TENNIS STUDY GUIDE
HISTORY OF THE GAME
A tennis-like game was played in thireenth century France called jeu de paume (literally, game of the
hand). This game was played with the bare-hand, hitting a stuffed cloth bag over a rope. When
paddles, and later racquets, were added the game grew steadily in popularity. In 1873, “tenez”
(which meant to resume play or “play ball”) came to the United States. In 1880, a meeting was called
in New York to establish a standard code of rules. From that meeting, the United States Tennis
Association (USTA) was established and is the ruling body of American tennis today.
THE TENNIS COURT
Doubles Alley
Left Service Court
Singles
Sideline
Right Service Court
Right Service Court
Center
Line
Left Service Court
Service Line
Baseline
Doubles Sideline
KEY TERMS
Ace – A point winning serve that is hit beyond the reach of the receiver.
Advantage – The next point after a deuce score. The player who wins the point is said to have the
“advantage” and if that player also wins the following point the player will have won the game. If not,
the score returns to deuce.
Alley – The area on either side of the singles court that is included as inbounds for doubles play (area
between singles sideline and doubles sideline).
Backhand – A stroke used to play a ball on the opposite side of a player’s dominant hand.
Baseline – The line marking the end of the court.
Double fault – Failure of a player to get either of the two service attempts into the proper service
court.
Fault – A serve ball that does not land within the proper service court. Or any other violation of the
rules of service.
Forehand – A stroke used to play a ball on a player’s dominant side.
Game – A unit of a set completed when one side wins four points before the other side wins three or,
if both sides have won three points, when one side thereafter gains a 2 point margin.
Groundstroke – A forehand or backhand stroke used to hit a ball after it has bounced.
Let – Any point that must be replayed. Most often it refers to a serve that hits the top of the net,
than lands in the proper service court.
Love – a score of zero.
Match – A contest between two or four players in which one side must win a predetermined number
of games or sets to be declared the winner.
Rally – The exchange of shots between opponents after the serve, usually referring to prolonged play.
Serve – The stroke used to put the ball into play at the start of each point.
Set – A unit of a match completed when one side wins six games or when one side wins the tiebreaker.
Volley – A short punch stroke used to hit the ball before it bounces.
TENNIS RULES AND HOW TO PLAY THE GAME
Server and Receiver – The players stand on opposite sides of the net: the player who first delivers
the ball is called the server and the other, the receiver.
Racquet Spin – Winner of the racquet spin may choose or require his opponent to choose:
1. the right to be server or receiver, in which case the other player shall choose which side of the
court to play on or
2. which side of the court to play on, in which case the other player shall choose the right to be
server or receiver.
Serving – The server shall stand with both feet at rest behind the baseline and within the imaginary
continuation of the center mark and the sideline. The server throws the ball into the air and strikes it
with the racket before it hits the ground. The ball served shall pass over the net and hit the ground
within the service court which is diagonally opposite, before the receiver returns it. Beginning from
the right court, the server shall alternate between the right and left courts for each new serve.
Service Faults – It is a fault if the server misses the ball or if the ball does not land in the proper
service court. It is a foot fault if the server touches the baseline or steps over the baseline. After the
first fault, the server serves again from behind the same half of the court from which he/she served
the fault.
Service Let – During the service, a ball that touches the net but lands in the proper courts is termed
a “let” and counts for nothing. There is no limit to the number of let balls that may be served; the
server continues serving into the same court until a good service is delivered or two faults are made.
Returning the Serve – The receiver may stand wherever he/she pleases on his/her side of the net
as long as the ball is allowed to hit the ground in the service court before returning it.
Player
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Loses Point –
player fails to return the ball directly over or past the net before it has hit the ground twice
player returns the ball outside the playing boundaries.
player deliberately carries or catches the ball in play on players racket or deliberately touches
it with their racket more than once.
player’s racket touches the net, post or ground within their opponent’s court at any time while
the ball is in play.
player volleys the ball before it has passed the net.
player throws their racket at and hits the ball.
the ball touches the player or anything that is worn or carried other than the racket
Any Ball Falling On a Line – is deemed inbounds
Scoring – A player must win at least four points to win a game, then at least six games to win a set,
and usually at least two sets to win a match. Scoring: 0=Love, first point=15, second point=30, third
point=40, and fourth point=game. A score that is tied at 15 and 30 has the word ALL added after the
number (ex. 15 ALL or 30 ALL). A tie at 40 is called DEUCE. After deuce, the next point is called
ADVANTAGE for the person scoring the point. If that person scores the next point that have won the
game. If the other person scores, the score returns to deuce.
Receiver becomes Server – At the end of the first game, the receiver becomes the server and the
server becomes the receiver; and so on alternately in all subsequent games of a match. The players
change sides of the court at the end of the first, third and every subsequent alternate game of each
set.