indicating the height of the net.
Back court - The area of the court from the service line to the base line.
Backhand - A shot hit from the side of the body opposite the racket (the left side for a right-handed player). A backhand can be hit with either one or two hands. A one-handed backhand offers longer reach and more variety because they can be hit with topspin or underspin. The two-handed backhand tends to be more stable and powerful.
Backspin - Also known as slice or underspin, the backspin is a shot such that the ball rotates backwards. It is a good defensive shot because of the low bounce and longer travel time.
Back stop - A boundary behind the end of the court that retains balls and restricts them to the confines of a certain area.
Bagel - To win a set 6-0.
Ball boy/girl - A person who retrieves balls when it has gone out of play (usually a younger tennis player).
Ball hopper - A container used to hold tennis balls. Also known as a ball basket, a hopper, is great teaching equipment because of its abillity to stand up to allow easy access to balls while feeding.
Ball toss - The initial action of tossing the ball which starts a serve.
Band - A strip of canvas at the top of the net.
Baseline - A line at the end of the court, parallel to the net, which marks the vertical or lengthwise boundary of the playing area.
Baseline judge - An official who is responsible for declaring 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 seldom takes the net, instead relying heavily on his or her groundstrokes at the base line. Andre Agassi is an example of a base line player.
Big Serve - A term used to describe a serve which gives advantage in the point to the server. Usually a big serve is used to describe a very fast and often times flat serve. Andy Roddick has a big serve.
Boris Becker - Boris Becker is a former world number one from Germany. He is a six-time Grand Slam singles champion, and the youngest person to win the singles title at Wimbledon at the age of 17.
Break - To win a game as the receiving player or team.
Break point - One point away from having a service break. Expressed as the score (30-40).
Bryan Brothers - Twin brothers Rober Charles Bryan (Bob) and Michael Carl Bryan (Mike) are American professional tennis players. Between 2005 and 2006, the Bryan Brothers reached an Open Era record of six consecutive Grand Slam finals.
Buggy whip shot - Describes a forehand hit with a follow through which does not go across the body and finish on the opposite side but rather goes from low to high and finishes on the same side. Lindsay Davenport is known for her usage of the buggy whip shot when on the run.
Bye - The advancement in a tournament without playing a match. A player who automatically proceeds to the next round without facing an opponent is given a bye.
C.
Call - When a judge declares that a ball was hit outside the designated play area.
Carry - An illegal shot in which the ball is carried by the racket instead of being struck.
Center line - The line down the center of the court which includes both the line dividing the service boxes and the smaller hashmark that bisects the baseline.
Center line judge - An official who watches the center service line to make sure the 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 which extends from the net to the midpoint of the service line which marks the boundaries of the service courts.
Chair - The umpire's seat.
Challenge - When a player requests the official review of the location where the ball has landed after a shot using the means of electronic ball tracking technology.
Chip - To block a shot with underspin. A chip is usually a soft shot, hit with backspin, that just drops over the net. While it is similar to the drop shot, it is more commonly used to force a difficult volley from an opponent who is already at the net.
Chip and Charge - An agressive strategy for returning an opponent's serve. The strategy involves returning the serve with underspin and moving forward to approach the net.
Chop - A shot with extreme backspin that is hit with a sharp, downward chopping motion.
Clay court - A court with a surface made of crushed shale, stone, or brick. Clay courts can be either red or green. The French Open is played on clay, and Rafael Nadal is an example of a player who excels on this particular surface. Clay courts are considered "slow", because the balls bounce relatively slowly with less forward motion. Clay courts favor baseliners who are consistent, generally more defensive, and hit shots with heavy spin.
Closed grip - Also called a closed face, the closed grip is when the racket face is tilted downwards toward the court. The face of the racket is inclined slightly forward, tilted towards the oncoming ball.
Closed stance - A classic technique that involves hitting the ball with the body facing perpindicular to the baseline. It's easier to hit and to learn with the closed stance, as it builds better habits. However generally playing in the closed stance limits body rotation and gives a player less spin.
Code violation - When a player commits an offense while on the ATP tour. Violations range from such activities as voicing an obscenity or hitting a ball into the stands ( not during the point). The first violation results in a warning, the second a point penalty, the third a game penalty, and the forth forfeiting a match.
Contact point - The area where the racket and the ball meet.
