Tennis Study Guide
Vocabulary, Court and Racquet
Strokes
Forehand Stroke taken on racquet side of the body.
Backhand Stroke taken on non-racquet side of the body.
Overhead Any ball hit over your head. Could be a forehand, backhand, or serve.
Terms
Service or Serve The act of putting the ball into play by hitting it with an overhead stroke into the proper service box. A serve must bounce on the opposite side of the net before it is considered legal or good. A player is given two tries to make a legal serve.
Ace A serve that can not be returned.
Fault A serve which lands out of the proper service box.
Double Fault This occurs when a server faults twice. The receiving team scores the point.
Foot Fault This violation occurs when the server steps over the baseline.
Return Hitting the ball back over the net after it has been served to you.
Let A serve that hits the top of the net and falls into the proper service court. No point is awarded. It is a do over.
Out The call that is made when a ball is hit outside the boundary line.
Singles Two players. They play against each other. One player on each side of the net.
Doubles Four players. Two teams of two players. One team on each side of the net.
Volley Hitting the ball before it hits the court.
Scoring
Love = no points 15 = 1st point 30 = 2nd point 40 = 3rd point
Game = 4th point which wins the game, but you must win by a two point margin.
Always give the servers score first.
Duce - 40 all or 40-40. This is when the game score is tied at 3 points each. You must win by two points.
Advantage or Ad The point scored after duce.
Ad In The server has scored the point after duce.
Ad Out The receiver has scored the point after duce.
If the person who has the advantage scores the next point, they win the game.
If the person who has the advantage loses the next point the score goes back to duce.
Set A series of games. The first to win 6 games by a two game margin wins the set.
Match This consists of winning 2 out of 3 (or 3 out of 5) sets.
Tennis Court and Markings
