By Anishka Gurbani, Staff Writer
Have you ever watched tennis on TV and wondered what the announcers were saying? Here’s a breakdown of tennis vocabulary, scoring, and how the game works. After reading this, you can follow along better at the next tennis match, whether it’s a professional matchup or a local Moreau game.
Girls and boys tennis at Moreau Catholic is an amazing sport with a welcoming environment, thanks to supportive coaches and teammates who encourage one another. Through matches, conditioning, and drills, both teams make tennis a sport to watch. Not many people know how to play, and because of that, they don’t often watch.
Here is your quick tennis guide: how to play and terms to know.
Pictured above is a diagram of a tennis court. It shows where to stand when you serve, receive, and the dimensions of the court. You can play doubles (two people on each side) or singles (one person on each side).
The side lanes are only used for doubles matches and are considered “out” if a ball lands there during singles. In doubles, usually one person stands closer to the net while the second person stands near the baseline diagonally.
In singles, you are free to stand where you’d like. When serving, you get two chances to hit the ball into the service box. If you miss both, your opponent earns the point.
When scoring, the progression is 0 (love) – 15 – 30 – 40. If you win two points after 40, you win the game. Otherwise, the score returns to deuce. In high school matches, Junior Varsity plays an eight-game pro set, and Varsity plays best two out of three sets of six games.
Tennis Terms:
- Love: zero, when calling out a score. Example: “Love-30.”
- All: an even score. Example: 15-15 is “15-all.”
- AD (Advantage): the point scored after deuce. If you win two points in a row, you win the game. If you only win one, it returns to deuce.
- Deuce: a score of 40-all. After this, the play moves to AD.
- Ace: a serve so well placed that the opponent cannot return it.
- Volley: a ball hit before it touches the ground.
- Point: the smallest scoring unit within a game.
- Game: won when a player wins four points, or two points in a row after deuce.
- Set: a collection of games. Example: two sets of six games.
- Let: a point played again due to interference, such as a ball hitting the net on a serve.
- Baseline: the back line of the court.
- Serve: the act of hitting the ball to put it into play.
- Receiver: the player who receives a serve.
- Alley: the side sections of the court. Out in singles, in during doubles.
- Out: when a ball lands beyond the boundaries of the court.
- Forehand: a ball hit from the right side of a right-handed player or the left side of a left-handed player.
- Backhand: a ball hit from the left side of a right-handed player or vice versa.
- Rally: when players hit the ball back and forth consistently.
- Foot fault: when the server steps on or over the baseline while serving.
- Groundstroke: a forehand or backhand hit after the ball has bounced.
After reading this guide, you’ll be ready to enjoy watching your next tennis match.
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