Continental grip - A grip where the racquet is held so that the hitting surface is vertical to the ground, the handle is gripped on its top as if the player were shaking someone's hand or grasping a hammer. The continental grip is unique because the forehand and backhand are hit the same way.
Cortex system - The Cortex System is a technology from Babolat which greatly reduces vibrations for a purer feel of the ball. The Cortex System includes an interface between the handle and the frame for reducing vibrations.
Crosscourt - A technique in which the ball is hit diagonally to the opponent's court traversing the area of the net which is lowest.
Cross slice - A shot hit with backspin and sidespin at the same time.
Cut - A technique used in which the ball is hit with a short, downward slicing motion, which gives it sideways spin in addition to backspin. This is due to the drawing of the ball across the racket strings.
D.
David Ferrer - David Ferrer is a professional tennis player from Spain. He is known as a particularly dangerous clay court player, and is known for his fighting spirit and his unwillingness to concede defeat
David Nalbandian - David Nalbandian is a current (June 18,2007) ATP tour player from Argentina. He is sponsored by Yonex.
Deep - A shot that lands near the baseline, as opposed to near the net.
Default - When a player refuses or fails to take part in or complete a match, resulting in a win for the opponent. Defaults can occur due to injuries or other such occurrences.
Deuce - When players are tied at 40, the score is called "deuce". Expressed as the score (40-40). When playing Ad scoring, a player must win two points in a row to win the game. However when playing No-Ad scoring, a player only needs to win one more point after deuce to win the game.
Deuce court - The side of the court in which the first point of each game begins, also called the right court or the forehand court. The receiver's right service court, where he or she receives serve when the score is deuce.
Dinara Safina - Dinara Safina is a Russian professinal tennis player. She is sponsored by Adidas and Babolat, and is well known for her play on clay.
Dink - A shot hit with no pace, often times a soft dipping shot that just clears the net; often times used in doubles, especially on return of serve.
Double fault - The failure of the server to place either of two serves into play (into the service court). When a server double faults, the server loses the point and the receiver wins the point.
Double hit - The act of hitting the ball twice during a single stroke. When a player double hits, he or she loses the point.
Doubles - A tennis game played by four players, two per side of the court. Mixed doubles is doubles played by a team of one girl and one boy.
Down the line - A technique in which a player hits straight into the opponent's courts, usually down the alleys.
Drag volley - A volley hit with backspin, which occurs because the racket face is slighlty open. A drag volley is usually used for control purposes.
Drive volley - A volley hit by playing the ball in the air with a longer swing than the normal short volley "punch" movement.
Drop shot - A soft, delicate shot that barely drops over the net, and falls short in the opponent's court. It is usually hit with backspin to minimize its bounce, and is commonly used against baseliners who play deep.
Drop volley - A shot similiar to the drop shot except it is hit at the net, and taken as a volley.
E.
Eastern grip - A strong groundstroking grip that employs separate hand positions for forehand and backhand. With the eastern grip the racquet is slightly rotated so that the palm of the hand is now somewhat more on the larger side of the handle. The result is a " flatter" forehand with less spin on it than a Continental forehand. For the Eastern backhand, the raquet is rotated slightly in the opposite direction from which it is rotated to form the grip of the Eastern forehand. Roger Federer is an example of a player who utilizes the Eastern grip for his backhand.
Elena Dementieva - Elena Dementieva is a professional tennis player from Russia. She is famous for her weak serve, which has earned her the nickname DD or doublefault Dementieva. She is the first woman from Russia to reach a U.S. Open semifinal.
Error - An error is a shot that fails to clear the net or is hit out of the bounds, either of which results in the loss of point. The two types of errors are forced and unforced errors. A forced error results from a good shot from the opponent, an unforced error is caused by a poorly hit shot. F. Face - The flat area of the racket formed by the strings and bounded by the frame.
