Tennis · Guide
Tennis terms explained
The words commentators use, from an ace to a lucky loser, in plain English.
Serving and scoring
- Ace
- A serve that lands in and the receiver does not touch.
- Double fault
- Missing both serves: lose the point.
- Hold
- Winning your own service game.
- Break
- Winning your opponent's service game.
- Break point
- A point that would give the receiver the game.
- Set point / match point
- A point that would win the set or the match.
- Love
- Zero.
- Deuce / advantage
- 40–40, and the point after it. See scoring.
- Bagel / breadstick
- A set won 6–0 / 6–1.
Shots
- Winner
- A shot the opponent cannot reach.
- Unforced error
- A mistake on a ball the player should have made.
- Volley
- Hitting the ball before it bounces.
- Drop shot
- A soft shot that lands just over the net.
- Lob
- A high ball over a player at the net.
- Passing shot
- A shot past a player at the net.
Draws and entries
- Seed
- A top-ranked player placed in the draw so they cannot meet each other early.
- Wildcard
- A place in the draw given by the organisers.
- Qualifier
- A player who won through the qualifying rounds.
- Lucky loser
- A player who lost in qualifying but gets in because someone withdrew.
- Walkover
- A win without playing, because the opponent withdrew.
- Retirement
- A player stopping during a match, usually through injury.
Quick answers
- What is an ace in tennis?
- A serve the receiver cannot touch that lands in: an outright winning serve.
- What is a break of serve?
- Winning a game when your opponent is serving. Break point is a point that would give you that game.
- What is a bagel in tennis?
- Winning a set 6–0.
- What is a lucky loser?
- A player who lost in the final round of qualifying but gets into the main draw because another player withdrew.