Tennis Glossary - J to L
Jam
To hit the ball at or near the opponent's body, forcing an awkward or weak return.
Jump smash
A smash that is hit while the player is jumping into the air.
K
Kick serve
A serve hit with a great deal of spin, causing it to bounce high and change direction. See twist.
Kill
To hit the ball hard into an area where the opponent can't reach it. See smash.
L
Lawn tennis
The original name for modern tennis, based on the fact that it's played on grass, to distinguish it from court tennis.
Left court
Same as advantage court.
Let
A stroke that doesn't count and must be replayed. This most commonly happens when a serve touches the net before entering the proper service court. It's also a let if the serve is delivered before the receiver is ready, if play is interrupted by some unusual occurrence (such as an animal running onto the court), or if a linesman's decision that resulted in stoppage of play is reversed by the umpire.
Line judge
An official who is responsible for determining whether or not a shot landed in the court. They include the baseline judges, service line judges, and sideline judges.
Please note: As we all kow, there is a challenge system in pro torunaments for faulty calls
Lob
A shot that is hit in a high arc, usually over the opponent's head. See defensive lob; offensive lob.
Long
Descriptive of a shot that is out because it hits the court beyond the opponent's baseline.
Love
Zero; no points. For example, a score of 40-love means that the server has scored three points and the receiver hasn't scored any. In a set score, it means that the player hasn't won any games. Probably derived from the old French word for egg, l'ove, because a zero is egg-shaped.
Love game
A game in which the loser scored no points.
Love set
A set in which the loser won no games.
