Unit 6

Racket sports

Situation and reading

Mr. Mark Clay, tennis court builder, talks about the structure of this amazing facility.

The tennis court

While building a tennis court, there are two fundamental aspects: the standardised
dimensions and the court surface. Talking about dimensions, a tennis court is 23.77 m long
and 8.23 m wide when a single match is played and 10.97 m wide if doubles are played.

A player knows perfectly well all the specific lines and their meaning according to the rules.
It is important that beginners start becoming familiar with all of them in order to avoid
mistakes:

The baseline is the back line of the court, the service is always played from behind it without
stepping on it. During the match, the ball is not allowed to bounce beyond the baseline.

The service line is the line which runs parallel to the baseline and it is halfway between
this one and the net. After the se-vice. the ball must bounce before the service line of the
opponent's court, just in an area C2 ec ::''''eservice box.

e The centre mark is a little rnark .·.".:Gi {lN ces me baseline into two halves. The player who
serves has to hit the ball from one s:::i:= or ~:-:oj-,er of this point depending on the scoring
moment.
 Unit 6 Racket sports

The centre service line defines two equal service boxes and runs
from the middle of the net to the middle of the service line.

The doubles side-lines are the most external and lateral limits of
the tennis court. They are used when a double match is played.

The single side-lines run perpendicular to the net and 1.37 m

nearer to the centre service line than the doubles side-line.

The net divides the tennis court perpendicularly into two halves. It
is black with a white band at the top and, at its lowest point, just
at the centre of the court, is 0.91 m high. The service box is not
a line, it is each of the two equal areas where the first bounce of
the ball after a serve is allowed. It is restricted by the service line,
the centre service line, the net and the single or double side-lines
depending on the match.

Talking about surfaces, three main materials are used on tennis

courts and they define the reaction of the ball on the ground:

Clay courts are natural surfaces made of crushed shale, stone,

brick or grained natural rock, they are defined as slow courts, the
bounce of the ball is high and the player has more time to prepare
the shot. The US open and the French Open are played on this
kind of court. Resistant players prefer this kind of courts.

• Grass courts are covered by natural grass, the bounce of the ball
on it is quick, low and irregular. Some of the Grand slams, such as
Wimbledon or the Australian Open are played on this surface.

Hard courts are made of hard materials, such as concrete. On

them, the ball produces a bounce halfway between that of clay
courts and grass courts. It is a clean, cheap and durable material.
The bounce of the ball is regular and sometimes the courts are
treated with acrylic coverings.

Racket sports

We find four sports with interesting similarities but they are really different from each other: tennis,
badminton, table tennis and paddle. AII of them can be played in a single or double match, all have
a net, almost all of them use little balls and of course all of them use rackets. There are probably no
more coincidences, so we will focus our attention on their rackets.

The table tennis racket is the smallest of the four sports. It has no strings and is commonly
made from laminated wood with a thin rubber covering on both sides of its head. The table
:= tennis racket is also called bat and there is no official specification for its shape, weight or size.

The paddle bat has no strings and its surface is solid and perforated. The official size for this
racket is 45.5 cm length, 25 cm wide and 38 mm thick. It can be made in different shapes, such
as diamond, drop or round. There is no limitation for the number of holes in its head but they
have to be smaller than 9-13 mm wide. There is no specification for its official weight.

The tennis racket has strings with a 21-25 kg of tension. Depending on this tension, a player
can produce a more powerful shot or more technical and precise hit. This kind of racket is 81.3
cm long (maximum) and 29.2 cm wide and nowadays are made of artificial materials.

The badminton racket is the only one which doesn't hit a hall, it uses a little shuttlecock
(conical projectile of 5 9 weight, made of duck feathers end a cork). Normally, the weight of this
~o racket is less than 100 g. It is 68 cm long and 23 cm ideo t as strings and its frame is made of
carbon fibre, aluminium or others.
• unit 6 Racket sports

Activity 1. According - our notebook name each specific

line of a tennis court.

