English For: Tennis
In my online English lessons, I help tennis fans and players talk about coaching, scoring and matches with confidence. We keep things simple, natural and very British — perfect for lessons, club nights and watching Wimbledon with friends.
Useful Phrases and Idioms (On Court & Fan Chat)
- Before play: “Shall we rally to warm up?” / “Best of three sets?”
- During play: “Nice placement!” / “Great depth on that shot.”
- After a point: “Deuce.” / “Advantage server.”
- With a coach: “I’m struggling with my backhand grip.” / “Can we work on my serve toss?”
- Fan chat: “Cracking forehand.” / “She held her nerve in the tie‑break.”
- Idioms: “On the back foot” (defensive) / “Break of serve.”
Phrasal Verbs You’ll Use
- Warm up / cool down: prepare and recover. “Let’s warm up with a few rallies.”
- Serve up: deliver a serve. “He served up an ace.”
- Follow through: complete the swing. “Remember to follow through on the forehand.”
- Toss up: throw the ball for serving. “Your toss keeps drifting.”
- Pick up: collect balls. “Let’s pick up the balls and switch ends.”
- Fight back: recover after losing points. “She fought back from 0–40.”
Example Conversation (Coaching Session)
Coach: What would you like to focus on today?
Player: My serve — I keep hitting the net.
Coach: Let’s check your toss and follow‑through. Try relaxing your grip.
Player: That feels better. Should I bend my knees more?
Coach: Yes — and drive up through the ball. Nice one!
Discussion Practice
- Explain how tennis scoring works (love, 15, 30, 40, deuce, advantage).
- Describe your favourite player’s style and strengths.
- Talk about your own goals: consistency, footwork, stamina, serve.
Mini Writing Tasks
- Write a message to book a coaching session this weekend.
- Write a short match summary (score + two key moments).
- Write a friendly invite for a casual hit after work.
Vocabulary You’ll Hear
| Word / Phrase | Meaning | Natural Example |
|---|---|---|
| Rally | Series of shots in one point. | “Let’s start with a gentle rally.” |
| Slice / topspin | Different types of spin on the ball. | “Try a slice to keep it low.” |
| Volley | Hit the ball before it bounces. | “Close the net for the volley.” |
| Baseline / service line | Court lines for play and serving. | “Stay behind the baseline to serve.” |
| Break point | Chance for the receiver to win the game. | “She saved three break points.” |
| Unforced error | Mistake not caused by opponent pressure. | “Cut down on unforced errors.” |
| Tie‑break | Game to decide a 6–6 set. | “He won the tie‑break 7–4.” |
How I Teach This (and Why It Works)
In my lessons, I keep tennis English clear and fun — short phrases you can use on court and in fan chat. We practise real dialogues so you sound natural with coaches, partners and fellow fans.
If you want to talk tennis more confidently, join my online English lessons with a native speaker. My English speaking course is practical and conversation‑focused. You can take English lessons online with a native speaker online, wherever you are.