Fault - A service that fails to place the ball into the correct area of play, therefore not starting the point. A fault results in the server's loss of point. Fernando Gonzalez - Fernando Gonzalez is a professional tennis player from Chile. He is nicknamed The La Reina Bomber because of his reknown hard hitting forehand. He has defeated many former world number ones, among these are Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt, and Andre Agassi. Flat - A descriptive adjective that is used to describe a shot or serve that is low,fast, straight, and has relatively little spin. Flat face - When the strings of the racket are perpendicular to the ground and the racket meets the ball squarely, with little spin. Flat serve - A serve which is hit with little or no spin, usually hit with great speed and power. Serena and Venus Williams are examples of two women who are adept at using the flat serve. Flat shot - A shot which is hit with little or no spin, usually hit with great speed and power. A flat shot is difficult to hit because it has no spin to help it clear the net. However because it is hit with alot of power, the ball is driven forwards alot faster. Follow through - The finishing motion of the swing that occurs after the ball has been hit. Foot fault - When the server steps on or over the baseline into the court before striking the ball. A foot fault may also occur when the player steps across the center mark and its imaginary perpendicular extension from the baseline to the net. Foot fault judge - An official responsible for calling foot faults. The foot fault judge is positioned on a line with the baseline, on the opposite side of the court from the baseline. Foot work - A player's technique for moving most economically to the ideal position to play a stroke. Foot work techniques include tango, side-step, and cross-step. Forecourt - The area of the court between the net and the service line. Forehand - A shot hit from the side of the racket. A method of wielding the racket where the player hits the tennis ball with a stroke that comes from behind their body with the front of their racket hand facing the ball. The forehand is usually every players dominant side, and is commonly used to hit winners. Frame - The oval portion of the racket that contains the strings; an unstrung racket. Frequency Tuning - Frequency Tuning is a racquet technology by Fischer which involves a specially calculated matrix structure which harmonizes irregular vibration patterns and converts excess energy into higher velocity rebounds.
G.
Game - A contest in which a player serves throughout. The first contestant to score 4 points wins the game, but the score must be by a margin of two. Scoring follows the sequence, Fifteen-Thirty-Forty-Game. If both players or sides reach forty, it's called deuce. A set is made up of at least 6 games. Game point - A point that will end the game if it is won by the leading player or side. Goran Ivanisevic - Goran Ivanisevic is a former professional tennis player from Croatia. He is best remembered for being the only person to win the men's singles title at Wimbledon as a wildcard in 2001. He is also known for his strong serve and quick temper.
Grand slam - There are four Grand Slams in tennis. They consist of the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open and occur in that order. Grommet - A strip of plastic material containing small tubes that run through the frame's string holes. The plastic protects the strings from rubbing against the abrasive frame material. The outer, flat surface of wider grommet strips also acts as a bumper guard. Groundstroke - The standard shot in tennis that is usually hit behind or near the baseline. The groundstroke is hit after the ball bounces and can be either forehand or backhand.
Gut - A responsive material used to string rackets. Natural and Synthetic gut are popular types of strings used by most tennis players.
H.
Half-court - Also called the mid-court, the half-court is the area of the court midway between the baseline and the net. The half-court is the area around the service line.
Half volley - A shot that is hit just after it hits the courts. A half volley is usually hit on a low bounce, with a short stroke.
Hardcourts - A court which is made of asphalt or concrete. Essentially a court which is hard to the touch and hard on the feet. The U.S and Australian Open are played on hard courts.
Head - The area of the racket containing the strings. Head Racquets is also a brand which sells tennis rackets and other tennis gear. Heavy ball - A shot with alot of topspin which causes the ball to drop sharply. Hit on the rise - To play the ball before it has reached its highest point during the bounce.
Hold - To win a game while serving.
I.
I-formation - A formation where the server and his or her partner stand on the same side of the court before playing the point.
Inside in - A technique where a player runs around a ball to hit a powerful down the line shot.
Inside out - A technique where a player runs around a ball to hit a powerful crosscourt shot.
Isis handle - The Isis handle is a Dunlop technology which involves a special vibration dampening handle.
ITF - The International Tennis Federation, the governing body of world tennis.
Ivan Ljubicic - Ivan Ljubicic is a Croatian tennis player who is known for his strong serve and tall and powerful build. He plays with the Head Microgel Extreme Pro Racket, although he previously played with the Babolat Pure Drive.
J.
James Blake - James Blake is a professional tennis player from America. He is currently ranked ninth in the world (6/22/07), and is known for his speed and powerful forehand.
Jelena Jankovic - Jelena Jankovic is currently a female professional tennis player from Serbia. She is currently ranked 3rd in the world (6/11/07).
Jimmy Connors - Jimmy Connors is a former world number one tennis player from the United States. He is regarded as one of the best players of all time, and held the world record for most consecutive weeks of holding the world number one spot until Roger Federer beat that record in February 2007. He is currently the coach of American player Andy Roddick.
