About
About Tennis Terminology
Tennis is a game of paradoxes. While it can be easily understood, many people have a hard time following it because they fail to understand it. This is because the terminology of the game leaves most people in the dark. But with just a few simple explanations, tennis can be enjoyable, both while playing and watching.
Misconceptions
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Almost anyone can learn tennis terminology
The biggest misconception is that the game is hard to learn. The basics of the game are relatively straightforward. The goal is to get the ball into the opponent's area of the court without it going out of bounds. The score, though odd, is also relatively simple, going from love--which means zero--to 15, 30, 40 and game. However, those who win a game do not win the entire match. It takes six games to win a set and usually at least two sets to win a match.
Types
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A typical soft court, this one being clay
Tennis is a game played on a court. The court can be made of a hard surface, such as concrete with a coating of some sort.. The court can also be a softer surface, such as clay or grass.
For more information on the rules of tennis, see additional resources below.
Features
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Another tennis term -- the baseline
There are many other terms that may strike people as unfamiliar, especially if they have not been exposed to much tennis. First there is the fault. This occurs when a serve is outside of the opponent's service box. It simply means the serve was bad. Two faults are called a double fault, meaning the server loses a point. A let is a ball that hits the net on the serve yet lands inside the opponent's service box. An ace, just like it is in volleyball and other sports that require a serve, is a serve that is not touched.
Significance
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A major tennis tournament is called a grand slam event
The terms of tennis are too varied and detailed to list them all. Indeed, some terms describe a situation, such as "match point." Some describe a type of tennis, such as "singles" or "doubles." Others describe entire tennis events, such as the "Grand Slam" or "Davis Cup." Some may even describe the type of tennis shot, such as a "volley" or "ground stroke." Even others may be used to describe the players themselves, such as "seed" or "lucky loser."
For more information on these tennis terms, see additional resources below.
History
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Many people learn and enjoy the game of tennis
Some of the words in the tennis lexicon go back to the beginnings of the game. In fact, even the word tennis is taken from the Old French word tenez, which means play. As the years passed, the terminology associated with the game which is known over multiple languages, remains somewhat stable.
For more information on the history of tennis, see additional resources below.
Effects
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While tennis terminology may be a little strange to the newcomer, the terms are all going toward the same purpose--to keep the players on the same page. It may not seem like it, but the terms quickly become second nature to those who play and watch tennis. Many are self-explanatory or used over a wide variety of sports. Therefore, understanding the terms is easier, especially for those who have experience in other sports similar in nature to tennis.
Photo Credit
Wally Gobetz, Daniel Vucsko, DCMatt, Winston Sumalia, Aaron T., Terence
eHow Article: About Tennis Terminology
