Guide to Tennis Terminology

If you're new to tennis, don't be intimidated by the lingo. We're here to break down the common tennis terms.

By Tennis Warehouse Staff

3 min read

Areas of the tennis court

Baseline - This is where you'll hit your groundstrokes and serve. It's the line that runs parallel to the net at the back of the court, farthest from the net and closest to the back fence or wall. This back line is your baseline. Anything that lands inside the baseline is considered good, and shots that land behind it are out. It's also important to note that for tennis, shots that land on the line are good.
Service line - The line in the middle of the court that runs parallel to the net. Serves will need to land in front of that line to be called good, and this is also the area of the court where you'll hit most of your volleys.
Doubles alley - On the court, there are two lines that run perpendicularly to the net. The space between those lines is called the doubles alley. When you're playing singles one-on-one, shots that land in the doubles alley are out. When you are playing doubles with teams of two playing against each other, players can use the doubles alley. The doubles alley widens the court since there are four players instead of two.
Deuce side - You'll notice a small hash mark at the center of the baseline. This splits the court into two sides. The deuce side is on the right side when you're facing the net. This is the side you start each game.
Ad side - The ad side is the left side. After playing a point on the deuce side, you switch and serve from the ad side. You continue switching from deuce to ad until the game is over.

OK, that covers the court basics. Let's move onto the basic stroke names.

Serve - Each player gets two chances to make a serve. As mentioned, you begin serving from the deuce side. You serve at a diagonal into the small box on the other side of the net. For a serve to be in, it must clear the net without touching and land in the service box.
Fault - If you miss a serve, it is called a fault.
Double fault - As mentioned, each server gets two chances to make a serve for each point. If you miss both serves, you have double faulted.
Let - Serves must clear the net and land in the service box to be considered in play. If a serve hits the net but lands inside the service box, it is called a let, and the server replays that serve.
Groundstrokes - These are the shots that you hit from the baseline. There are two kinds of groundstrokes -- the forehand and backhand. A forehand is hit on your dominant side. A backhand is on the non-dominant side. Forehands are typically hit with one hand, but backhands can be hit either with one or two hands on the handle.

Volley - The volley is the shot that is hit closer to the net, typically out of the air.
Overhead - When you are standing closer to the net, sometimes a player will hit the ball high over your head. When you swing to hit that ball, you're hitting an overhead.