The term “ad” in the world of tennis is an abbreviation for the term “advantage,” which of course is a scoring term. Here’s how it’s defined:
Advantage (ad) occurs when one of the players scores after deuce (when both players have 40 points), which is advantageous as games are win by two.
A less formal way to explain this is that, in tennis, scoring goes: 15 (first point), 30 (second), 40 (third), and then game point – assuming your opponent doesn’t also have 40. If your competitor and you have 40 points each, you’ve reached “deuce.” As mentioned, it takes two consecutive points scored after a tiebreaker (deuce) to win the game.
Server Call, Receiver Call & Reversion
These are three common terms related to an advantage situation in tennis. Let’s break them down:
- Server Call (aka Advantage In) means that the person serving the ball has advantage.
- Receiver Call (aka Advantage Out) means that the person receiving the serve has advantage.
- Reversion is the term used when the advantage is lost and scoring returns to deuce.
Psychological Pressure of ‘Ad’
Having advantage means you need just one more point to score to win the game (maybe even the set or match), which can be both encouraging and nerve-wracking. On a similar note, being down and just one shot away from losing the match can be equally as stress inducing.
Game of Endurance
Tennis, theoretically, could never end – assuming a player never achieves the win by two requirement for a game. The record for longest tennis match was in 2010 at Wimbledon between John Isner (the eventual winner) and Nicolas Mahut, which lasted 11 hours and five minutes.
So, there may be another advantage (unrelated to the scoring term) in the form of strategic play, if one player is better at enduring longer games, as he/she may wear down their opponent.
Fairness Factor
Players tend to like the win-by-two aspect of winning games in tennis as it is a reflection of the skill set, as opposed to, perhaps, luck. Although, if you’ve played tennis long enough, you’ll know that there is a certain level of luck to the game, so it’s entirely possible your opponent gets lucky back-to-back to win a game.
Tactical Importance
To be good at tennis, or any sport for that matter, you have to close out games strongly. Skilled players excel when they’re in advantage situations, which is why so many pros are in fact pros!
Got More Questions About the Game of Tennis?
We have a lot of resources to help with your tennis terminology! Our blog explains a lot of frequently asked tennis questions and we also have an official tennis glossary of terms that includes dozens of commonly used phrases – helpful whether new to the sport or an avid fan!
