Tennis Study Guide
Racquet Sports
Mr. Smoker
Tennis is a great game, but it is easy to get bogged down by all of the tennis
rules and terminology. To make things easier for you, here is a list of tennis
rules, sweet and simple, so they are easy to learn, remember and understand.
Tennis Rules - Starting the Game
1. The game starts with a coin toss (rock, paper, scissors).
2. The winner of the coin toss decides whether they will serve or which
side of the court they will play on.
3. The winner must choose either to serve, or pick a side. They can't do
both.
Tennis Rules - Serving
1. The server stands behind the baseline, in between
the center mark and the sideline.
2. The ball has to go over the top of the net on a serve.
3. Your serve must reach the diagonal service box on
the other side of the court.
4. If the serve drops outside of the service box, you get
a second chance to serve.
5. You get two chances to serve. When you miss a serve, it is called a
"fault." The opposing team must call fault if the serve is not in.
6. You cannot serve the ball before your receiver is ready.
7. If the serve hits the net and goes over, a “let” is called, and the serve is
replayed. It doesn’t count for one of your two chances.
8. In delivering the service the server will alternate behind the right and
left courts beginning from the right in every game.
Tennis Rules - When You Lose the
Point
1. If you fault on two serves in a row.
2. If you don't return an opponent's legal shot
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
before it bounces twice.
When your ball goes outside the lines.
If you, your clothing or your racquet touch the net or ground on your
opponent's side.
If you get hit by the ball.
If you hit the ball before it goes all the way over the net.
If you hit the ball more than once.
Tennis Rules - Receiving the Ball
1. You can stand wherever you want when
receiving a serve, but the tennis ball must be
allowed to bounce into the service box.
2. The receiving team will never switch sides of the court.
3. The serve receiver has to let the ball bounce one time before hitting it
back.
Tennis Rules - Playing the Game
1. Play keeps going until a player misses the
ball, or until the ball goes out or hits the net.
2. The players switch to the other end of the
court after every odd-numbered game.
Tennis Rules - Doubles Play
1. The serving order and sides of the court are decided before each set.
2. Either player may play the ball.
3. If possible, it is beneficial to get one of the players up to the net to try
and volley.
Tennis Court and Scoring
Racquet Sports
Mr. Smoker
Scoring
 Tennis match – win best of three sets
 Set – win six games or two or more than opponent
 Game – win four points or two more than opponent
Scoring Terminology
No points
Love
First point
15
Second point
30
Third point
40
Fourth point
Game
Tie score of 40-40
Deuce
One point beyond deuce
Advantage in
with the server winning
One point beyond deuce
Advantage out
with the receiver winning
Two points beyond deuce Game
If the same player wins two points beyond deuce they win the game. If not
score returns to deuce.
The player serving will always call out the score before each serve. They will say
their score first followed by their opponents score.
TENNIS
VOCABULARY
Word
Example sentence
Meaning
Ace
Andy won by serving a beautiful ace that
was almost impossible to return.
A winning serve which the receiver fails
to touch with his or her racket
Advantage
With the score at deuce, Roger returned
serve with a winner and the umpire
announced, 'Advantage Federer'.
A player who scores a point at 'deuce' has
the advantage, meaning if they win the
next point, they win the game
Backhand
If your opponent is right-handed and has
a weak backhand, hit the ball to his left if
you can.
A stroke in which the ball is struck on
the opposite side of the body to the
racquet hand
Deuce
The word deuce has been used in real
tennis for hundreds of years.
Score of 40-40, after which a player must
win 2 consecutive points to win the game
Double fault
After serving a fault I was worried about
serving a double fault.
Two faults served in a row, resulting in
the server losing the point
Fault
Maria tried to hit her serve too hard and
it missed the court and was a fault.
A missed serve, served into the net or
served outside the correct service box
Forehand
Chris has a very strong forehand, so his
opponents play to his backhand more.
A shot hit from the racket-arm side of the
body
Game
Venus won the match by two sets to one,
and she won both sets by six games to
four.
In scoring, a game is won by winning
points, a set is won by winning games,
and a match is won by winning sets
Groundstroke
Nadal is strong and he uses powerful
groundstokes to keep his opponents on
the run.
a shot hit from the back court after the
ball has bounced; the standard shot in
tennis
Let
The umpire heard the serve clip the net
as it went over, so she called a let.
A shot that must be replayed, such as a
serve that touches the net
Love
After starting his service game with a
double fault, the score is love-fifteen.
Zero (this meaning is used in tennis only)
Rally
The longest rally in the match went on
for 22 shots before a winner was hit.
A long series of shots
Set
Elena won the first set, but Maria took
the next two sets to win the match.
In scoring, a player must win at least six
games to win a set
9/17/13