Activity 2. True or false?

a. The net is 0.91 m high at its highest point.

b. The ball has to bounce behind the service line after the serve.

c. The double sidelines are separated 10.97 m.

d. During the serve, the player can step on the baseline.

e. The centre service line runs between the baseline and service
line.

Activity 3. Read each pair of sentences and, in your notebook, fill in the
gaps with the most appropriate word.

1. Grass court / clay court

a. A is made of crushed shale, stone, brick or grained

natural rock.

b. The Grand slam of Wimbledon is played on o

2. Centre service line / baseline

a. The service is always played from behind the o

b. The runs from the middle of the net to the middle

ofme service line.
3. Grass cour:: . Ciar court

a. The bounce nT óe ball on a is slow.

b. The OOL."'Ci: ::/::-e nall on a is quick.

 Unit 6 Racket sports

Activity 4. In your noteboo ,ansv!er the following questions.

a. Which are the two most important items in a tennis court?

b. Why is the meaning of he lines important in a tennis court?

c. What colour is the band placed at the top of the net?

Activity 5. In your notebook, write four similarities between the racket

sports.

Activity 6. Pairwork activity. In your notebook, copy the table below

and fill in the boxes. After that, check it with your classmate.

Does it have Does it hit a

Length Width Material Weight
strings? ball?
Tennis racket
Badminton racket
Paddle racket
Tennis table racket

Activity 7. Look the pictures of rackets. Which sport are they used for?

a. b.

c. d.

Activity 8. In your notebook, fill in the gaps.

The uses a racket with

strings not to hit a ball but to smash
an object made with _
a ached to a little piece of ~
Thi strange flying object is called a
____ and only weighs ~
 Unit 6 Racket sports

Vocabulary
Sports with lmnlements
Activity 1. In your noteoook, ~~:G' me words with their definition.
a. Underspin 1. ~~e act of kicking the ball.
b. Stroke 2. .:....
forward turning movement of the upper
part of a ball.
c. Topspin 3. Interlaced material through the face of the
racket where the ball is hit.
d. Strings 4. A backward turning movement of the upper
part of a ball.
e. Match 5. An event between two individual players or
two teams of two players each.

Activity 2. Look at the picture of the racket and read the definitions. In
your notebook, match the numbers with the corresponding names of
the parts.
a. The handle is the lower part of the racket which you hold.
b. The throat is the middle part of the racket between the
'A: 1 head and the handle.
c. The head is the upper part of the racket containing the
strings.
d. The string is the interlaced material on the head of the
racket where the ball is hit.

e. The frame is the solid structure which gives the shape to the
¡ racket.

I f. The butt is at the end of the handle of a tennis racket.

g. The grip is the covering band of the handle.
6 •
•••
h. The grommet is the hole containing small plastic tubes to
prevent the strings against the frame.

Activity 3. In your notebook, fill in the gaps in the text about the different
kinds of strokes.

Smash - Orive - Lob - Passing shot - Serve - Slice - Return - Orop - Backhand

The V_ is the starting shot of each point, after it. the opponent
performs a _ E which consists of the first stroke of the
receiver of the service. The most common shots are the V_
when the ball is hit with the front of the racket and the H
ich is made when the ball is hit by the back of the racket.
The player can use defensive shots. such as the L__ with a high
trajectory aoove the net or the opponent or other more aggressive
ones, sud- as :re :l S which passes by the opponent
at the net, ::-,e S with great underspin with a flat trajectory
and a lov, $~~CE TE P which has the minimum power
necessary .í~::: cass L::-2 "let or the powerful __ A __ with a
strong overreac <~
w,,-":- G o'rect trajectory to the ground.
 Unit 6 Racket sports

Activity 4. Word search. Find the ords that match each definition.

