Basic tennis terms and strokes that fans of this sport need to know

September 8, 2025

Tennis is not just a sport, but a whole world with its own rules, strategies and, of course, a unique language. Understanding the basic terms and strokes is the key to not only watching the game, but also to truly feel it. At bet365 tennis you can bet on tennis at any time.

Basic Terms

There are some terms in tennis. Among them:

  1. Serve. The stroke with which each point is played. The player must hit the ball into the diagonally opposite square of the opponent’s service.
  2. Receive. The stroke with which the player returns the opponent’s serve.
  3. Rally. A series of strokes between players after the serve, until one of them makes a mistake or wins the point.
  4. Point. A unit of score in tennis.
  5. Game. A series of points that is won by one player. The score in a game is kept according to a special system: 15, 30, 40, game.
  6. Set. A series of games. To win a set, you usually need to win 6 games with a difference of two games (for example, 6-4). At 6-6, most tournaments play a tiebreak.
  7. Match. A competition consisting of a certain number of sets (usually 2 out of 3 or 3 out of 5).
  8. Out. A ball that lands outside the court.
  9. Net. An obstacle separating the halves of the court. If the ball hits the net and does not fly to the opponent’s court, it is a fault.
  10. Ace. A serve that the opponent fails to return.

You should familiarize yourself with these terms. Understanding them will help you understand the basics of tennis.

Basic Strokes

It is also worth considering some strokes that are relevant in tennis:

  1. Forehand. A stroke executed with the palm facing forward, on the same side of the body as the leading hand. This is one of the most powerful and versatile strokes.
  2. Backhand. A shot thrown with the back of the hand forward, on the opposite side of the body from the leading hand. Can be done with one or two hands.
  3. Serve. As mentioned, this is the opening shot. There are many variations of the serve: flat, slice, and overspin.
  4. Smash. A powerful downward shot, usually executed when the opponent hits a high ball.
  5. Volley. A shot that hits the ball before it bounces off the court, usually executed at the net.
  6. Drop shot. A short, soft shot that lands close to the net, forcing the opponent to run forward.
  7. Drop shot. A shot with a slice that adds backspin to the ball. The ball flies lower and bounces less after such a shot.

Knowing these terms and shots will allow you to delve deeper into the world of tennis, understand the players’ tactics, and enjoy every rally!