This tennis glossary explains the words you will hear on court and on TV, from scoring terms like love, deuce and advantage to shots like the drop shot, lob and slice.
Common tennis terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ace | A legal serve the receiver does not touch |
| Advantage | The point after deuce |
| Bagel | Winning a set 6-0 |
| Break | Winning a game on the opponent’s serve |
| Break point | The receiver is one point from breaking serve |
| Deuce | 40-40 |
| Double fault | Missing both serves; lose the point |
| Drop shot | A soft shot that lands just over the net |
| Let | A serve that clips the net and lands in; replayed |
| Lob | A high shot over a net player |
| Love | Zero |
| Slice | A shot with backspin |
| Topspin | Forward spin that makes the ball dip |
| Unforced error | A mistake not caused by the opponent’s shot |
Match terms
- Seed: a ranked player placed in the draw to avoid meeting other top players early.
- Wild card: entry given by organisers.
- Lucky loser: a qualifying loser who enters when a player withdraws.
- Walkover: a win without playing.
- Golden set: winning a set without losing a point.
Frequently asked questions
Why is zero called love in tennis?
The origin is uncertain; one popular theory links it to the French word for egg, l’oeuf, for its shape.
What is a breadstick?
Winning a set 6-1.
What is a Grand Slam?
The four majors, or winning all four in one calendar year.
