10 More Tennis Terms

 

1. Ace

A serve where the receiver fails to return or even touch the ball. The point is won by the server.

2. Approach Shot

Usually occurs when a ball is hit short of the baseline. The receiving player then moves forward to the ball and places it deep in his/her opponents court, while continue moving forward to the net in order to kill off the point with a volley.

3. Drive

A powerful shot using a bit of Topspin. Common as a passing shot down the line to leave your opponent scrambling for the ball.

4. Drop Shot

You need to use a lot of Backspin to perform this shot. It is a more severe version of a Slice, in that the idea is to get the ball just over the net and stop almost immediately just after the net without much bounce.

5. Ground Strokes

Any type of shot (Forehand and Backhand) across the net where the ball bounces.

6. Half-volley

To hit the tennis ball immediately after it has come off the ground, so you're hitting the ball on it's upward bounce.

7. Lob

To hit the ball over your opponents head using a lot of Topspin. Best played when your opponent is at the net.

8. Overhead Smash

A shot played above the head, hitting the ball downwards, hard and fast into your opponents side of the court

9. Passing Shot

A shot played down the line while your opponent is close to the net, but is unable to return.

10. Slice

You use Backspin to perform this type of shot. Often used as a defensive shot to return fast served ball deep into your opponents court and slow the game down. Similar in execution to the Drop Shot.