1
M A T e H p 01 N T X E G o W
E o D F E S G X B G J V R R e
v e K v K G Q N L D D o T E Y
M B U J A H Z D S Y K L M X S
2r G W Q E B N K A E R B A L P T
I H M B D J T L M W G A Q Q T
R F o U R Y K A M E W L y J I
B Y J H U J Q G G V P A E Z E
R J L P V H Y R I E W F A e B
L e R G R M S P e w E Z B N R
L Q J I E F o L A Z Q v T y E

In
e N x D B I E N X A S T U A A
K Z J P N W L U B L e e x y K
P Y P T L T U I M A B M K J R
d. V e s E T J U L S L W M A o X
-
a. Specific match situation where the score is 6-6 games.
'" b. To win a game as the receiving player, so that the server has to
change.
c. Scoring term indicating zero.
d. Situation in which one of the players only needs one more point
to win the match.
e. A player gets it after winning at least three points.
f. In a game, score of 40-40.
g. Scoring unit consisting of six games.
h. Smallest unit of scoring during a match.
i. Scoring situation when a player wins the first point after a deuce.

Activity 5. Unjumble the letters and discover other racket sports.

AHQUSS BEELOPQSTU
Unit 6 Racket sports

Activity 6. Find the e -'::0-=-:: set and, in your notebook,

explain why it doesn'; ~z-

a. Cement Doubles

b. ATP Bounce
c. Grass .-;~aE Acrylic covering

Activity 7. In atch the words of the previous exercise

next to their de.•.•
"

a. Artificial trearrnent applied on hard surfaces as cement.

b. A natural surface made of crushed shale, stone, brick or grained

natural rock.

c. It is the only tool allowed to hit the tennis ball in a match.

d. It is a match played by four players, two in each team.

e. Association of Tennis Professionals.

f. The rotation of the ball during its flying trajectory.

g. It is a natural surface of the court.

h. It is the movement of the ball after hitting the ground.

i. It is an artificial uniform and fast surface of the court sometimes

covered with acrylic covering.

Activity 8. Pair activity. Look at the photo and, in your notebook,

write a description about what you see by using as many specific words
seen in this unit as possible. Underline all these words and get one point
for each of them. Then compare your text with your classmate's. Do you
have the same words?

Activity 9. Speaking activity. In pairs, you will speak about surfaces

where you CG.'l ola)' tennis and about rackets. One student (A) will
prepare a soor; Dresentation (more or less 3 minutes) about the surfaces
and the oth::' 0""':::3' '••••
iII do the same about the rackets. When student
A finishes tne ~'25F:c:.on. student B will ask him or her five questions
about the SL::~E::::"'':.: ~ • 'G' versa.
 Unit 6 Racket sport~ __ ....,

Grammar
Present perfeet eo tinuous I Past perfeet
eontinuous I Prepositjons: in, on, at
Activity 1. In your notebook, write the sentences with the verb in
brackets in the present perfect continuous tense.

a. She (work) in the tennis club for five years.

b. (practise) all day.

c. You (eat) too many carbohydrates recently.

d. We (Iive) in London for 4 months.

e. He (play) paddle tennis, so he:s tired.

f. It (rain), the clay is wet.

Activity 2. Speaking activity. Explain to a classmate one of your

favourite hobbies or sports and how long you have been doing it.

Activity 3. Writing activity. Search for information about a famous

~es tennis player. Then, in your notebook, write five statements describing
this person using present perfect continuous sentences. For example: She
has been p/aying tennis since she was 4 years o/d (Serena Wi//iams).

Activity 4. Writing activity. In your notebook, write true sentences

about you by using these time expressions.

over the last few months - recently - lately - since + ayear-

for + X + years - all week - for days

Activity 5. Choose the correct tense (simple present or present perfect

continuous) and write the sentences in your notebook.

a. I never on Sundays. (train / have been training)

b. We since 7 o'clock. (practise / have been practising)

c. He to the tennis club twice a week. (goes / has been

going)

d. We paddle tennis every Tuesday. (play / have been playing)

e. It for three days now. (rains / has been raining)

Activity 6. Put the verbs into the correct tense (present perfect simple
or present perfect continuous).

