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Tennis Glossary
Learn the language of Tennis — answer-first definitions with real examples, beginner to pro.
101 terms
- RestringingBeginnerA common rule of thumb is to restring as many times a year as you play each week. Playing three times a week means about three restrings a year. Polyester loses tension faster and usually needs restringing more often. Restring when the strings feel dead or lose control, even if they have not broken.
- Semi-Continental Grip (Volley)BeginnerThe semi-continental grip sits between a continental and an eastern forehand. At net, some players use it to balance both volleys without moving the hand.
- Semi-Western GripBeginnerThe semi-western (base knuckle on bevel 4) is the most popular modern forehand hold, balancing topspin capability with comfortable contact across a wide range of ball heights.
- Serve RoutineBeginnerA serve routine is the consistent pre-serve sequence — bouncing the ball, breathing, positioning the feet — that helps players enter a calm, focused state before every delivery.
- Serve Toss PlacementBeginnerServe toss placement is where the ball is released relative to the body. It determines which serve types are physically possible to hit from that toss.
- Service FaultBeginnerA serve is a fault if it misses the correct service box or if you swing and miss the toss. It is also a fault if the serve hits the net post, a singles stick, you or your partner before landing. A foot fault is a fault too. Catching a bad toss is not a fault.
- Serving Order and SidesBeginnerPlayers take turns serving whole games. Every game starts from the right (deuce) side, and the server switches sides after each point. In doubles, partners serve every fourth game, and each team keeps its receiving sides for the whole set. A toss or racquet spin before the warm-up decides who serves first.
- Set and Match FormatsBeginnerMost matches are best of three sets: first to six games, winning by two, with a tiebreak at 6-6. Other approved formats include advantage sets with no tiebreak, short sets to four games, and a deciding match tiebreak instead of a third set. Many US events also use the 8-game pro set.
- Shanking the Ball (Tennis)BeginnerA shank happens when the ball hits near the racquet's throat or frame edge instead of the string bed. It flies off at an hard to predict, often sharp angle.
- Sidestep / ShuffleBeginnerA sidestep or shuffle moves the player sideways while facing the net. The feet never cross, so the player stays balanced and ready to load for a groundstroke.
- SliceBeginnerIn tennis, a slice is a backspin shot hit high-to-low through the ball, for a low, skidding bounce. A golf slice, by contrast, is a curving mishit.
- Split StepBeginnerA split step is a small hop timed to the moment your opponent strikes the ball. It primes your legs to push off explosively in any direction.
- Starting Tennis as an AdultBeginnerStart with a group clinic or a few lessons with a qualified coach to learn grips, footwork and a simple serve. Use a light racquet with a larger head, and try slower, lower-bouncing balls such as the green-dot ball while you learn. Play little and often, and move into social play or a beginner league once you can keep a rally going.
- Straight-Back BackswingBeginnerA straight-back backswing moves the racquet straight back on a flat path, with no loop. It favors simplicity and timing control over racquet-head speed.
- Tennis Ball TypesBeginnerExtra-duty balls have thicker felt for abrasive hard courts, and regular-duty balls suit clay and indoor courts. Pressurized balls play livelier but lose bounce over time. Pressureless balls keep their bounce longer but feel heavier and firmer, and they suit practice and ball machines. High-altitude balls are made for play above 4,000 feet.
- Tennis Court DimensionsBeginnerA tennis court is 78 feet (23.77 m) long. It is 27 feet (8.23 m) wide for singles and 36 feet (10.97 m) wide for doubles. As a result, each doubles alley adds 4.5 feet. The net is 3 feet (0.914 m) high at the center and 3.5 feet (1.07 m) at the posts. The service lines are 21 feet (6.40 m) from the net.
- Tennis Court SurfacesBeginnerTennis is mainly played on clay, hard courts and grass, and each plays differently. Clay is the slowest: the ball bounces high, rallies run long and players slide. Hard courts sit in the middle, with a true, predictable bounce. Grass is the fastest, with a low, skidding bounce that rewards big serves and net play.
- Tennis ElbowBeginnerTennis elbow is pain on the outside of the elbow, linked to overuse of the forearm tendons that attach there. In tennis, contributing factors can include a late, wristy one-handed backhand, tight or very stiff strings, a sudden jump in hitting or serving volume and a tight grip. If it hurts, stop playing, and see a qualified medical professional if the pain persists.
- 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 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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