Get the Low Down on Tennis Lingo

Get the Low Down on Tennis Lingo

What do the words love, ace, carry, and jam have in common? They all have to do with tennis, even though they sound like they actually have nothing to do with tennis. So, if you are new to the sport have no fear, for we are here to decode the slang-filled language that is tennis.

Glossary of Tennis Terms

“Love”

This means no points. Strange, but true. It’s believed that this slang derives from saying, “it’s for the love of the game,” so points didn’t matter.

“Drop Shot”

This is a shot that hits the net, and then gently falls over.

“Advantage”

This is when a player only needs one more point to win.

“Jam”

This is when you hit the ball and it nearly hits your opponent so they awkwardly hit or dodge the tennis ball. *By far the most hilarious of all the shots and slang.

“Foot Fault”

This is what happens when during a serve you have your foot on either the centerline or baseline, which in turn causes you to lose the serve.

“Daisy Cutter”

This kind of shot has very little bounce or just skids over the court. Like a little tennis ball lawnmower. *Again another awesome slang term that sounds like it has nothing to do with tennis.

“Break”

When the server loses the game.

“Break Point”

Unlike advantage, this is the point that must be won in order for the returner to win the match or “break” the server.

“Deuce”

When the score of the match is 40 to 40.

“Counterpuncher”

The name for a player who is an extremely aggressive baseline player. *Be careful when you use this while playing, or at least be able to explain what it means so YOU don’t get punched!

So the next time you decide to hit the court, wow your friends with these awesome tennis slang terms! And if you’re new to tennis and are just now learning what these words mean, know that when you were called a counterpuncher… it was all in good humor.

If you are looking for a facility with advanced tennis courts, Elite Sports Clubs is the place to play. If you are new to tennis, get started with pre-booked court time, a tennis private lesson, our adult tennis program, or our tennis resources. We also offer tennis programs for children ages 10 & under as well as 11 & up. Get started on your tennis game today with Elite Sports Clubs.

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