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Tennis Glossary
Learn the language of Tennis — answer-first definitions with real examples, beginner to pro.
282 terms
- Double-Bend BackhandAdvancedA double-bend backhand keeps both elbows bent through contact on a two-hander. This compact arm structure is linked to elite ball-striking and disguise.
- Doubles CommunicationBeginnerGood doubles partners talk before, during and after every point. Before the serve, agree on the serve target and whether the net player will cross, often with hand signals. During the point, call short words like mine, yours or switch while the ball is coming toward you. Between points, meet within a few seconds, stay positive and plan the next point.
- Doubles DrillsIntermediateGood doubles drills include volley-to-volley exchanges with all four at the net, two-on-one drills and Canadian doubles for three players. Crosscourt doubles rallies and serve-and-return games that allow poaching also help. Use them to train quick hands, net movement and teamwork.
- Doubles PositioningBeginnerDoubles positioning is how two partners split and cover the court. Usually one is at net and one at the baseline, shifting together as the point develops.
- Doubles Return TacticsIntermediateIn doubles, return crosscourt to the server, low and away from the net player, unless you are sure a shot down the line will win the point. If the server comes to the net, aim low at their feet. If the net player keeps poaching, mix in a lob over their head or a shot down their alley. Block or chip big first serves, and swing more freely on second serves.
- Doubles Serving TacticsIntermediateIn doubles, serve mostly down the T or into the body to cut down the returner's angles and send returns through the middle, where your partner can poach. Landing a high share of first serves usually matters more than raw pace. As a result, add spin and take a little speed off if you need to. Stand wider along the baseline than in singles, and agree on the target with your partner before each point.
- Down-the-Line Passing ShotAdvancedA down-the-line passing shot is hit parallel to the sideline past a net player. It uses the shortest, straightest path and often the element of surprise.
- Down-the-Line ShotIntermediateA down-the-line shot travels parallel to the nearest sideline. It changes a crosscourt rally's direction to create a sharper angle or exploit an open court.
- Draw Terms: Seed, Bye, Qualifier, Lucky LoserBeginnerA lucky loser is a player who lost in the final round of qualifying but still gets into the main draw because a main-draw player pulled out. A qualifier earned a main-draw place by winning through qualifying. A seed is a top player placed to avoid other seeds early. A bye means no first-round match, and a wild card is entry granted without the ranking to get in.
- Drive Volley (Swinging Volley)IntermediateA drive volley, or swinging volley, is a full topspin groundstroke swing at a slow, high ball taken out of the air, usually from around the service line. Use it on floaters you would otherwise let bounce. Most other volleys work better as a short punch with little backswing.
- Drop ShotIntermediateA drop shot is a soft groundstroke or volley meant to die just over the net. It draws the opponent in from the baseline to win the point with touch.
- Drop Shot DisguiseAdvancedDrop shot disguise means keeping the preparation and body position of a normal groundstroke until the last moment. The opponent commits to a deep ball.
- Drop VolleyAdvancedA drop volley absorbs the pace of an incoming ball at the net, redirecting it with backspin so it barely clears the net and dies close to it — an extreme touch shot that exploits an opponent deep in the court.
- Early Contact / Rushing the ShotBeginnerRushing the shot means starting the forward swing before the body has finished loading. Contact then comes too early and too far in front of a stable base.
- Eastern GripBeginnerThe eastern grip puts the index knuckle on bevel 3, the handle's flat side. It gives a flat or moderate-topspin forehand at a comfortable height.
- Fake Poach and SwitchIntermediateA fake poach is when the net player in doubles moves as if to cross and intercept, then steps back to their own side. The returner sees the movement and may change their shot, often into the net player's original spot. Time the fake just before the returner swings.
- First Serve PercentageIntermediateFirst serve percentage is the share of first serves that land in the box. It is a core indicator of serve rhythm and risk management.
- Flat BackhandIntermediateA flat backhand has little face tilt and a near-level path through contact. It sends a low, penetrating ball with less topspin than a standard drive.
- Flat ServeIntermediateA flat serve is struck with minimal spin at maximum racquet-head speed. This produces the highest velocity and least margin for error of the three main serve types.
- Follow-ThroughBeginnerThe follow-through is the path the racquet takes after contact. A complete finish confirms the swing was not decelerated before the ball was struck.
- Foot FaultBeginnerA foot fault occurs when a server's foot touches the baseline or crosses into the court before contacting the ball on the serve. It results in a fault.
- Footwork Ladder Pattern (Training)BeginnerA footwork ladder pattern is a set of quick steps repeated through a flat agility ladder. It builds fast, precise foot placement for tennis, off court.