A: (you / start) the training session yet?
B: I (train) in the gym all day. I (come / just) home
and (have / not) time to drink my protein shake yet.
:::ces
::.ent A: How long (you / take) this protein shake daily?
B: For about 6 months.
A: Hi, Jane. I (try) to ring you several
times today? Where (you / be)?
B: I (be) at the tennis court all the time.
Bu I (play) for three hours, so maybe I
didn't hear the phone ring.
'T •• unlt 6 Racket sports

Activity 7. Read the L' ~r notebook correct the mistakes.

. nos:: Congratulations on wining the slam .

. f.r "'ave you been plaing tennis?
Tenn.s o ayer: Thank you. , has been playing tennis
since about three years.
adio host: Have you been training somewhere
other than France these year?
Tennis player: Ves, , haven't been training all over the
world. , have only been training in France since the
summer.
Radio host: , understand you like to played football
too. Have you was playing football your whole life?
Tennis player: No, l've only been playing football for
a lot of years. l've been thinking about trying out
some other sports too, such as water polo.

Activity 8. In your notebook, make the past perfect continuous.

a. I (train) all day, 50 , didn't want to go out.

b. She (sleep) for ten hours after the competition, when I

woke her.

c. They (Iive) in Tokyo for three years when he lost the

final match.

d. When we met, you (play) with the Spanish team for six
months.

e. We (eat) rice all day, 50 we felt a bit ill.

Activity 9. Guess what these people had been doing and write sentences
in your notebook. Look at the example: 1. She had been running for 1 hour.

a b e

d e f
 Unit 6 Racket sports •

Activity 10. Finish these se•...

-e~ces in your notebook by using the past
perfect continuous:

a. There was paper under y desk because ...

b. He was covered in paint because ...

e. My arms were sore because ...

d. She was wearing a swimsuit...

e. We were sweating ...

Activity 11. Find the incorrect sentence of each group.

1. a. He works in the second floor.

b. He lives in High Street.

e. He works in a bank.

2. a. The picture is on the wall.

b. The main character dies on the end of the book.

e. There is a vegetarian option on the menu.

3. a. Helen is standing at the end of the queue.

b. The address is at the side of the box.
e. Turn right at the end of the street.

4. a. This morning, I was on a train.

SIX b. Beverages and snacks were offered when he was at aplane.
e. Usually, the French team travelled on high-speed trains.

5. a. We could meet on the corner of West and Main Streets.

::25 b. He has an apartment in Los Angeles.
e. The French Open is played in France.

Activity 12. In your notebook, complete the sentences with a

preposition.

a. My name is the top of the page.

b. I live to the train station.

e. The ball is of you.

d. We rented an apartment Bilbao.

e. Cats lave to sit boxes.

f. If you agree with the terms, please, sign the form the
end of the page.

Activity 13. Speaking activity. In paírs, describe your bedroom to each

other using as many prepositions of place as possible.

Draw what you hear from your pa . er, 15 your drawing similar to the real
bedroom?
Unit 6 Racket sports

Gramma
Perfectco UlIUUU:I tenses

Present perf continuous

We use the prese~: :)E~ec::rense:

To talk aboin G "~:s'"';eoactivity in the recent past, but focusing on

th e activil'J.

Roman has just been cleaning the court.

tt's been snowing and the cement is extremely wet.

To talk about an activity that started in the past and is still valid
at the moment.

The tennis player has been writing his autobiography

since 2017

I have been living in Moscow since I joined the Russian

tea m.

To talk about repeated activities which started in the past and still
continue now.

He has been participating in the US open since he has 18.

She's been playing tennis on and off for three years.

