Tennis — Glossary

Every Tennis term explained in plain language: technique, equipment, rules and slang – with tips on avoiding the classic mistakes.

Ace & Double Fault (Rule): An ace is a serve your opponent never even touches — instant point. A double fault is two missed serves in a row: the point goes to your opponent without them hitting a ball.
Continental Grip (Movement): The universal grip for serve, volley and slice: index knuckle on bevel 2, held like a hammer. In padel it is the only grip you really need.
Cross-Court & Down the Line (Cheat code): Cross-court means diagonal, down the line means straight along the sideline. The net sits at 91.4 cm in the middle — around 15 cm lower than at the posts — and the diagonal is a good metre longer.
Pronation (Forearm Turn at Contact) (Movement): The fast inward turn of shoulder and forearm at contact — the whip behind every overhead. Shoulder internal rotation delivers up to 66% of shuttle speed in the smash.
Serve+1 (First Strike) (Slang): Coach jargon for the ball right after your serve, the third shot of the point. Roughly 70% of all points are decided inside the first four shots, which is why that ball gets drilled.
Shadow Footwork (Cheat code): Movement patterns without a shuttle: from the middle to a corner, shadow the stroke, back to base. No partner, no hall, not a single shuttle needed.
Split Step (Movement): A small two-footed hop timed to your opponent's strike — it makes you instantly ready to move in any direction.
Topspin & Slice (Movement): Two kinds of spin: topspin is brushed low to high, flies in a high arc and dives steeply. Slice is undercut — a flat flight path and a low, skidding bounce.

General

Terms from training theory that apply in every sport.

1RM (One-Repetition Maximum) (Rule): The maximum weight you can move for exactly one clean repetition. The reference value behind almost every training plan.
BMR & TDEE (Rule): BMR is your basal metabolic rate at complete rest; TDEE is total daily expenditure including everyday movement and training. Nutrition targets always work off TDEE.
Cadence (Movement): Steps per minute when running, or pedal revolutions when cycling. For most runners, 170–180 steps per minute sits in the sweet spot.
Core Tension (Movement): Active stabilisation of abdomen, back and pelvis — the bridge that lets force travel between legs and arms at all.
Deload (Cheat code): A deliberately lighter week with volume or intensity clearly reduced, so adaptation can catch up.
DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) (Cheat code): Delayed muscle soreness 12–72 hours after unfamiliar load. Not a measure of training quality.
Knee Valgus (Movement): The knees collapsing inward during squats, jumps and landings. One of the key risk markers in technique analysis.
Progressive Overload (Cheat code): The one principle no training works without long-term: the stimulus has to grow over time, otherwise adaptation stops.
RIR (Reps in Reserve) (Rule): How many clean reps you had left at the end of a set. RIR 2 means two more were available.
RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) (Rule): A scale for perceived effort. In strength training it usually runs 1–10, where RPE 8 means you had two more reps in the tank.
Zone 2 (Aerobic Base) (Cheat code): The easy endurance zone where you can still hold a conversation in full sentences. The base of almost every endurance plan.