| T |
The midcourt area, where the service lines meet the center service line. |
| Take the net |
To move into the forecourt and toward the net in order to be able to hit volleys into the opponent's side of the court. |
| Tandem |
A doubles formation in which each partner is responsible for one half of the court, as divided by the center line. Compare up and back. |
| Tape |
The band of white canvas or synthetic material, 2 to 2½ inches wide, that covers the top of the net. |
| Team tennis |
A type of competition between teams of players, involving singles and doubles matches, in which the victory is the team that takes the most games. |
| Tennis ball |
The ball used in tennis is a hollow rubber sphere, 2 to 2 5/8 inches in diameter and weighing between 2 and 2 1/16 ounces, filled with pressurized air and covered with a nap of wool and nylon. |
| Tennis elbow |
Tendinitis of the elbow, often caused by the strains placed on the joint by playing tennis, though it may have other causes. |
| Thirty |
The second point scored by a player or side in a game. See point; scoring system. |
| Throat |
The thin area of a racket handle, where it meets the head. |
| Tie-break |
A tiebreaker. |
| Tiebreaker |
A method of determining the winner of a set that's tied. The most commonly used is the 13-point tiebreaker, which is won by the player who first wins 7 points, provided that the margin of victory is at least 2 points. This is sometimes called a "lingering death" tiebreaker, on contrast to the sudden death tiebreaker. |
| Top seed |
The player judged to be the best in a given tournament, usually on the basis of computer rankings. See seed. |
| Topspin |
Forward spin, around the ball's horizontal axis, that's applied by drawing the racket strings up and over the ball at the moment of impact. A shot hit with topspin is more likely to stay in play, because it drops sharply after reaching its highest point, and it takes a high bounce. |
| Touch |
Precise control of a shot, often resulting in a placement, as in "She hit that shot with perfect touch." |
| Triple |
The feat of winning the singles, doubles, and mixed doubles championships at a tournament. |
| Twist |
A combination of topspin and sidespin on a serve. See, for example, American twist and reverse twist. |
| Two-handed backhand |
A backhand shot on which the player has both hands on the racket handle. |