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Tennis Glossary
Learn the language of Tennis — answer-first definitions with real examples, beginner to pro.
35 terms
- All-Court Game StyleAdvancedAn all-court game blends baseline power, net play, serve-and-volley, and touch shots. It adapts to the opponent and situation instead of using one style.
- Australian Formation (Doubles)AdvancedIn the Australian formation, the server and net partner start on the same side. It takes away the easy crosscourt return and forces a down-the-line reply.
- Backhand Overhead (Backhand Smash)AdvancedTo hit a backhand overhead, turn your back almost fully to the net and take the ball above your hitting shoulder. Use a continental grip and lead with the elbow. Snap the racquet up and out through contact, then aim for placement over power.
- Break Point Conversion RateAdvancedBreak point conversion rate is the percentage of break point chances a player wins. It is a key measure of performance on the most pressure-heavy points.
- Chip and ChargeAdvancedChip and charge means returning serve with a low slice, or chip, and following it straight to the net. The low chip makes the server hit up, so you can volley down. It works best against second serves and on fast, low-bouncing courts.
- Dominance Ratio (DR)AdvancedDominance ratio, or DR, divides the share of return points you won by the share of your own serve points you lost. A DR of exactly 1.0 means you played evenly on serve and return. Winners usually finish above 1.0 and losers below it, so DR works as a one-number summary of how well you played.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Lead Tape: Where to Put ItAdvancedMost players start at 3 and 9 o'clock on the racquet head, which adds stability on off-centre hits and a little extra pop. Moving it up to 2 and 10 o'clock or to 12 o'clock adds more power and makes the racquet more head-heavy. Tape under the grip makes it more head-light, and matching it to tape on the head keeps the balance the same.
- Lob VolleyAdvancedHit a lob volley when you and your opponents are all close to the net and trading quick volleys. A soft, lifted volley over their heads forces them to turn and chase. It works best when they are leaning in and you have a ball at a comfortable height.
- Momentum Shift in a MatchAdvancedA momentum shift is a clear change in which player controls a match. Breaks of serve, long games won on key points, and runs of games often trigger it.
- Natural Gut StringAdvancedNatural gut is made from cow intestine. It offers the most elasticity, tension retention, and comfort of any string, but costs more and is less durable.
- Pronation on ServeAdvancedPronation on serve is the forearm's natural inward turn around contact. It squares the face and adds speed, but shoulder internal rotation adds the most.
- Racquet DropAdvancedThe racquet drop is the racquet head falling passively below the wrist after the unit turn. From there, a low-to-high swing whips topspin onto the ball.
- Reverse Forehand (Buggy-Whip Finish)AdvancedA reverse forehand finishes with the racquet over the hitting shoulder or above the head instead of across the body. It gives fast topspin and a sharp dip on short angles, running forehands and balls that jam you. Use it as a variation. Most forehands should still finish across the body.
- Serve and VolleyAdvancedServe and volley is a tactical pattern in which the server rushes to the net immediately after delivering the serve, intending to end the point with a first or second volley.
- Short-Angle CrosscourtAdvancedTo hit a sharp angle crosscourt, aim to land the ball near where the service line meets the sideline. Use heavy topspin, meet the ball out in front and swing more across the ball than through it. It works best from a ball that is already wide or short.
- Squash Shot (Defensive Forehand)AdvancedHit a squash shot when you are stretched wide on your forehand side and cannot set up. Open the racquet face, lead with the wrist laid back and whip the racquet under and across the ball. It floats back with slice and sidespin and buys time to recover.
- Straight-Arm ForehandAdvancedA straight-arm forehand keeps the hitting arm extended, not bent, through the forward swing. The longer lever adds racquet-head speed from body rotation.
- String GaugeAdvancedString gauge is the thickness of a tennis string measured in millimetres or gauge numbers, with thinner strings providing more spin and feel and thicker strings offering greater durability.
- Tiebreak StrategyAdvancedTiebreak strategy is how players adjust tactics for a tiebreak's short, high-pressure points: serve selection, return aggression, and side-switch pacing.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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