| ace |
in tennis, a winning serve that is out of the opponent's reach. [1/7 definitions] |
| Alice Marble |
U.S. tennis player who won the U.S. tennis championship singles titles four times (1936, 1938-40) prior to working as a spy for U.S. intelligence (b.1913--d.1990). |
| alley1 |
the space between the two outer sets of lines on each side of a tennis court, used only in doubles. [1/5 definitions] |
| Althea Gibson |
U.S. professional tennis player, who was the first African-American woman to win all the major world singles tennis titles (b.1927--d.2003). |
| backcourt |
in tennis, the part of the court between the base line and the service line. (Cf. forecourt.) [1/3 definitions] |
| backhand |
a forward movement made with the back of the hand outward, as in a slap or a stroke with a tennis racket. [1/5 definitions] |
| backspin |
a reverse spin put on a ball, such as a billiard or tennis ball, that causes it to stop suddenly or move in a backward direction. |
| backstroke |
a stroke made with the back of the hand outward, as in tennis. [1/3 definitions] |
| ball boy |
a boy or young man who retrieves stray balls during a tennis or baseball game, or who has charge of balls used in practice, as in football and basketball. |
| ball girl |
a girl or young woman who retrieves stray balls during a tennis or baseball game, or who has charge of balls used in practice, as in field hockey or volleyball. |
| bandy |
previously, a form of tennis. [1/4 definitions] |
| base line |
the line at either end of a tennis court that marks the back boundary. [1/3 definitions] |
| catgut |
a thin, strong cord made of twisted, dried animal intestines, esp. those of sheep, and used for the strings of tennis rackets and certain musical instruments, and as surgical thread. |
| chop1 |
a short downward blow or stroke, as in boxing or tennis. [1/8 definitions] |
| country club |
a suburban social club with a clubhouse and facilities for sports such as swimming, golf, and tennis. |
| court |
an enclosed or marked off area for playing certain sports such as basketball or tennis. [1/9 definitions] |
| deuce1 |
in tennis and other racket sports, a tie score that requires either side to win two successive points in order to win the game. [1/2 definitions] |
| Don Budge |
U.S. tennis player who in 1938 was the first man to win the four tournaments that compose the grand slam of tennis (b.1915--d.2000). |
| double |
(pl., but used with a sing. verb) in tennis and other games, a match with two players on each side. (Cf. single.) [1/19 definitions] |
| fault |
in tennis, a serve that falls outside the service court on the opponent's side. [1/7 definitions] |
| foot fault |
in tennis, a violation caused if both feet are not behind the base line when one is serving. |