John McEnroe - John McEnroe is professional tennis player from the United States. He was a former number one and as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. He is known for his matches with Bjorn Borg, fiery temper on the court, shot-making artistry, and supreme volleying. One of the most famous matches in tennis history was the 1980 Wimbledon match of McEnroe vs. Borg.
Juan Carlos Ferrero - Juan Carlos Ferrero is a former world number one tennis player from Spain. He is known as the "Mosquito" due to his speed and wiry, strong physique. He won the French Open in 2003, and is well known for his agressive stlye of play on clay. However he has also distringuished himself as an all court player through his solid performance on hard court tournaments and surfaces.
Jump smash - A smash that is executed while the player is in the air.
Justine Henin - Justine Henin is a professional tennis player from Belgium. She is the current world number one (6/22/07) who is known for her mental toughness and one-handed backhand. Her backhand is arguably known as one of the best, and many account it as a reason for her success.
K.
[K] Factor - The [K] Factor is a technology from Wilson which focuses around four central revolutions: The [K]ontour Yoke, [K]onnector-2, [K]ompact Center, and the [K]arophite Black. The [K] Factor technology is the exclusive technology used in the racquet of such players as Roger Federer.
Kick serve - A serve hit with a great amount of spin which causes it to change directions once it bounces. As a result of the massive spin, the kick serve generally has a very high bounce. Marat Safin is an example of a player who utilzes the kick serve. Kill - A term used to describe a ball which is hit hard and fast to an area where the opponent can not reach it. To kill a ball has the same meaning as to "put the ball away" and end the point.
L.
Let - A let is essentially a stroke that does not count and has to be replayed. A service let is when a serve touches the net and lands in the service box; although the serve is void, the server gets to retake the serve. A let is also called in the case of events that disturb the match, such as animals running across the court, or balls from adjacent courts traversing the area of play. A let is also called whth a serve is delivered before the receiver is ready, or if a linesman's decision that results in stoppage of play is reversed by the umpire.
Line judge - A line judge is an official who is responsible for declaring whether a ball was hit in the intended area of play. Line judges consist of base line judges, service line judges, and side line judges. The only person capable of overruling a line judge is the umpire.
Liquid Metal - Liquid Metal is a technology introduced by Head. It involves the usage of a revolutionary liquid metal material to four strategic areas of the racquet's head. This material is the only of is kind which utilizes all the energy of your swing, and ensures that none of your energy is lost on ball impact.
Lleyton Hewitt - Lleyton Hewitt is a professional tennis player from Australia and a former world number one. He is known for his performances and victories in the 2001 US Open and 2002 Wimbledon. He is known for his competitiveness, consistent shots, and highly skilled footwork.
Lob - A high shot usually with a high arc that is hit high above the net. Offensive lobs are used when the opponent is at the net, and are usually hit to win the point. Defensive lobs are used so that the player can regain his position or to make the opponent run down the ball.
Long - A term used to describe a ball that is out because it was hit behind an opponent's baseline.
Love - A term used to say zero points. A love game is a game in which the loser has won 0 points. A love set is one in which the loser has one 0 games. When calling score love can be used to express zero. 15-love is the equivalent (15-0).
M.
Marat Safin - Marat Safin is a professional tennis player from Russia. He was a former world number one and is known for his large physical size, athleticism, controversial antics, and agressive "power" style of play. Safin is also known for his victories in the 2000 US Open and the 2005 Australian Open. He also helped lead Russia to a Davis Cup victory in 2002 and 2006.
Maria Sharapova - Maria Sharapova is a former world number one and a professional tennis player from Russia. Maria Sharapova is one of the most world's highest paid atheletes and is also known for her grunting during matches. She is the reigning US Open champion (6/27), and is known for her notable defeat of Serena Williams in the 2004 Wimbledon.
Mario Ancic - Mario Ancic is a professional tennis player from Croatia. He is nicknamed "Super Mario" and is well known for his big serves and capability to prodcue many aces in a match.
Martina Hingis - Martina Hingis is a former world number one, and a top ranked professional Swiss tennis player. She has won five Grand Slam singles titles, nine Grand Slam women's doubles titles, winning a calender year Grand Slam in 1998, and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title.
Match - A tennis contest made up of sets.
Match point - A term used when one player needs one more point to win the match. When the person leading is also serving, he is said to be "serving for the match."
