Tennis Game Terms Part 3

These tennis game terms, lingo and jargon are part of sports gamerisms, Define Your Game!
Tennis, part 3 completes tennis gamerisms provided for tennis players and fans who fantasize about successful cannonballs.

Tennis Game Terms: R

• Racket or Racquet:  the tool of the trade in tennis used to hit the ball.  It has a long handle with an oval frame on the end containing a series of woven cords that are stretched tight across it. Rackets today can be produced using steel, aluminum, graphite, titanium, carbon and fiberglass.
• Rally: a lengthy back and forth series of shots between players or sides. A real treat for fans--bring on those rallies!
• Ready Position: receiver's position before a serve.
• Receivers: tennis game terms for players who receive the serve during the game.
• Referee: game official presiding over the tournament, but leaves the officiating up to the umpire.
• Reflex Volley:  a volley that happens more by reaction than plan.
• Retrieve: tennis game terms for the return of a difficult shot.
• Retriever: skillful defensive player who is proficient at returning difficult shots. Don't we all want to grow up to be a retriever?
• Return Ace:  a returned serve in which the serving player does not touch the ball and it lands in bounds resulting in a point.
• Reverse Twist:  jargon for served ball with spin resulting in a high bounce to the receiver.
• Round: match series of a tournament that determines a player's advancement to the next round.
• Round Robin: to assess player standings based on win-loss records during tournament.
• Run Around the Backhand: lingo meaning to vigorously play a ball on the forehand rather than the backhand.
• Runback: playing region between the baseline and backstop.
  

Tennis Game Terms: S

• Scoring System: is established based on game points, then a set is based on games and finally to a match based on sets.
• Second Flight: jargon for tennis ball after it bounces.
• Second Service:  the second attempt of putting a serve in play.
• Seed: is a ranking system of players based on skills and recent matches. The best players are considered top-seeded and are not required to play until the end of a tournament.
• Serve:  the act of putting the ball into play.
• Server: player who serves the ball in turn.
• Serve and Volley:  motion of serving and making an aggressive follow shot on the return to score a point. Well done!
• Service Court: area consisting of the service sideline, service line, center service line with the net in between each side. 
• Service Line: line marking that designates the back boundary of the service courts for each side.
• Service Line Judge: game official who monitors and calls served hits.
• Set: series of at least 6 games to include a two-game margin win, unless there is a tiebreaker.
• Set Point: final game or match point, that if successful becomes that player's win.
• Shank: a hit where the ball hits the handle or frame of the racquet, usually resulting in a missed shot.
• Shot: motion of hitting the ball with the racket.
• Sideline: tennis game terms for side line boundary of the court.
• Sideline Judges: game officials who monitor and call the shots in or out of the sidelines.
• Singles:  a match played by one player on each side of the net.
• Singles Court: used for single matches.
• Slice: lingo for shot hit with both backspin and sidespin.
• Smash: aggressive shot that lands down hard into the opponent's side. It's a pounder!
• Snap Volley: wrist action volley that packs a wallop.
• Stop Volley: a short easy volley that lands just over the net.
• Straight Sets:  a match is won without a set being lost.
• Strings: refers to the hitting surface of the racket.
• Stroke: a hit, shot or swing at the ball.
• Sudden Death: usually, a 9 point tiebreaker where the first player to reach 5 points wins while it's 'sudden death' for the loser.
• Sweet Spot: jargon for ideal hitting area from the racket face.
  

Tennis Game Terms: T

• T: region of the court where the service lines abut the center service line.
• Take the Net: jargon for the act of moving towards the net to control the volleys aimed at the opponent.
• Tandem/Up and Back: strategy whereby one plays the forecourt and the other, the backcourt at a doubles game.
• Tape: tennis game terms for canvas material covering the top of the net.
• Team Tennis: contest among teams that include singles and doubles matches. Results are based on the team that wins the most games.
• Tennis Ball: rubber ball with inside of pressurized air, covered with wool and nylon material and weighing between 2 and 2 1/16 ounces.
• Tennis Elbow: pain of playing the game--caused by joint strain.
• Topspin:  the spin put on a ball by hitting the top of the ball, causing it to spin in the direction it is traveling.
• Thirty: count for the second point of a game going to a player or side.
• Tiebreaker: system to decide winner for a set that is tied. Usually settled with a short game of 13 points where the first player to reach 7 points is declared the winner.
• Top Seed: the best of the best player in a tournament.
• Touch: accurate control of hit followed by precise placement. It's the magic touch!
• Triple: successful accomplishment of winning singles, doubles, and mixed doubles at a tournament.
• Twist: lingo for a serve that combines topspin and sidespin. A double threat!
• Two-handed Backhand: shot delivered with both hands on the racket handle.
  

Tennis Game Terms: U - Z

• Umpire: game official who is the 'boss' of a tennis match. The final word, the umpire may also overturn decisions by other judges if necessary.
• Underspin:  the spin put on a ball by hitting under the ball, causing it to spin in the opposite direction of travel.
• Unforced Error: term used to describe a shot that goes into the net or out of bounds resulting in a lost point.
• Volley:  a shot hit prior to the ball bouncing on your side of the court.
• Walkover: jargon for an easy win resulting from the opponent's default.
• Wide: service shot that lands beyond the sideline or service sideline.
• Wrong-foot: lingo for shot to the opponent's side while this player is moving or turned in a different direction.
• Yips: bad case of nerves resulting in shakes that make it very difficult for a gamer to play well. This phrase can be used in reference to many games and is recognized by both players and fans alike.

From Tennis Game Terms, you can return to sports gamerisms
Other Sports Clicks
Football Players Terms
Soccer Facts Trivia
Golf Players Terms