Terms A-D

A

• Ace – Any un-returnable serve that gains a point for the server.
• Alley – The lane along both side walls; down-the-line shots are placed in these areas.
• Appeal – The rules procedure used in tournament play which allows a player to "appeal" to line judges to overrule a referee's call.
• Around-the-wall shot – A dizzying shot that spins from a side wall, to front wall, and then the other side wall, before touching the floor.
• Avoidable – A hinder in which interference or screen of a ball does not permit the opponent any chance to make a shot; results in a loss of rally (point or side-out).
   

B

• Backhand – A fundamental stroke hit across the body, which begins on the side opposite the racquet hand. A right hander's backhand stroke is from the left to right across the body, ending in an open stance.
• Back wall – The rear wall.
• Bottom board – The lowest target point for rollouts, on the front wall.
• Bye – An automatic advance, usually assigned to a top-seeded player in the first round, allowing that player to move into the next round without playing a match. 
   

C

• Ceiling shot – A defensive shot that hits the ceiling, the front wall, then lands deep in the back court.
• Center court – The area directly behind the short line in mid-court; position in this area gives the player a strategic advantage.
• Cross-court pass – A shot from one side of the court to the other, which passes the opponent.
• Cut-throat – A game variation played by three players. The server plays against the other two players, with each player serving in turn. 
   

D

• Dead ball – A ball which is out of play; the rally has ended.
• Defensive shot – Any shot that attempts to maneuver an opponent out of the center court position to sustain a rally; i.e. ceiling, around-the-wall, and "Z" shots.
• Donut – A game lost with no points scored (15-0); the loser was given a "donut" or zero.
• Doubles – A game variation with four players, in teams of two which oppose each other.
• Down-the-line – A straight-in shot hit near a side wall that contacts the front wall directly and rebounds back along the same side wall.
• Draw – The seeding and positioning of players in a tournament; also the printed drawsheet or bracket used to indicate round winners through the final.
• Drive – A powerfully hit ball.
• Drive serve – A powerfully-hit, low serve.
• Drive service zone – A restricted area in the service zone, between a side wall and the three-foot line.

Terms E-L

E

• Eyeguards – Required protective equipment, mandated for all sanctioned tournament play.
    

F

• Fault – An illegal serve or rules infraction during service, i.e.: short or long serve, ceiling, three-wall, out-of-court, foot fault, screen. Two successive faults result in a “double-fault” and loss of serve, or side-out.
• Five-foot line – The dashed line five feet behind, and parallel to, the short line; marks the boundary of the safety area on return of serve. Also termed the receiving line.
• Foot fault – Occurs when the server's foot entirely leaves the service area during serve; in doubles, occurs when the server's partner leaves the service box before the ball crosses the short line.
• Forehand – A fundamental stroke hit across the body from the same side as the racquet hand. A right-hander's forehand stroke is from the right to left across the body, ending in a closed stance.
• Forfeit – A loss for a player who is a “no-show” for a tournament match.
• Front court – The first 15 feet of the court. The part of the court from the front wall to the service line. 
   

G

• Garbage serve – A half-lob serve designed to fall short of the back wall for a difficult return.
• Grip – Position of the hand on the racquet, the way in which the racquet handle is grasped or the cover material of the racquet handle. 
   

H

• Half-lob – A softly-hit, controlled serve that reaches the opponent at shoulder height.
• Half-out – Loss of service by the first server on a doubles team, indicating that "half" of a side-out has occurred.
• Hand-out – same as half-out.
• Hinder – A replay situation in which interference or screen of a ball does not permit the opponent a fair chance to make a shot. 
   

J

• Jam serve – A serve that is directed into the opponent's body; forcing the opponent to move. 
   

K

• Killshot – A low and hard offensive shot, which bounces twice or rolls-out before the opponent has a chance to return it.
   

L

• Line judge – A sideline official to decide appeals; two line judges can overrule the referee.
• Lob serve – A high serve that rebounds in a high arc, landing just short of the back wall.
• Long serve – A fault serve that hits the back wall before hitting the floor.

Terms M-R

M

• Match – A complete racquetball playoff, using amateur (best of three) or pro (best of five) formats.
• Match point – Advantage to the serving player or team, in attempting the point that will win the match.
• Mid-court – The area between the service line and the receiving line; the 10x20 foot area made up of the service box and the safety zone.

N

• Novice – A beginning player.