Microgel - Microgel is a technology introduced by Head. It is a evolutionary silicone-based material with the lowest density of any solid known on the planet. Head has combined MicroGEL with stiff and strong carbon composite fibers to create racquets with incredible responsive qualities.
Mid-court - A term used to describe the area near the service line.
Mini-break - A term used to describe winning a point from the opponent's serve in a tiebreak.
Mikhail Youzhny - Mikhail Youzhny is a professional tennis player from Russia. He is known for his consistency and his one handed backhand. Youzhny is also known to hit the ball on the rise to achieve a flatter trajectory which causes the ball to get to the opponent's side quicker. However he has an arguably weak service game which lacks power and stability. To make up for this, Mikhail Youzhny utilizes drop shots to mix up the rallies, and often draws energy from the crowd.
Mixed Doubles - A game of doubles played with two teams consisting of a girl and a boy.
Moon ball - A term used to describe a high lob-like ball, sometimes with topspin, and usually with little pace. It is a technique that is used often to frustrate hard hitting opponents.
N.
Nadia Petrova - Nadia Petrova is a professional tennis player from Russia. She is known for her defeat of Justine Henin in the final of the Qatar Telecom German Open in May 2006. She has reached the French Open semi-finals twice in her career.
nCode - The nCode is a racquet technology from Wilson. It involves the injection of nanoscopic silicon dioxide molecules into a racquet frame to increase durability and frame stability.
Net - A steel cable covered by a band of canvas or synthetic material, which houses a web, suspended by two poles. A 2-inch wide center strap, also made of canvas or synthetic material, holds the net taut at the center. Net is also a term used to describe a ball which hits the net causing it to be short. The net is lower at the center, and slightly elevated at the edges. As a result, hitting crosscourt has a higher probability of going in the hitting down the lanes.
Net Cord Judge - The judge responsible for viewing the net and calling service lets. This judge is seated near the umpire's chair, at one end of the net, and rests on hand on the net in order to feel vibrations set up if the ball hits the net cord.
Net Game - A term used to describe a style of play in which the player is constantly at the net. A player with good net play is aggressive and consistently rushes the net. Net game is contrasted with the baseliner style of play in which the player is stationed at the baseline and utilizes groundstrokes instead of volleys to attack the opponent.
Nikolay Davydenko - Nikolay Davydenko is a professional tennis player who is from Russia. He is known for his consistency and agressive baseliner tactics. He closely resembles Andre Agassi because of his groundstrokes. His groundstrokes are sound on both forehand and backhand, and he hits the ball extremely early which creates great power, depth, and consistency. His groundstrokes, footwork, balance, and return game makes Nikolay Davydenko one of the cleanest ball strikers on the tour.
"No Man's Land" - A phrase used often to describe the area between the service line and the baseline. It is called No Man's Land, because a player caught in this area find it hard to hit groundstrokes, and is too far from the net to hit overheads.
O.
Open grip - Also called an open face, the open grip is when the racket face is tilted upwards away from the court. The face of the racket is inclined slightly "open", tilted away from the oncoming ball.
Open stance – A classic technique in which the player hits the ball in a position between being parallel to the baseline and or facing the opponent. The open stance is essentially any hitting stance in which the back foot is closer to the path of the ball then the front foot.
Out - A term used to describe a ball that lands outside of the playing area. It can either be wide or long.
Overgrip - Overgrip is grip tape that is placed over the handle to improve the user's feel for the racket.
Overhead – A technique in which the ball is hit over the head with a service type action.
Overrule - A term used when the umpire reverses a call from a linesperson.
P.
Pace - The speed of the ball. Pace is usually used to describe a fast ball with alot of spin. However a well paced ball can be either slow or fast. A technique common among tennis players, especially when playing hard hitting opponents, is to switch the pace of the balls.
Passing shot - A shot that passes a player at the net on either side. Roger Federer is an example of a player with an excellent passing shot.
Patty Schnyder - Patty Schnyder is a professional tennis player from Switzerland. She is a left handed player who plays with the Head Flexpoint Radical. She is sponsored by Adidas.
Penalty point - A penalty in which the player loses a point in the current game. A point penalty may be issued by an umpire for various kinds of unsportsmanlike conduct, such as verbal or physical abuse of an official, using obscenity, or delaying a game through incessant argument of a call.
