Tennis Handout

 

 

 

We can thank French monks for the creation of the courtyard game called Jea de Paume, or game of the hand, and the beginning of the long history of tennis. These 12th-century monks played over a rope or against a wall, and incorporated the game as a part of religious ceremonies. The monks would shout “Tenez!” (take heed) before serving, which is possibly where the word tennis originated.

The rules of tennis became codified in 1599. Lawn tennis became popular with English Victorians due to the fact that it was relatively easier to play than real tennis.

We have Mary Outerbridge for introducing tennis to the United States in 1874. Americans fell in love with the sport, and the rest, as they say, is history.

A player must be hitting the ball back to your side before it bounces (a volley) or after one bounce (a ground stroke). When receiving serve, you must let the ball bounce once before hitting it.
You win the point if you hit the ball over the net and into the court on the other side and your opponent doesn’t return it, or if your opponent returns it to your side of the court but not inside the lines.

You lose the point if you hit the ball into the net or out of the court (unless your opponent plays the ball in the air before it lands outside the court boundaries; a ball must land out of bounds to be “out”). You also lose the point if: (1) the ball touches you or your clothing; (2) if you or your racquet touch the net or the net post before the point is over; (3) if you hit the ball before it crosses the net; or (4) if you hit the ball more than once. You’re on your honor to make these calls against yourself.

 

A ball is still in play if it happens to touch the net or post (except on a serve). Continue to play a ball that lands on or touches a boundary line of the court. A ball that lands on any part of the line is good.

Zero: Love
1: 15
2: 30
3: 40
4: Game
All: Tied score except when Deuce
Deuce: A score of 40-40
Ad-In: Scorer needs one more point to win
Ad-Out: Receiver needs one more point to win

 

A player must win six games to win a set, but he or she must win the set by at least two games. If a set gets to 5-5, a player must win 7-5 to win the set outright. If the score in a set gets to 6-6, a tiebreak is played, and the player winning the tiebreak wins the set,  7-6.

In a tiebreak, opponents alternate serves (one point for the first server, then alternately two for each server). The  first player getting to seven points wins the tiebreak and, with it, the set. But again, the tiebreak must be won by at least two points.

 

Tennis matches are generally played as best two-out-of-three sets (men’s tennis plays best three-of-five sets in Davis Cup and Grand Slam play). Quite simply, this means the player who wins two sets first wins the match. On some occasions, if players split the first two sets, a tiebreak or a match tiebreak (first to win 10 points, rather than 7) will be played in lieu of a third full set.

In singles, one player plays against one opposing player on the other side of the net, using a limited court width between the baselines and the singles sidelines.

The same player must serve the entire game. So, if you serve the first game, the opposing player will serve the second game.

The serve must be done diagonally in the serving area within the court. The first serve is done on the right “deuce” side of the court. After every point both server and receiver must switch serving area next to them (left to right, right to left).

In doubles, you and a partner play against a team of two players on the other side of the net, using the full court between the baselines and the doubles sidelines.

If you are on the team that serves first, either you or your partner may begin the match by serving the first ball. Either person on the opposing team may receive the first ball on the right (deuce) court. The partner will receive all serves to the left (the ad) court.

The same player must serve the entire game. So if you serve the first game, the opposing team will serve the second game, your partner will serve the third game, the partner on the opposing team will serve the fourth game and you will serve again on the fifth game, and so on. You must keep the same order of serving throughout the match.

When it is your team’s turn to receive, you can choose which player will receive the first ball. You must then keep the same sides for receiving for the entire set, though you can switch sides for the following set.

If the server’s partner is hit with the serve, a fault is called. If the receiver or the receiver’s partner is hit with the serve before it bounces, the server wins the point.

In returning shots (except the serve), either member of a doubles team may hit the ball. The partners don’t have to alternate hits.

ACE – A ball that is served so well the opponent cannot touch it with their racquet.
AD – Short for Advantage. It is the point scored after Deuce. If the serving side scores, it is Ad-in. If the receiving side scores, it is Ad-out.
ALL – An even score. 30-30 is, for example, 30-all. 3-3 would be 3-all.
ALLEY – The area between the singles and doubles sideline on each side of the court. (The singles court is made wider for doubles play by the addition of the alley.)
APPROACH – The shot hit by a player just before coming to the net.
BACKCOURT – The area around the baseline.
BACKHAND – The stroke used to return balls hit to the left side of a right-handed player (or to the right side of a left-handed player). Backhands are hit either one-handed or two-handed.
BASELINE – The court’s back line that runs parallel to the net and perpendicular to the sidelines.
DEUCE – A score of 40-all, or 40-40. (This means the score is tied and each side has won at least three points.)
DEUCE COURT – The right side of the court, so called because on a deuce score, the ball is served there.
DOUBLE FAULT – The failure of both service attempts. On a double fault, the server loses the point.
DOUBLES – A match with four players, two on each team.
FAULT – A served ball that does not land in the proper service box..
FOOT FAULT – A fault called against the server for stepping on or over the baseline with either foot during delivery of the serve.
FOREHAND – The stroke used to return balls hit to the right side of a right-handed player (or to the left side of a left-handed player). Forehands are commonly hit one-handed.
GAME – The part of a set that is completed when one player or side either wins four points and is at least two points ahead of his or her opponent, or who wins two points in a row after deuce.
GROUND STROKE – A stroke made after the ball has bounced; either a forehand or backhand.
LET – A point played over because of interference. Also, a serve that hits the top of the net but is otherwise good, in which case the serve is taken again.
LOB – A stroke that lifts the ball high in the air, usually over the head of the opponent at the net.
MATCH – The overall contest, usually decided by the best two-out-of-three sets.
NO-AD – A system of scoring a game in which the first player to win four points wins the game. If the score reaches 3-all, the next point decides the game.
NO MAN’S LAND – A slang term for the area between the service line and the baseline.
OUT – A ball landing outside the boundary lines of the court.
OVERHEAD – During play, a stroke made with the racquet above the head in a motion similar to that of an overhand serve.
POACH – To hit a ball in doubles at the net that would normally have been played by one’s partner.
POINT – The smallest unit of scoring..
RALLY – A series of good hits made successfully by players. Also, the practice procedure in which players hit the ball back and forth to each other.
RECEIVER – The player who receives the serve. Also known as the Returner.
SERVE – Short for Service. It is the act of putting the ball into play for each point.
SERVER – The player who serves.
SERVICE BREAK – A game won by the player/team receiving serve.
SET – A scoring unit awarded to a player who or team that has won: (a) 6 or more games and has a two-game lead; or (b) 6 games and the tiebreak game when played at 6-all.
SLICE – A shot that imparts backspin on the ball by hitting the ball with a high-to-low motion.
SMASH – A hard overhead shot.
SPIN – The rotation of the ball. (i.e., “topsin” or “backspin”)
STROKE – The act of striking the ball with the racquet.
TIEBREAK – A system in traditional tennis used to decide a set when the score is tied, 6-all.
TOPSPIN – Forward rotation of the ball caused by hitting from low to high.
VOLLEY – During play, a stroke made by hitting the ball before it has touched the ground.

 

Thanks to USTA https://www.usta.com/en/home/improve/tips-and-instruction.html#tennis-101 and RecTennis https://www.usta.com/en/home/improve/tips-and-instruction.html#tennis-101