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Tennis Glossary
Learn the language of Tennis — answer-first definitions with real examples, beginner to pro.
282 terms
- Tennis Elbow Straps and BracesBeginnerA tennis elbow strap, also called a counterforce brace, may help ease symptoms for some players. It sits around the upper forearm, centred over the back of the forearm, and is thought to rest the sore muscles and tendons. It does not fix the cause, so pair it with rest and better technique, and see a medical professional if the pain lasts.
- Tennis EtiquetteBeginnerBasic tennis etiquette: warm your opponent up by hitting to them, announce the score before each point when serving, and make prompt, fair calls. Wait until a point ends before walking behind a court or returning a stray ball. Then send the ball straight to a player. Shake hands at the end.
- Tennis Fitness and ConditioningIntermediateTennis fitness is about repeated short sprints with quick recovery, not long steady runs. Train with intervals that mimic points, agility and footwork drills, leg and core strength, and an aerobic base for long matches. Build it up gradually alongside your tennis, and keep at least one easy day between hard sessions.
- Tennis for Seniors and Older AdultsBeginnerYes. Tennis is a good sport for seniors and for people over 60, and many play well into their 70s and beyond. It gives you exercise, movement and a social life in one. To keep it comfortable, play doubles, use an arm-friendly racquet with softer strings and always warm up. Get any new chest, heart or joint symptoms checked by a doctor.
- Tennis Leagues and TournamentsBeginnerMost adults start competing through club ladders, flex leagues or team leagues. In the US, USTA League puts adults on teams by NTRP level and age division. Local winners can advance to district, sectional and national championships. Flex leagues let you arrange your own match times. Tournaments come next once you want individual results.
- Tennis No-Man's LandBeginnerNo-man's land is the area between the service line and the baseline. Standing still there is risky. Balls land at your feet and force half-volleys or low volleys. It is fine to pass through it on the way to the net. Split step there as the opponent hits, then keep moving forward or back.
- Tennis Ratings (NTRP, UTR, WTN)BeginnerNTRP is the USTA's adult rating, from 1.5 for a beginner to 7.0 for a touring pro, in half-point steps. A 3.5 player has dependable strokes and direction on moderate-paced shots but still lacks depth and variety. UTR (1.00 to 16.50) and the ITF's World Tennis Number (40 down to 1) rate players of all ages and genders from match results.
- Tennis Ready PositionBeginnerIn the tennis ready position, stand with your feet a little wider than your shoulders, knees bent and weight on the balls of your feet. Hold the racquet in front of you at about chest height, tip up, with your free hand on the throat. From there you split step as the opponent hits.
- Tennis ScoringBeginnerPoints in a tennis game go love (zero), 15, 30, 40, then game, and the server's score is called first. At 40-40, called deuce, a player must win two points in a row to take the game. The first to six games wins the set by two, usually with a tiebreak at 6-6, and matches are best of three or five sets.
- Tennis ShoesBeginnerWear tennis shoes, not running shoes, once you play regularly. Running shoes are built for moving forward and lack the side-to-side support and tough soles that tennis needs for quick stops and changes of direction. Choose the sole for your surface: durable and cushioned for hard courts, a herringbone pattern for clay, and small studs or dimples for grass. Leave about a thumb's width of space at the toe.
- Tennis String TypesBeginnerTennis strings come in four main types. Synthetic gut (nylon) is cheap and all-round. Multifilament is softer and plays closest to natural gut. Polyester is stiff and gives fast swingers control and spin. Natural gut is the most comfortable and holds tension best. Most beginners start with synthetic gut or multifilament.
- Tennis Warm-UpBeginnerA good tennis warm-up raises your heart rate, moves your joints through the ranges you use on court, and rehearses tennis movement. Start with light jogging or skipping, then dynamic moves such as leg swings, lunges, arm circles and trunk turns. Finish with side shuffles, short sprints and shadow swings, then start hitting with mini tennis.
- The Toss: Who Serves FirstBeginnerA toss before the warm-up decides who serves first, and many players spin a racquet instead of flipping a coin. The winner of the toss has three options: choose to serve or receive, choose which end to start on, or make the opponent choose first. The other side then takes the choice that is left.
- Tiebreak (7-Point)BeginnerA standard tiebreak decides a set at 6-6, and the first player to seven points wins, as long as they lead by two. The player due to serve takes the first point, then each side serves two points in a row. Players change ends after every six points, and the winner takes the set 7-6.
- Tiebreak StrategyAdvancedTiebreak strategy is how players adjust tactics for a tiebreak's short, high-pressure points: serve selection, return aggression, and side-switch pacing.
- Time ViolationIntermediateA time violation is a penalty for taking too long between points or at a changeover. Under USTA rules the first one is a warning and each one after that costs a point. Pro tours set their own shot-clock penalties.
- Top of the Bounce (Choosing Contact Height)IntermediateHitting at the top of the bounce is a good default for an attacking groundstroke. The ball is at a comfortable height and is moving slowest up and down. Take it on the rise when you need to steal time. Let it drop when you are pushed back and need more time.
- TopspinBeginnerTopspin is forward spin imparted by brushing up the back of the ball. It makes the ball dip down into the court and kick up high after the bounce.