Pete Sampras - Pete Sampras is a former world number one from the United States. During his career, he won 14 Grand Slam men's singles titles in 52 appearances and finished the year as No. 1 on the ATP rankings for six conesecutive years, a record for the open era and tying him for third all-time. Sampras is known for his serve and volleys. He had an accurate and powerful first serve, and a second serve that was nearly as powerful as his first. He had great athleticism, footspeed, and court coverage. Sampras was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2007.
Pick-up shot - Another name for a half volley. A pick up shot is hit just after the ball hits the courts. A pick-up shot is usually hit on a low bounce, with a short stroke.
Placement - A term used to describe where the ball is hit to. A player who uses good placement hits the balls to areas where his opponent can not reach.
Poaching - A term used to describe a technique commonly used in doubles. When a ball is hit by a player, usually with a volley, which would've otherwise been hit by his or her partner, that player is said to have "poached".
Point - The basic scoring unit in tennis. A player who wins four points, with the condition that the margin of victory is by at least two points, wins a game. The points are numbered fifteen, thirty, forty, and then game.
Power Isometric - Power Isometric is a racquet technology by Yonex, it involves a wider isometric area that increases Yonex Square Head sweetspot by 20% compared with a conventional round head racquet. The construction yields more power, more repulsion, and it reduces the inert space found in the conventional round frame while keeping the sweetspot the same size.
Power lock - The Power lock is a racquet technology by Prince which is a patented molding technique which delivers 15% more structural rigidity.
Punch volley - A punch volley is a volley hit with a very short, punching stroke. It is so named because of the "punching" movement of the racket.
Pusher - A term used to describe a player who does not try to hit winners, but instead forces or waits for the opponent to make an error. A pusher usually plays defensively from the baseline and returns the ball timidly to be safe.
"Put-away" - A term used to describe a shot that is used when a player tries to end the point when given a slight advantage.
Put-away volley - A volley that is hit to win the point when given a slight advantage. A put-away volley does not necessarily mean a fast paced ball, but can be a well placed ball as well.
Q.
Qualifying tournament/round - A tournament or round in which lower ranked competitors compete for a chance to participate in the main draw.
R.
Racket - A racket is what tennis players use to hit the ball. It has a long, straight shaft as a handle, and an oval frame strung with natural gut or a synthetic material. Common materials which rackets are made out of are wood, steel, aluminum, graphite, fiberclass, titanium, and carbon. The maximum dimensions a racquet can be are 29 ½ inches in overall length, 12 ½ inches in overall width. The hitting surface, or the racket face, can be no more than 15 ½ inches long and 11 ½ inches wide.
Racquet - An alternative way to spell racket.
Rafael Nadal - Rafael Nadal is a professional tennis player from Spain. He is currently the world number two (6/27) and is known for his killer forehand topspin. He is a three time French Open champion, and holds the longest winning streak among male players on a single surface in the open era. From April 2005 to May 2007, he won a record of 81 consecutive clay court matches. Due to his persistence, tought mentality, and physique, he has earned such nicknames as Superman, The King of Clay, and El Matador.
Rally - An extended series of returns and shots between opposing players or sides. A rally ends when one side fails to return the ball into the intended area of play on the opposing side.
Ready position - The position a player takes in anticipation of a serve. Usually, the player has his or her knees slightly bent and their weight forward. The racket is held ready in front of their body so their return can be swift and direct.
Receiver - A term used to describe the person that is getting served to.
Referee - A person who enforces the rules during a tennis match. The referee does not actually officiate the match, but instead is called upon by umpire to interpret rules.
Retriever - A term used to describe a style of play in which the person focuses on defense to wear down the opponent. A retriever focuses on defense and consistently returns difficult shots to aggravate and upset the opponent to cause errors.
Return - A shot that has successfully passed over the net and into the intended area of play. Any shot after the serve is called a return.
Reverse spin - Another name for backspin. Reverse spin is done by spling the ball, giving the ball a backwards spin. A reverse spin shot usually has a lower bounce and a longer travel time.
Rod Laver - Rod Laver is a former world number one professional tennis player from Australia. He is the only player in tennis history to have won a Calender Grand Slam, twice. He is arguable one of the greatest tennis players of all time. He utilized a complete serve and volley game, coupled with agressive groundstrokes. Rod Laver was inducted into the International Hall of Fame in 1981.