 

O

• Offensive shot – Any shot designed to end a rally.
• Out of court ball – A ball that leaves the playing area.
• Out serve – Results in loss of service; includes non-front wall serve, touched serve, crotch serve, illegal hit, out-of-order serve, safety zone violation, or fake serve.
• Overhead – An offensive shot hit at shoulder level or higher and driven in a downward direction.

 

P

• Pass shot – A cross-court or down-the-line shot placed out of an opponent's reach.
• Pinch shot – A low shot directed into a front corner, hitting first the side wall then the front wall.
• Plum – A promising set up or offensive opportunity.

 

R

• Rally – The alternating exchange of shots that occurs after the serve and continues until a point or sideout is achieved.
• Ranking – The relative ability of competitors, based on national tournament results.
• Rating – The skill level of players [A,B,C,D], based on experience against local competition.
• Receiver – Defensive player awaiting the serve.
• Receiving line – A dashed line five feet behind and parallel to the short line, behind which the receiver must play the ball on return of serve.
• Referee – Match official who interprets and makes all rule decisions and judgment calls during tournament play.
• Reverse pinch shot – A low sidewall-frontwall shot that hits into the opposite corner of the stoke, i.e. a forehand pinch to the left corner for a right-handed player.
• Rollout – A perfect shot that hits the front wall so close to the floor that it rebounds without a bounce by rolling back into the court; impossible to retrieve.

 

Terms S-Z

S

• Safety hinder – Any interruption of a rally that occurs when continued play could cause an injury to the opponent from contact with a racquet or ball; the point is replayed.
• Safety zone – The five-foot area bounded by the back of the short line and the dashed receiving line. Entry into this zone is restricted only during the serve.
• Safety zone violation – Occurs when the receiver crosses the dashed receiving line before the ball either bounces in the safety zone or crosses the receiving line on the fly. In doubles, occurs when the server's partner enters the safety zone before the serve has crossed the short line.
• Screen – Serve or shot that passes so close to the opponent that the receiver's view of the ball is obstructed; replayed without penalty during rally and called a fault on serve.
• Serve – Shot used to begin play.
• Server – The player who initiates a rally by putting the ball into play. Only the server can score a point.
• Service – The act of putting the ball into play from within the service box.
• Service box – The 18-inch box at each end of the service area, in which the server's partner must stand until the serve has crossed the short line, in doubles.
• Service line – Front line of the service area, 15 feet from the front wall.
• Service return – The shot used to return the ball after the serve.
• Service zone – The 5x20’ area between the service line and the short line, from sidewall to sidewall, in which the server must remain during the serve
• Set up – Any easy, rally-ending opportunity for the hitter.
• Short serve – Fault serve that bounces before passing the short line.
• Short hop – A shot or return of serve taken on the rise, immediately after the ball has bounced, which requires excellent timing and hand speed to execute.
• Short line – The back line of the service zone that divides the court into equal halves, positioned 20 feet from front wall; a legal serve must rebound past this line.
• Side-out – Loss of service by a player or doubles team.
• Singles – A game with two players, who oppose each other.
• Skip ball – Any low shot attempt that hits the floor before it hits the front wall, or any shot that hits the floor before reaching the front wall.
• Splat – An offensive shot hit from close to the side wall directly to the side wall at high speed, which caroms at a sharp angle.
  

T

• Thong – The safety cord attached to the butt of the racquet that must be wrapped around the player's wrist.
• Three-foot line – A line in the service zone, parallel to the sidewall, which limits the proximity of the server to the sidewall on a straight drive serve.
• Three-wall serve – A fault serve that strikes the front wall, side wall, and opposite wall before bouncing.
• Tiebreaker – A deciding final game played after a different player or team wins each of the first two (amateur) or four (pro) games of a match.
• Time out – Designated rest period in a tournament match; allowances differ by type of play (amateur or pro).
• Tournament – Formal, organized match play which determines a champion.
• Twinkie – A game lost with only one point scored (15-1); the loser was given a "twinkie" or single point.
   

W

• Wallpaper serve – A difficult to return serve that stays on the side wall.
• Wallpaper shot – A ball that travels so close to the side wall that a free swing is difficult. 
   

Z

• "Z" ball – A shot that hits the front wall, then each side wall, and then hits the floor near the back wall, in a “z” trajectory.
• "Z" serve – A serve that hits the front wall near the side wall junction, then hits the side wall, the floor and then the other side wall near the back wall. Variations are a "z lob" which is hit high and soft, or "half z" hit at mid-height, or "drive z" hit with power.