- Forced ErrorBeginnerA forced error is a mistake caused by the opponent's previous shot. Its pace, spin, placement, or depth made the ball hard enough to justify the miss.
- ForehandBeginnerThe forehand is a groundstroke hit on the dominant-hand side, swinging across the body. It is a player's most natural and usually most powerful shot.
- Forehand Slice (Chip Forehand)IntermediateSlice your forehand when you are stretched wide, when the ball is very low, or when you want a low approach or a drop shot. Use a continental grip and swing high to low with an open face. Keep topspin as your main forehand and use the slice as a change-up.
- Framing the BallBeginnerFraming the ball means hitting it with the racquet's outer rim instead of the strings. It usually produces a weak, erratic, often off-target shot.
- Frying Pan GripBeginnerThe frying pan grip is a nickname for the Western forehand grip, with the hand under the handle as if holding a pan flat. It closes the racquet face. That makes heavy topspin and high balls easy, and low balls hard.
- Game Plan and ScoutingIntermediateA simple tennis game plan has two or three goals: use your best shot as often as you can, attack the opponent's weaker side, and play high-percentage tennis on big points. Scout the opponent in the warm-up and first games. Check at changeovers whether the plan is working, and switch to plan B if it is not.
- Getting Recruited for College TennisIntermediateStart by building a list of schools that suit you for both tennis and academics. Then email the coaches yourself. Keep the first email short: your name, graduation year and a link to your profile and results. Coaches look most at your results and ratings, such as UTR. Most also want to see you play, so keep a short video of real match play ready.
- Golfer's Elbow in Tennis (Inner Elbow Pain)IntermediatePain on the inside of the elbow can be medial epicondylitis, also called golfer's elbow, and tennis is one known cause. The forearm muscles that turn your palm down and bend your wrist attach there, and the serve uses both. Rest it, and see a medical professional if it lasts, or straight away if your ring and little fingers go numb or tingle.
- Grass-Court StrategyIntermediateGrass is fast and the ball stays low and skids, so points are short and the first strike matters most. Serve well, use slice to keep the ball low and look to come to the net, where low balls force your opponent to hit up. Stay low with bent knees, take quick small steps and use shorter, compact swings so you are ready in time.
- Gravity Step (First Step)AdvancedA gravity step is a first move to a wide ball where the foot nearest the ball shifts in under your body. Your weight tips toward the ball, and you push off the far leg. It is an alternative to a jab step, which reaches out with the near foot first.
- Grip ChangeIntermediateA grip change is moving the hand along the handle between shots to match the incoming ball. Most often from a forehand hold to continental for volleys, serves and slices.
- Grip Change Speed Between ShotsIntermediateGrip change speed is how quickly and reliably a player switches grips between strokes. A slow or incomplete change is a frequent hidden cause of mis-hits.
- Grip Pressure (Tennis)BeginnerGrip pressure is how tightly a player holds the racquet. It should generally stay relaxed through most of the swing, firming only briefly at contact.
- Half-VolleyAdvancedA half-volley is hit just after the bounce, at ankle or shoe height. This reactive "scoop" needs exceptional timing and a low body position.
- Handling a Low SliceIntermediateAgainst a low slice, move in early, get low with your legs and shorten your backswing. The ball skids and stays low. Lift it with a steeper low-to-high swing and aim higher over the net, usually crosscourt. You can also slice it back. Do not try to rip it flat.
- Handling Mistakes and FrustrationBeginnerExpect to miss, and decide in advance how you will respond. After a mistake, turn away, breathe out slowly and use a quick reset, such as the towel or touching the back fence, to let the point go. Then replace it with one simple job for the next point, like moving your feet or hitting deep crosscourt.
- Handling Pace (Hard Hitters)IntermediateAgainst a hard hitter, shorten your backswing, turn early and meet the ball in front. Use their pace instead of adding your own. Aim crosscourt with good net clearance, step back a little if you need time, and mix in slices and deep, high balls to break their rhythm.
- Hawk-Eye Shot Stats (Speed, Spin RPM, Depth)AdvancedHawk-Eye uses cameras to track the ball in 3D, and broadcasts turn that into shot stats. Speed is how fast the ball travels, in mph or km/h. Spin is how fast it rotates, in revolutions per minute (rpm). Net clearance is how high the ball passes over the net, and depth is how close to the baseline it lands. Treat spin figures as estimates.
- Head Still at Contact (Watching the Ball)BeginnerWatch the ball closely into the contact zone and keep your head still through the hit. Following the ball sharply right onto the strings at full speed is very hard. A still head with your eyes on the contact point steadies the racquet face. Look up at your target only after the ball has gone.