Roger Federer - Roger Federer is a professional tennis player from Switzerland. He became the first man since Mats Wilander to win three of four Grand Slam singles tournaments in the same year, in 2004. He is the current world number one and holds the all-time record for most consecutive weeks as the top-ranked male player. Federer is also the current 5 time defending champion of the Wimbeldon Men's Single's title. Federer is a versatile, all-court player who hits all the fundamental shots with a high degree of adept proficiency. He is an excellent baseliner, adept volleyer, and can dictate plays with agressive groundstrokes on either forehand or backhand sides.
Roland Garros - Also known as the French Open, Roland Garros is the second of the Grand Slam tournaments. It is the premier clay court tennis tournament in the world; and due to the slow playing surface and five-set matches, considered to be one of the most physically demanding tennis tournaments in the world. The red clay of Roland Garros poses a challenge for many top tier players. Because the courts slow down the ball and cause a relatively high bounce, many pros ,past and former, find it difficult to conquer this Grand Slam event. Pros such as Pete Sampras, Jimmy Connors, Lindsay Davenport, Martina Hingis, and even Roger Federer have yet to master this surface.
Round robin - A term used to describe a type of tournament in which every player will compete in matches against each other. The final standings are determined by the won-lost records. These tournaments are often preliminary rounds to determine seedings and order of play.
Runback - The area between the baseline and the backstop.
S.
Seed - A player who is ranked based on his or her abilities and recent performance. A seeded player often times does not meet until the later rounds of the tournament due to the way the matches were schelduled.
Serena Williams - Serena Williams is a professional tennis player from the United States. She has won eight Grand Slam titles, and an Olympic Gold medal in doubles. She is the younger sister of Venus Williams.
Serve - The shot that begins a point. The serve usually involves a toss, and must be hit diagonally into the service court. A player is given too chances to serve the ball in. If he or she fails to do so, it is a double fault.
Serve and volley - A term used to describe a style of play, in which the player agressively attacks the net after each successful serve, to volley the return. Pete Sampras is an example of a player who specializes in this styleof play.
Service court - One of the four service boxes in the middle of the court. The service court is bounded between the center service line, service line, and center sideline. Each service court is 21 feet deep and 13½ feet wide. During a serve, a server must hit the ball into the specified service court.
Service line - The line that marks the boundaries of the service court on either side of the net.
Service line judge - The service line judge is responsible for determining whether a serve was in or if it landed past the service line. The service line judge sits near the umpire on a line aligned with the service line.
Service sideline - The part of the singles sideline, between the net and the service line, that helps form the boundary of the service court.
Service winner - A serve that the receiver hits without making a legal return.
Set - A group of games that is won by the player or side that first wins at least six games with a two-game margin, unless a tie-breaker is employed.
Set point - A term used to describe the point in which if the person leading wins, he or she will win the set.
Shot - Any contact with the ball with a racket is called a shot.
Sideline - The line that marks the boundaries of the tennis court. In singles, the sidelines are 27 feet apart, and in doubles they are 36 feet apart.
Sideline judge - The officials who are responsible for declaring whether a shot lands outside the sideline or in the courts. There are four sideline judges, two at each end of the court.
Singles - A match between two individuals.
Slice - A ball hit with both sidespin and backspin. As a result, a slice has a longer trajectory time and is usually curvy in nature.
Smash - A strong overhead, usually to end a point or to hit a winner.
Speedsport - The Speedport is a technology from Prince. The Speedport builds on Prince's previous O-Port technology and greatly increases racquet speed by eliminating wind drag. The Speedport Racquets are 24% faster then traditional racquets.
Split step - A footwork technique which involves doing a small hop before making contact with the ball. The split step increases your reaction time and prepares your muscles, allowing you to get to balls faster.
Stefan Edberg - Stefan Edberg is a former world number one professional tennis player from Sweden. During his career he won three Grand Slam double events, and six Grand Slam singles titles. Edberg is best known for his serve and volley game, and his gentlemanly conduct. He was an important ambassdor for the game and in 2004 was inducted into the International Hall of Fame.
Steffi Graf - Steffi Graf is a former number one professional tennis player from Germany. She has won 22 Grand Slam singles titles, and is recognized as one of the greatest women players during the 20th century. She played with a powerful forehand and a slice backhand. She also developed a consistent volley, which combined with her fast serve made her a fearful opponent. Her powerful strokes are thought by some to have started the current trend of power baseline tennis that is common among female tennis players today.
