Whats the difference between an “up the line” shot and a “down the line” shot in tennis?
The correct tennis term is ‘down the line’ (versus ‘cross court’). This refers to hitting the tennis ball in a straight line or in a direction that is parallel to the sideline (in either the singles court or doubles court). A ‘down the line’ shot is usually a lower percentage shot to hit – the net is higher at the post ends, a cross court shot is can travel longer and still be in the court and usually you will be changing the direction of the rally if you hit the ball down the line – all factors that increase your chances of error.
