Common Tennis Terms

It is important to understand the various tennis terms when you are looking at the game of tennis. Knowing the terms will help you understand the game and be able to play it even better. There are some basic terms that you can use to help you identify the rules of the game and what each of them means.

An ace is a service winner that was unable to be touched by the opponent. It can also be used to refer to a good tennis player. An alley is the portion of the court that is being used - in doubles, the doubles alley is the court that extends from the singles court.

If you have a bagel, it means that you've won a set without losing any games. Also, in tennis, a bye is when you advance to the next round of play without actually playing a match.  A challenger is someone who initiates a ladder match. Conventional scoring is the same as regular scoring. When the score is at deuce, it is tied at 40-40. Love in tennis is actually a bad thing because it mean you have no points in a particular game. Also, when you have a draw in a tournament, this means that you are drawing for the order of play.  A drop shot is when you hit the ball short so that it drops right over the net. If you have been called for a fault, it means that the serve has not landed in the service box. If your serve hits the net, and goes in, it is called a net. The match point is called when the player who is ahead only needs to have one more point in order to win the match. Mixed is a term that is used for a game where one female and one male are playing against one female and one male.

It is also important to understand that the racquet is what you are playing with, and that the ball is what you are hitting. If you are able to know some of these tennis terms, you'll find that you better understand the game.