Glossary

A shot hit around the net post rather than over the net. It can land in without ever passing above net height.

A soft shot, usually from the kitchen line, that drops into the opponents' kitchen. It stays low, so it is hard to attack.

Any rule break that ends the rally: a ball hit out or into the net, a missed bounce, a volley from the kitchen, a bad serve. A fault by the receiving team gives the serving team a point; a fault by the serving team costs them the serve.

The 7-foot zone on each side of the net. You cannot volley while standing in it or on its line, and your momentum from a volley cannot carry you into it. You can step in to play a ball that has bounced.

Everything from the serve until the ball is dead: the shots back and forth until one side commits a fault.

The shot that starts every rally, hit from behind the baseline diagonally into the opponents' service court. In doubles each server gets one attempt.

When the serving team loses its turn to serve and the serve passes to the other team.

The serving team's first shot after the return, hit softly so it lands in the opponents' kitchen. It buys time for the serving team to move up to the kitchen line.

The area between the baseline and the kitchen line. Players moving through it are easy targets for balls hit at their feet.

After the serve, the ball must bounce once on each side before anyone may volley: the returning team lets the serve bounce, and the serving team lets the return bounce.

Hitting the ball out of the air, before it bounces.