Tennis - History, Rules, and Technique
of 15, 30, 40, and game. In a tennis game, the server’s score is always given first. Since the game starts out as each team having no points, it is called love. Once one person or team has reached 40 points, the game is won. If each person or team is tied at 40 points each, it is called a deuce. To win a tied game, it has to be won by two points. If tied, the game continues until one player or team is ahead by two points. When a deuce has been called, the player or team that only needs to score one more point is called advantage.
Players win six games to win a set, but must win by at least two games. A tiebreaker is called if a set is tied at 6-6. A tiebreaker is usually played to seven points, but it also has to be won by two points, so the score can be extended. The winner of a tiebreaker is always recorded as winning the set 7-6. Most tennis matches are won by the best two out of three sets, or the best three out of five sets.
There are many different strokes used when playing tennis, but the two basic strokes used in tennis are the forehand and the backhand. When using the forehand, the player places the body so that the hand holding the racket faces away from the net. He or she then swings the racket forward to hit the ball. When using the backhand, the player turns so that the hand holding the racket faces the net, then brings the arm forward and across the body to hit the ball.
Other strokes used in tennis include the lob and the overhead smash. The lob is a high, soft return to an opponent who has come towards the net. It causes the player to go to the back of the court to return the ball. The overhead smash is a stroke that is hit in a manner similar to the serve, and is often used to return a lob that has not been high or deep enough.
After players become more acquainted and experienced with the game, they may begin putting spins on the balls. The topspin occurs when a player hits the ball so that it spins from low to high as it goes forward. The topspin helps the player to hit the ball with more power, because spinning from low to high helps to bring the ball lower. The underspin, which is also called a slice, occurs when the player hits the ball so that it spins from high to low as it travels forward. The underspin causes the ball to lose speed and bounce lower. Most player use both spins during a game, and also use no spin on the ball at all.
Most people, after playing for a while, think that tennis is an enjoyable sport. It provides exercise, builds agility, and increases endurance. Tennis is a game that has been played [next page]