TENNIS STUDY GUIDE
Scoring
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0 pts = Love
1 pt = 15
2 pts = 30
3 pts = 40
4 pts = Game
If the score is 40-40, then its called “deuce”
• Two options
1. Next point wins
2. Play “ad” scoring, must win 2 points to win game. The server wins the point,
“ad in,” server loses the point “ad out.”
- Whoever calls out the score, their points are listed first.
Ex. The serving player has 3 points, the opponent has two points, the
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score would be 40 – 30. To the opponent who is not serving, the score
would be 30 to 40.
-A typical game is 3 sets played to 6 games each set.
-Must win 2 of 3 games to win match
-Games must be won by two
• Ex. If the set score is 6-6, a tie breaker is played to determine the winner of the
7th game.
Ways of Losing a Point
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Miss the ball completely on a swing.
Ball bounces twice before you hit it.
Hit the ball into the net.
You run into or touch the net.
You double fault on the serve.
If you hit the ball more than once with your racket.
If you hit the ball out of bounds.
Vocabulary
All - indicates the scores are level, example: “15 all” means that both players have a score of 15
Ace – When the opponent cannot touch the serve with their racket.
Deuce – when the score is 40-40
Double Fault – when you fail to get the second serve into the proper service court, loss of point
Fault - a serve which hits the net and / or lands outside the service box.
Foot fault - this happens when a server's foot touches the ground in front of the baseline or the
wrong side of the centre mark (on the baseline) before the player hits the ball
Game - a player wins a game if they are the first player to win four points
Let - when a serve hits the top of the net and lands within the service box, the server must serve
again.
Love - a score of zero points in a game or zero games in a set
Match – Usually the first player to win three sets wins the match
Service box - the area where players serve into
Set - the first player to win six games wins a set
Types of Shots
Drop shot - a gently played shot that just gets over the net so the other player can't reach it
Ground stroke - a shot that is made after the ball has bounced
Lob - a shot played deliberately high into the air to land at the back of the opponent's court
Rally - the exchange of shots between players. A rally starts when the receiver returns serve and
ends when the point is won
Smash - an overhead shot hit very hard
Volley – a shot when the player is at the net, the ball usually will not bounce on this shot
Game Play
- The first serve is always done from the right side of the court.
- After every point, the players switch to the other side of the center line for the service.
- The ball must bounce on the return of service.
- You have 2 chances to serve the ball into the proper service court, which is diagonal.
- The players switch sides of the court when the total game score is an odd number,
examples: 1-0, 2-1, 3-0, 3-2, 4-1, 5-0, 5-2, 5-4, or game score is vice-versa.