Definition

Noun: A stroke in tennis (or similar racket sports) made by hitting the ball after it has bounced once on the ground. This is the most common type of shot from the baseline, contrasted with a volley (hit before the ball bounces) or a half-volley (hit immediately after the bounce).

Usage

The term "ground stroke" is used to describe the fundamental shots played from the back of the court. It specifies the timing of the hit relative to the ball's bounce. - It is typically modified by the type of stroke, such as a forehand ground stroke or a backhand ground stroke. - It refers to the action of returning the ball after one bounce.

Examples

• Her powerful ground stroke forced her opponent deep behind the baseline.
• To improve your rally consistency, you must practice your ground strokes daily.
• He set up for a backhand ground stroke as the ball bounced high in his court.

Advanced Usage

• "To hit a ground stroke": This is the standard verb collocation for executing this shot.
  • Instead of rushing the net, he preferred to stay back and hit solid ground strokes.
• "Ground stroke rally": A sequence of play where players exchange ground strokes from the baseline.
  • The match was decided in a long, exhausting ground stroke rally.

Variants and Related Words

• Groundstroke (Noun): A common alternative spelling, written as one word.
• Forehand (Noun/Adj): A ground stroke (or volley) hit on the dominant side of the body.
• Backhand (Noun/Adj): A ground stroke (or volley) hit across the body from the non-dominant side.
• Drive (Noun): A type of ground stroke hit with a full swing, typically flat or with topspin, aiming for depth and power.

Synonyms

• Baseline shot: A shot hit from near the baseline, which is almost always a ground stroke.
• Rally shot: A shot made during a sustained exchange, often a ground stroke.

Related Terms (Contextual Contrasts)

• Volley (Noun): A shot hit before the ball bounces on the ground.
• Half-volley (Noun): A shot hit immediately after the ball bounces, often as it is still rising.
• Overhead / Smash (Noun): A powerful shot hit high in the air, before the ball bounces.

Noun

1. a tennis return made by hitting the ball after it has bounced once