- Touching the Net (Rule)BeginnerYou lose the point if you, your racquet or anything you are wearing or carrying touches the net. The posts or your opponent's court while the ball is in play. Contact after the ball is dead, such as after a second bounce or once it has landed out, is fine. Your racquet may follow through over the net after you hit the ball on your side. You may not reach across to play a ball before it has come over.
- Trophy PositionIntermediateThe trophy position is the serve checkpoint at the toss's peak: hitting arm up, body arched, tossing arm raised. The kinetic chain is fully loaded to fire.
- Tweener (Between-the-Legs Shot)AdvancedA tweener is a shot hit between your legs, usually while running back toward your own baseline to chase a lob. You swing down and back through your stance with your back to the net. It is legal, and it is often the only way to reach a ball that has gone past you.
- Two-Back Formation (Doubles)IntermediateBoth players stay back in doubles when the other team controls the net: against a dominant net player. A strong serve-and-volley team, or when your own volleys are weak. It is a defensive formation that buys time to reach hard volleys and cover lobs. From two back, hit low balls between the net players, lob over them, and move forward together as soon as you get a short ball.
- Two-Handed BackhandBeginnerA two-handed backhand places both hands on the grip, with the non-dominant hand providing additional stability, power, and disguise through contact.
- Two-Handed ForehandBeginnerYes, a two-handed forehand is legal and can work well. It gives stability and power to players who lack strength in one arm. The trade-off is reach: you have to run further for wide balls. Most players use one hand, but a good two-handed forehand is not a flaw.
- Two-Up Formation (Doubles)IntermediateTwo up, with both partners at the net, is usually the strongest position in doubles. This is because volleys are easier to put away from there and the other team has less time. Move forward together on a short ball, stand around the middle of your service boxes slightly staggered, and cover the middle first. The main risk is the lob, so do not crowd the net.
- Underarm ServeBeginnerYes, an underarm (underhand) serve is legal in tennis. ITF Rule 16 only requires the server to release the ball by hand and hit it before it touches the ground, from a legal position behind the baseline. The serve must still land in the diagonal service court, and you may only serve when the receiver is ready.
- Unforced ErrorBeginnerAn unforced error is a point lost to a player's own mistake. They had reasonable time and position for the shot and little pressure from the opponent.
- Unit TurnIntermediateA unit turn is rotating the hips and shoulders together as one unit to prepare for a groundstroke. The arm does not take the racquet back on its own.
- Vibration DampenerBeginnerA vibration dampener is a small rubber or silicone device inserted at the bottom of the string bed to reduce the high-pitched "ping" vibration and change the sound of the racquet at contact.
- Volley TechniqueIntermediateVolley technique is the mechanics of striking the ball before it bounces. It uses a short, firm punch action rather than a full groundstroke swing.
- Waiter's Tray ServeBeginnerA waiter's tray serve is hit with a forehand grip and the palm under the racquet, like a waiter carrying a tray. The racquet face points at the target the whole time, and the ball gets pushed with little power or spin. The fix is a continental grip and a forearm that turns over through contact.
- Walkover, Retirement and DefaultIntermediateA walkover means a player never starts the match, usually because of injury, illness or a personal reason, so the opponent goes through without playing. A retirement means the match started but a player could not finish it. A default is different: an official removes the player, for example for not showing up or under the point penalty system.
- Western Forehand Grip TimingAdvancedWestern forehand grip timing is about the narrow contact-height window this grip demands. Contact too low or too high costs far more than with a neutral grip.
- Western GripAdvancedThe western grip rotates the hand fully under the handle (base knuckle on bevel 4–5). This enables extreme topspin on high balls while making low-ball and flat shots very difficult.
- Wheelchair TennisBeginnerWheelchair tennis uses the normal rules of tennis with a few changes. The biggest is the two-bounce rule. You may let the ball bounce twice and must return it before a third bounce. The second bounce may land outside the court. The chair counts as part of your body, and you must keep one buttock on the seat when you hit.
- Wide Serve (Deuce/Ad Court)IntermediateA wide serve is placed near the sideline of the service box. It pulls the returner off the court and opens the opposite side for the next shot.
- Windshield Wiper ForehandAdvancedThe windshield wiper forehand finishes with the racquet sweeping across the body like a car's wiper. The extra face rotation adds heavy topspin.
- Winner (Shot Outcome)BeginnerA winner is a shot that ends the point outright. The opponent makes no contact, or only an unsuccessful attempt at contact.
- Wrist Lay-BackAdvancedWrist lay-back is the cocked-back wrist that forms naturally as the racquet head lags the hand late in the swing. It stores energy released at contact.
- Wrist Pain in TennisIntermediateWrist pain in tennis is often linked to overuse, extreme grips, off-center hits and a tight grip. Pain on the little-finger side is commonly linked to western and semi-western forehands. The non-dominant wrist can hurt on two-handed backhands. Stop if it hurts, and see a qualified medical professional if the pain persists.
- Wrist Snap on ServeIntermediateWrist snap (pronation) on the serve is the forearm-rotation motion through contact that accelerates the racquet head and directs spin, the final link in the serving kinetic chain.
- Wrong-FootingIntermediateWrong-footing means hitting the ball back to where your opponent just came from, behind them as they recover. They are moving one way and must stop and change direction. Even a slow ball can win the point this way.
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