Strings - Strings are the hitting surface of the racket, usually made of gut or a similiar synthetic material.
Stroke - A term used to describe the swing used before making contact with the ball.
Sudden death - A term used to describe a tiebreak with a predetermined length.
Svetlana Kuznetsova - Svetlana Kuznetsova is a professional tennis player from Russia. She won the US Open in 2004, and is known for her baseline tactics. She has a heavy forehand and can move around the courts with great agility.
Sweetspot - The optimum hitting spot, usually around the central area of the string bed on the racket face. The sweet spot is the desired location for making contact with the ball.
T.
"T" - A term used to describe where the service lines and the center service line intersect. Hitting down the T, means hitting in this mid-court area.
Tanking - To lose a game in order to save energy for a deciding match or set.
Tennis ball - A soft, hollow, air-filled rubber ball coated in a synthetic fur, used in the game of tennis. Tennis balls are specialized depending on what type of surface they are to be used on.
Tennis elbow - A common injury for beginning or intermediate tennis players due to incorrect technique, incorrect tension, or a racket which transmits too much vibration. Tennis elbow can be avoided by using a dampner, or using correct tension. Also called tendinitis.
Tension - The degree of tautness in the strings of a racket. High tension is usually for control, and low tension is often used to achieve the maximum bounce. A stringer uses a stringing machine to correctly string a racket at the correct tension.
Tiebreak - A method for determining a victor of a set when it is tied. A common tiebreaker used is the 13-point tiebreaker, in which the first person to win 7 points by a margin of two points wins.
Tomas Berdych - Tomas Berdych is a professional tennis player from the Czech Republic. He is known for his strong and powerful groundstrokes, although they are sometimes erratic. He defeated Roger Federer in the 2004 Athens Olympics, and is also known for his upsetting of Rafael Nadal at the Rogers Masters.
Tommy Haas - Tommy Haas is a professional tennis player from Germany. He is an intense and emotional player. He also won a silver medal in the Sydney Olympics, and is known for his exceptionally strong forehand.
Tommy Robredo - Tommy Robredo is a professional tennis player from Spain. Robredo was the first man since Andy Roddick in the 2006 US Open to win a set off of Federer in a Grand Slam tournament, breaking Federer's record winning streak of 36 consecutive setsin Grand Slam matches.
Topspin - A basic technique in which spin is put over the top of the ball, causing it to dip and bounce higher. Topspin is essentially forward spin, around the ball's horizontal axis, that's used by bringing the racket strings up and over the ball at the moment of contact. Topspin shots are more likely to stay in play because they drop sharply after reaching the ball's highest point, and it takes a high bounce.
Touch - A term used to describe when a player touches the net while the ball is still in play. A touch results in a loss of point.
Triple Threat - The Triple Threat is a racquet technology from Prince. It involves the placement of titanium, copper, carbon, and tungsten in three critical racquet locations.
Twist serve - A serve hit with a combination of slice and topspin. The twist serve results in a serve with a curved trajectory and a high bounce.
U.
Umpire - The person who is in overall charge of the match. The umpire sits in a raised chair at one end of the net, and calls score after each point. He is also responsible of questions of judgement and facts, and may impose point penalties. The umpire may reverse decisions of a judge or a linesman if it is clearly in error and even default a player for unsportsmanlike conduct.
V.
Venus Williams - Venus Williams is a professional tennis player from the United States. She has won 13 Grand Slam titles, and is an Olympic Gold medalist. Venus holds the fastest serve recorded for a female player in a main draw match (128.8 mph).
Volley - A shot that is hit before the ball is bounced.
W.
Wide - A term used to describe a shot that is out beyond the sideline, or beyond the service sideline in regards to a serve.
Wimbledon - Wimbledon is the third Grand Slam event played every year. The tournament lasts two weeks, and is often times subject to extensions for rain. It is the only Grand Slam event currently played on a grass surface.
Winner - A term used to describe a forcing shot which is unreachable by an opponent, and wins the point.
Woofer - Woofer, a technology by Babolat, is a dynamic system which makes the frame and the strings interact when striking the ball. The Woofer eliminates string lock up and allows the whole surface area to interact upon impact.
Wrong foot - A term used to describe a shot hit to the side of an opponent who is turned the other way or is moving.
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