Entertainment / Tennis Glossary

Referee: A person in charge of enforcing the rules in a tournament, as opposed to a tennis match (see umpire)

Reflex Volley: A volley in which the player has no time to plan the shot, and instead reacts instinctively to get the racket in position to return the ball. This occurs frequently in doubles and in advance . . . View Full Definition

Retirement: A player withdrawing during a match, usually due to injury; and subsequently forfeiting their place in the tournament. For a pre-match withdrawal see walkover.

Retriever: A defensive baseliner. See tennis strategy

Return Ace: It's the shot when the opponent serves and you return the serve and the opponent doesn't hit the ball.

Rising Shot: A shot thats hits the ball immediately after it hits the ground.

Round Of 16: The round of a tournament prior to the quarterfinals in which there are 16 players remaining, corresponds to the 4th round of 128-draw tournament, the 3rd round of a 64-draw, and 2nd round o . . . View Full Definition

Round Robin: A tournament format in which players are organised into groups of 3 or 4 players and compete against all other members of the group, players are then ranked according to number of matches, s . . . View Full Definition

Second Service: The second and final of the two serves a player is allowed at the beginning of a point

Seed: For a given tournament there are specified number of seeds depending on the size of the draw. For atp tournaments typically one out of four players are seeds. For example, a 32 draw internat . . . View Full Definition

Serve: (also, as a noun, 'service') to begin a point by hitting the ball into the opponent's half of the court.

Serve And Volley: A strategy to serve and immediately move forward to make a volley and hopefully a winner.

Service Game: With regard to a player, the game where the player is serving (e.g. 'Player a won a love service game' means that player has won a game where (s) he was serving without the opponent scoring).

Set Point: A situation when the player who is leading needs one more point to win a set. If the player is serving in such a situation, (s)he is said to be 'serving for the set'.

Shank: A mishit whereby the ball contacts the racket frame during the swing resulting in a shot which is misdirected.

Singles: A tennis game played by two players.

Singles Sticks: A pair of poles which are placed underneath the net near the singles sideline for the purpose of raising it for single play.

Sitter: A shot hit by the opponent which is hit with very little pace and no spin which bounces high after landing thus being an easy shot to 'put away'.

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