tennis glossary
What is a Hold in Tennis?
A hold (short for "hold of serve") is when the server wins their own service game. In professional tennis the server wins about 65-80% of service games depending on level. Strings of holds make for tight sets that often go to tiebreaks.
Example in a match
You serve at 5-4, win the game easily. You held to take the set 6-4.
Tennis scoring with Volley
Volley scores tennis with all the standard rules built in. Pick the sport at match setup, name your sides, and tap to score. Volley applies the rules from there — including the ones that involve "Hold".
Free on iOS and Android. Multi-sport scoring across 9 sports with proper sport-specific scoring engines, ELO rating tracking, and tournament running.
Frequently asked questions
What is a hold in tennis?
A hold (short for "hold of serve") is when the server wins their own service game. In professional tennis the server wins about 65-80% of service games depending on level. Strings of holds make for tight sets that often go to tiebreaks.
Does Volley handle hold automatically?
Yes. Volley's tennis scoring engine handles every standard rule including hold. You don't have to track it manually — pick the sport at match setup and Volley applies the rules.
Where can I learn more tennis terms?
The full Tennis glossary is at /tennis-terms-glossary, with 20 of the most common terms explained.