- Heavy BallIntermediateA heavy ball is a shot that combines pace, lots of topspin and depth. It dips into the court, then kicks up high and fast after the bounce. It feels heavy on your strings and pushes you back behind the baseline.
- High BackhandIntermediateFor a high backhand, step in and take the ball before it climbs above your shoulder, or move back and let it drop. If you must hit it high, turn early, set the racquet level with the ball and swing more level through contact. A high, deep slice is often the safest reply for one-handers.
- High Backhand VolleyAdvancedOn a high backhand volley, turn your shoulders early, lead with the elbow and meet the ball in front with a continental grip. Punch slightly down through the ball and stop the racquet soon after contact. Let your free arm move back for balance as the racquet moves forward.
- HindranceIntermediateA hindrance is something that stops you playing a point fairly. If an opponent hinders you on purpose, you win the point. If it is accidental, like an opponent's hat or a ball falling from their pocket, the point is replayed. Stop play right away to claim it.
- Hip RotationIntermediateHip rotation is the pelvis turning from the coiled backswing toward the target on the forward swing. It is the primary driver of power in the kinetic chain.
- Hitting on the RiseIntermediateHitting on the rise means meeting the ball on its way up, soon after the bounce, instead of waiting for it to peak or drop. To do it, stand on or just inside the baseline, turn early, shorten the backswing, stay low and make contact out in front with a steady racquet face.
- Hold and Break of ServeBeginnerYou hold serve when you win a game you are serving. You break serve when you win a game your opponent is serving. Breaking back means winning the next return game after being broken. The server usually has the edge. One break is often enough to win a set.
- How Long to Learn TennisBeginnerThere is no fixed timeline, and progress varies a lot from person to person. How often you play, the quality of coaching, match experience and any background in other racquet sports matter more than age. Rallying and casual points come first. Solid club levels such as NTRP 3.5 take steady practice over seasons, not weeks.
- How Often to Practice TennisBeginnerThere is no magic number, but tennis on three or four days a week is a solid base for improving adults. Mix three things. Lessons show you what to change. Practice between lessons makes the change stick. Match play teaches you to use it under pressure. A weekly lesson with no practice in between rarely moves your level.
- I-Formation (Doubles)AdvancedThe I-formation has the server's partner crouch on the center service line before the serve. It hides which side they'll cover and sets up a planned poach.
- Indoor TennisBeginnerIndoor tennis often feels faster because there is no wind or sun, so the ball comes through clean and true. Many indoor courts are hard courts or carpet, and some carpet is rated fast. Lighting and close backdrops can also make the ball seem quicker.
- Inside-In ForehandIntermediateAn inside-in forehand is a forehand you run around your backhand to hit, then send down the line instead of crosscourt. For a right-hander playing a right-hander, it goes to the opponent's forehand side. It is the surprise follow-up to the usual crosscourt pattern.
- Inside-Out ForehandIntermediateAn inside-out forehand is played by running around a ball that arrives on the backhand side and redirecting it with the forehand to the opponent's backhand corner.
- ITF Court Pace RatingIntermediateA court plays fast or slow mainly because of friction and bounce height. A rough surface grips the ball and slows it, and a higher bounce gives more time. The ITF measures this as a Court Pace Rating and sorts courts into five categories, from slow clay to fast grass.
- Junior Ball Pathway (Red, Orange, Green)BeginnerYoung players learn with slower, lower-bouncing balls on smaller courts, then move up. Red balls go with the shortest court, orange balls with a 60-foot court, and green-dot balls with a full court before the standard yellow ball. Move a child up when they can rally, serve and score at the current stage, not by age alone.
- Junior Racquet SizeBeginnerJunior racquets are shorter than the adult 27 inches, mostly 19 to 26 inches, and height matters more than age. A quick check: with the child's arm hanging, the floor-to-fingertip distance roughly matches the right length. The ITF pairs red balls with racquets up to 23 inches, orange with 23 to 25 inches and green with 25 to 26 inches.
- Kick ServeAdvancedA kick serve mixes heavy topspin and sidespin. It clears the net safely, then kicks high and sideways, making it the standard high-level second serve.
- Kick Serve Spin DirectionAdvancedKick serve spin direction is the tilted topspin-and-sidespin axis of a kick serve. For a right-handed server, it makes the ball jump up and to the server's right after the bounce, toward a right-handed returner's backhand.
- Kinetic ChainIntermediateThe kinetic chain passes force from the ground up: legs, hips, torso, shoulder, arm, racquet. Each segment speeds up the next, multiplying racquet-head speed.
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