TENNIS

The Basic Rules - To determine who serves first and on which end of the court the players will start, players toss or spin, prior to the beginning of a match. One players spins his racket and lets it fall to the ground. As it spins, the other players calls Arough or smooth@ (referring tot he way the trimming cord on the racket face is wound around the main strings). The player who wins the toss may choose, or request his opponent to choose:

Choice of Serve and Side

1. The right to be server or receiver, in which case the other player shall choose the side, or

2. The side, in which case the other player shall choose the right to be server or receiver.

Serving

1. The server can stand anywhere between the center mark and the single side line.

2. The server cannot walk or run while in the act of serving.

3. The server cannot step on the base line while serving, nor can he step into the course across the base line until his racket strikes the ball.

4. The server can use an overhand motion, a sidearm motion, or an underhand motion in serving the ball, but the ball must be struck before it strikes the ground.

5. If the server tosses the ball and swings at it and misses it completely, he is charged with a fault. It is not a fault if the server tosses a ball and then does not swing at it, catching it

or letting it ball to the ground.

6. A served ball that strikes the top of the net and lands in the proper service court is a let, and is served again.

Receiving the Serve

1. The receiver of the serve can stand anywhere he wishes when service is being made, but he must let the served ball bounce before returning it.

2. The receiver loses the point if the served ball touches him, or anything he carries or wears, before it strikes the ground.

General Play Situations

1. A player loses the point if his body, his racket, or his clothing touches the net, net post, or the ground within his opponent=s court, while the ball is in play.

2. A ball that touches the net ceases to be in play as soon as it is clear the ball, unimpeded, will not cross the net.

3. A player can reach over the net to make contact with a ball only if the bal has bounced backward over the net. He cannot touch the net while doing so however.

4. A player cannot reach over the net to strike a ball, before the ball bounces. He must make contact with the ball on his side of the net, though he can swing his racket across or over the net after the bal is struck.

5. A ball is considered to be good until it strikes the ground outside the lines of the court, or the fence behind and at the sides of the court. If a player catches the ball before it strikes the ground outside the lines, or the fence, he loses the point. The ball must be allowed to bounce before it is out.

6. A ball that strikes the top of the net at any time other than when being served and lands within the boundaries of the court is in play and must be returned.

Doubles

1. In doubles, the server may stand anywhere between the center mark and the doubles side line.

2. The receiver of the serve, his partner, and the server=s partner may stand anywhere they wish during service.

3. At the start of a new set, a team may change the order of service from that followed in the preceding set.

4. The receiving formation of a doubles team may not be changed during a set; it may be changed only at the start of a new set. Partners must receive throughout each set on the same sides of the court which they originally select when the set begins.

Scoring in Tennis - Points in tennis are called: loved, 15, 30, 40 deuce, advantage and game.

0 or nothing is called .................................................. love

First point won by a player is called ............................ 15

Second point won by a player is called......................... 30

Third point won by that player is called ...................... 40

Fourth point won by that player is called .................... game

Except - If each player has won three points (40 all), the score is deuce. Then the next point won by a player gives him advantage, but if he then loses the point, the score is again deuce. The server=s score is always called first:

Server Receiver Score

1 point 0 points 15 - love

2 points 0 points 30 - love

3 points 0 points 40 - love

4 points 0 points game for server

1 point 1 point 15 all

2 points 3 points 30 - 40

3 points 3 points deuce (40 all)

4 points 5 points receiver=s advantage

4 points 6 points receiver=s game

The Set - The first player to win six games a set provided he is at least two games ahead of his opponent (6-2, 6-3, 7-5, 8-6, etc.)

The Match - A match generally consists of two out of three sets. The first player who wins two sets wins the match. Championship matches in big tournaments are usually three out of five sets. Here the first player who wins three sets wins the tournament.

Tennis Glossary

Ace - A serve that is in but is either so fast or so perfectly placed that the receiver is unable to touch it.

Advantage - The point which follows deuce.

Advantage Out - If the server loses the advantage point, the score becomes Aadvantage out@. He must take the next point to bring the score back to deuce.

All - The score is tied at other than deuce; ie. 30-all or 15 all

Alley - The 4 2 foot wide area between the singles sideline and the doubles sideline on both sides of a double court.

Break a Serve - The phrase used when a player wins a game served by his opponent.

Centre Mark - The 4 inch long mark at the midpoint of the base line which defines the limits of the service position.

Double Fault - The failure of the server to make either his first or second serve good, which results in his losing the point.

Error - Any ball which hits the net or any area outside the legal boundaries of the opponent=s court, thus resulting in the loss of the point.

Foot Fault - An illegal step on or over the base line by a server before his racket makes contact with the ball. The server may legally follow through with one or both feet into the court after hitting the ball.

Forecourt - The 21 foot deep area between the net and the service line.

Half-Volley - A stroke made by hitting the ball immediately after it has bounced when it is barely off the court. This shot is more accurately called a Apick-up@.

Hold Serve - When a player wins the game he serves.

Kill - Usually a smash hit overhead before the ball bounces, and out of reach of the opponent.

Let - Any ball that is played over without penalty either because of outside interference or other extenuating circumstances. The most common let ball is one which strikes the net in service and then falls into the proper service court.

Lob - Any ball that is hit high into the air, usually over the head of an opponent. Defensive lobs are usually hit in order to permit the player to get back in position after having been pulled wide of the court. Offensive lobs are usually hit to win outright points when an opponent is up at the net and unable to reach a high base line lob.

Love - Zero, or no score

No-Man=s Land - The area between the base line and the service line; any player caught there is almost certainly headed for disaster.

Putaway - An outright winning shot.

Service Break - A game in which the server or the serving team loses.

Service Court - the area in which the ball must land for it to be legally in play. There are two service courts, a left and a right, each 21 feet deep and 13 2 feet wide. The same service courts are used in singles and doubles.

Set - The unit of scoring which follows game scoring. Six winning games are required to win a set, unless one=s opponent has won five games, in which case the set must be won by two games more than one=s opponent.

Set Point - The last point need to win a set.

Set Score - The number of games required to win a set which is expressed by giving the winner=s score first, followed by the loser=s score - ie. 6-1, 6-2, 7-5, 8-6, etc.

Setup - A shot that is made in such a manner that it can be put away for an outright winner. An easy mark.

Sweet Spot - The section of the strings in the very centre of the racket head. When the ball is stroked off this point, it carries maximum pace and control.

Volley - Any stroke made by hitting the ball before it touches or bounces on the ground.

Simple Strategy

1. Try to win your serve.

2. Serve deep to opponent=s backhand.

3. Team that gains position closer to the net has the advantage - in a better position for angle shots.

4. When in trouble, lob to back of court to gain time to get into position.

5. When in doubt, play down the middle.

6. As a beginner, don=t try to kill. Just return the ball in bounds. Most games at High School level are won by steady returning and not by Arushes@ and Akills@.

Tennis Etiquette

1. Always wear white.

2. Spin racquet for choice of side or serve.

3. Don=t hit faulty serves (too wide or too long).

4. In singles, the receiver chases the balls on her side and as far as she can reach over the net. In doubles, the player should not have to run after balls. All of the other three players retrieve.

5. Wait until the receiver is ready before serving.

6. Change ends when the total of played games is 1, 3, 5, 7. (Odd numbers)

7. Don=t walk behind or over a court when a game is in play.

8. Always call Alet@ (replay) when something interferes with the opponent=s play - like a ball from another court etc.

Parts of the Racquet