A Basic Guide to Tennis Terminology

Tennis is the perfect outdoor sport to play during the summer. What makes it such an ideal summer activity for newcomers and veterans of the sport alike is that the basic guidelines are so easy to pick up. Although the rules are easy to learn, though, the terminology can be a bit confusing at first. To help you get on the court as soon as possible, we’ve thrown together a basic guide to tennis terminology. That way, you’ll be less confused when you get out onto the court for the first time. If players don’t know the baseline from the service line, things can get messy very quickly.

Ace

An ace is when the server earns a point because the receiver fails to make contact with the ball.

Baseline

This is line on the ground located at the farthest end of the court, running parallel to the net. Getting the measurement of the baseline just right is important to securing proper tennis court dimensions.

Court

No guide to tennis terminology would be complete without the court. This is the material (composed of clay, asphalt, grass, etc.) on which tennis players play the game.

Doubles

This refers to a game in which each team contains two players for a total player count of four.

Fault

A fault occurs when a player’s serve or return lands outside of the playing area. A double fault can occur if a server suffers two faults in a row.

Let

This is when a serve hits the net before it lands in the service box.

Net

This is the divider that separates the two sides of the court. Each team plays on its own side of the court, and they switch sides at the end of every odd-numbered game.

Racket

This is the piece of equipment players use to hit the ball. It has a large handle with a circular body that contains a weave of durable strings for handling the ball during play.

Return

A return is when the receiver hits the ball following a serve.

Serve

This is the action that begins each turn. The server must hit the ball over the net and into the service box sitting diagonally from them, on the opposite side of the court.

Service Box

This is the area on either side of the net in which the ball has to land after a serve in order to be in play. Each side of the net has two service boxes.

Service Line

The service line is similar to the baseline in that it runs parallel to the net. However, the service line sits in the middle of the court on each side of the net.

Singles

This term is the alternative to doubles. Whereas a doubles match features two players on each team, single matches only feature one player on each side for a total player count of two.

Volley

A volley is when a player hits the ball before it bounces on the ground.