Ace- A serve in which the opponent cannot come in contact with the ball. Points go to server.
Ad or Advantage- The point that is won right after a deuce and right before a match point.
Advantage court- The left service court.
All- A tie score; as in 40-40 or 40-all.
Alley- The area between the single sideline and the double sideline.
ATP- Association of Tennis Professionals
Backcourt- The area between the baseline and the service line.
Backhand- The stroke that originates from your left side if you are right-handed.
Backspins- The stroke that imposes backward spin on the ball, usually causing the ball to slow down once it hits the ground. The backspin can be achieve by brushing or slicing the ball in a downward swing.
Baseline- The borderline at the back of the court.
Baseliner- A player who plays at the base line for strategic purposes.
Carry- An illegal shot in which the ball is held onto the racquet rather than being hit.
Center Strap- The strap at the middle of the net used to hold the net down to the ground.
Changeover- When the players switch sides after every set.
Chip- Blocking the ball with a backspin.
Chop- A shot with heavy backspin intended to slow down or stop the ball once it hits the ground.
Cross Court Shot- A shot that originates from either left or right side of the court and travels diagonally to the opposite side on the opponent's side of the court.
Court- The tennis court. A standard tennis court is 78 feet long by 27 feet wide. For doubles, the width is 36 feet.
Daisy cutter- A very low shot resulting in low bounces. This shot can be achieved by imposing backspins on the ball.
Default- The failure of a player to finish the game resulting in the victory of his/her opponent.\
Deep or Deep shot- A shot that lands near the baseline.
Deuce- The point when a score of 40-40 is reached.
Deuce court- The right side of the court.
Double Fault- Two faulty serves in a row, resulting in a point lost for the server.
Doubles- A game with four players, two on each team.
Drop shot- A shot where the ball barely makes in over the net.
Fault- A missed serve.
Flat or Flat shot- A shot with no spins on the ball.
Follow Through- The stroke where the arm is swung in one long and smooth motion.
Foot Fault- A faulty serve where the server steps on the baseline.
Forced Error- An error made as the result of a good shot by the opponent.
Forecourt- The area between the net and the service line.
Forehand- The stroke originating from your right side if you are right-handed.
Gallery- Spectators seating area.
Game Point- The point that determines the winner of the game.
Grand Slam- The four most reputable tournaments including Wimbledon, the French Open, the Australian Open, and the U.S Open.
Groundstroke- A shot that is executed after the ball has bounced on the court.
Head- The string end of a racquet.
Hit On the Rise- The return shot that strikes that ball before the ball can reach its highest point.
Hold Serve- To win the game that the server is serving.
Jam- To hit the ball close to the opponent's body forcing him/her to return weakly.
Jump Smash- To jump up and smash the ball down.
Kick Serve- A serve with a lot of spins, causing the ball to bouncing higher than the opponent should expect.
Let- A serve that results with the ball touching the net but still makes it into the opponent's service box. This is not consider a fault.
Lob- A shot that results in the ball high up in the air but still makes inside the opponent's court.
Love- Zero point. As in 40-0 or 40-love.
Line Judge- The official whose job is to determine whether a shot is in or out of the court.
Match Point- The point that determines the winner of the match.
Mixed Doubles- A doubles game in which there is a male and a female on each team.
Open Tournaments- Tournaments that can be entered by amateur.
Poach or Poaching- A strategy in a doubles game where the server and the volley player alternates positions.
Rally- A practice game where no points are considered.
Set Point- The point that determines the winner of the set.
Slice- A stroke that imposes backspins or sidespins on the ball.
Sudden Death- A tie-breaker. In a standard 13 points tie-breaker, the first player to reach 7 points win, that's if only he/she leads by at least two points.
Tandem- A doubles strategic where each player is responsible for either the left side of the court or the right side of the court.
Topspins- A shot that imposes forward spins on the ball, typically causing the ball to accelerate once it hits the ground.
Unforced Error- The error made by a player that is not caused by any the opponents excellent shot.
Volley- To hit the ball before it bounces; this is usually done by standing near the net.
Wood shot- A shot in which the frame of the racquet hits the ball rather than the strings.
WTA- Women's Tennis Association.