Affirmative sentences

subject + present of to have + been + present

Form
participle of main verb

Examples He has been participating, I have been living

Negative sentences

subject + present of
Form
to have + nat + been + present participle of main verb

Examples She hesn': been eating, they haven't been training

Interrogative sentences

present of te have + subject

Form
+ been + present participle of main verb

Have yau been playing?

Examples
Has the player been training?
 Unit 6 Racket sports •

Remarks:

We often use the strudure how long + present perfect

continuous to ask about the duration of an activity: How long
have you been playing tennis? How long have you been practising
the backhand?

Present perfect and present perfect continuous are both used

to express that something started in the past and is still valid in
the present or has just finished. But we use the present perfect
continuous to emphasise the duration or the continuous aspect
of the action.

Some verbs are not possible in the present perfect continuous tense:
be, have, smell, feel, teste, touch, see, beer, believe, know, think and
understand.

Past perfect continuous

This tense shows that something that started in the past continued up
until another point in the past:

They had been drinking an energy drink when the trainer entered
the court.

Martha had been training six hours a day befare she broke
her leg.

It had been raining hard far several haurs and the court was
very wet.

Affirmative sentences

subject + past of to have + been + present participle

Form
of main verb

She had been warking ..., I had been playing

Examples
paddle ...

Negative sentences

subject + past of
Form to have + not + been + present participle
of main verb

He hadn't been travelling, they hadn't been

Examples
talking

Interrogative sentences

past of to have + subject

Form
+ been + present participle of main verb

Had}VU been buying implements?

Examples
-ea - ey been walking?
.Y,- Unit 6 Racket sports

Prepositions of place:

In

The preposition in meers as Natching the tennis match in

the living-room. We a- ...;SE -

Countries, cities, -: 20;;5: in Germany, in tisbon, in Seville...

E .vodd, in the mountains, in a valley...
e pavilion .
• Water masses: in me sea, in a lake .
The expressions in me middle and in the centre.
Publications: in the newspaper, in a book.

On

The preposition on indicates that something is located on a surface. We

use on to express:

Attached to or touching something: The mirror is on the wal!. The bal!

is on the table.
Next to or along the side of something: London is on the River
Thames.
Left or right: The sports shop is on the left.
A floor in a house: The sports department is on the ground floor.
Some methods of travelling: I love travelling on trains.
• Mass media: My favourite programme on TV is 'Tennismatch'.
A list: on the menu, on the list...

At
The preposition at shows an exact position: at the beginning, at the end,
at the iront. at the back, at the top, at the bottom. .. We also use at with:
• Some buildings: at the airport, at the bank, at a hospital, at schoo/.
• Specific locations: at his desk, at the entrance, at the pool.
Events: at a party, at a tennis match.

r¡¡¡~
~
BEHIND BESIDE ON UNDER BETWEEN

~
~
~
IN ABOVE
 Unit 6 Racket sports •

Make it real!
Choosing implements

~ Jle ...

Ve

:: ball

Approach:

Selecting the right equipment is a key point in sports, but in sports with implements it is crucial. There
are a huge number of rackets available and choosing the right one can be daunting!

In this activity, you will research rackets, analyse the information and make an informed decision.

Development:

Divide the class into groups of three or four people and assign one of the four racket sports that you
have studied (tennis, paddle, badminton, table tennis) to each group.

Search for detailed information about racket characteristics: material, price, dimensions (head size
and length) weight, balance, grip and handle systems ... You can find the information in commercial
catalogues and good online sporting shops.

Acquaint yourself with how the racket characteristics affect on-court performance. Look for racket
reviews and tips to select a racket from specialised websites and magazines. Google key words, like
selecting or choosing, racket, advice, and the name of your sport, to find good resources.

Put all the information together and select the best option for different purposes (power, control,
comfort...) and types of sportsperson (professional, amateur, child, occasional player ...).

Present your options to the rest of the class. Include pictures or idees in your presentation to
illustrate the characteristics and its performance of the different ac ets.