What Does AD Stand For in Tennis?
One of the most common terms used in tennis is “AD”, but what does it stand for? You may have heard it shouted from the stands or even on television when watching a match. It’s used to signify that one team has won an advantage point during a game, and understanding its meaning can give you a better appreciation of the sport.
History of AD in Tennis
The term “AD” was originally derived from French and was short for “Avantage Du”, which translates as “advantage due”. This phrase was first used by 18th century French players to indicate they had gained an advantage over their opponent. The shortened form ‘AD’ started being widely adopted later on, perhaps because it sounded more like ‘add’ than anything else and made it easier to shout out during matches.
How Is AD Used Today?
In modern tennis, when a player wins an advantage point against his or her opponent then umpire will yell out “Ad” to announce this victory. This indicates that either the serving player or receiving player has won that particular point and now holds the advantage over their rival – hence why this moment is so important! The score line then changes from 40-40 (also known as deuce) back into favour of one competitor; if they win another subsequent point then they will have won the set or game outright without requiring any further play from both sides.