Entertainment / Tennis Glossary

Slice: (rally) hitting a tennis ball with underspin; (service) serving with sidespin.

Spank: To hit a groundstroke flat with a lot of pace.

Special Exempt: Players who are unable to appear in a tournament's qualifying draw, because they are still competing in a previous tournament, can be awarded a spot in the main draw by special exempt.

Spin: Rotation of the ball as it moves through the air, affecting its trajectory and bounce. See backspin & topspin.

Split Step: A footwork technique, doing a small hop just before the opponent hits the ball.

Spot Serving: Serving with precision resulting in the ball either landing on or near the intersection of the center service line and service line or singles tramline and service line.

Squash Shot: A forehand or backhand shot typically hit on the run from a defensive position, either with slice, or from behind the player's stance.

Stick The Volley: A volley hit crisply resulting in shot with a sharp downward trajectory.

Straight Sets: A match victory in which the victor never lost a set

String Saver: Tiny pieces of plastic that are sometimes inserted where the strings cross, to prevent the strings from abrading against each other and prematurely breaking

Strings: The material weaved through the face of the racquet. The strings are where contact with the ball is supposed to be made

Stroke: A striking of the ball.

Sweetspot: The central area of the stringbead which is the desired location for making contact with the ball.

T: Where the center line and service line intersect to form a t.

Tanking: To purposely lose a match, because of poor mental game or other reason; or to purposely lose a non-vital set, so as to focus energy and attention on a match-deciding set.

Tennis Ball: A soft, hollow, air-filled rubber ball coated in a synthetic fur, used in the game of tennis.

Tennis Bubble: An indoor tennis facility consisting of a domed structure which is supported by air pressure generated by blowers inside the structure.

Tennis Elbow: A common injury in beginner to intermediate tennis players possibly due to improper technique or a racket which transmits excessive vibration to the arm.

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