Lob
A shot hit high over an opponent, sending the ball or shuttlecock deep toward the back of the court.
Definition
A lob is a shot played with a high, arcing trajectory in racquet sports such as tennis, badminton, padel and pickleball. It is often used to send the ball over an opponent who is positioned close to the net, pushing them back and resetting the point.
A well-judged lob can be both defensive, buying time to recover position, and attacking, forcing the opponent to scramble backwards. If a lob is too short or lands too high, however, it can invite a smash in return.
Where you’ll hear “lob”
Sports that use this term:
Tennis
A singles or doubles racquet sport that blends agility, strategy and stamina on court.
Badminton
A fast indoor racquet sport played with a shuttlecock that rewards agility and touch.
Padel
A sociable, doubles-first racquet sport played in an enclosed court where the walls stay in play.
Pickleball
A friendly, easy-to-learn paddle sport played on a small court with a solid paddle and a light, perforated ball.
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Techniques
- Padel BandejaA controlled overhead shot in padel, hit with slice and moderate pace to keep the player at the net without over-committing.
- Badminton ClearAn overhead stroke that sends the shuttlecock high and deep to the opponent's back court, resetting the rally or buying time.
- Volleyball SpikeA powerful attacking hit that drives the ball sharply downward over the net into the opponent's court, usually after an approach and jump.
- Topspin ForehandA forehand groundstroke hit with a low-to-high swing that puts forward spin on the ball so it dips and kicks up on landing.
- LayupA close-range basketball shot taken while moving toward the basket, laying the ball softly off the backboard or over the rim.
Tactics
- Doubles formationHow a pair positions itself on court — one up, one back, or both at the net — to control space in doubles.
- High pressA football tactic where a team hunts the ball high up the pitch to win it back close to the opponent’s goal.
- Baseline playA patient tennis style built around rallying from the back of the court and constructing points with groundstrokes.
- Counter-attackWinning the ball and moving forward at speed to attack before the opponent can reorganise their defence.
- Fast breakPushing the ball up court at speed after a turnover or rebound to score before the defence sets up.
Equipment
- Tennis racquetA strung frame with a handle used to hit the ball in tennis.
- Badminton racketA lightweight strung racket used to hit the shuttlecock in badminton.
- Pickleball paddleA solid, flat paddle used to hit the perforated plastic ball in pickleball.
- Cricket batA flat-fronted wooden bat used by batters to hit the ball in cricket.
- Tennis ballA hollow rubber ball covered in felt used in tennis and related racquet sports.
Facilities
- Volleyball courtA rectangular court split by a high net over which two teams rally the ball, played indoors or on sand.
- Padel courtAn enclosed court, much smaller than a tennis court, walled with glass and mesh so the ball can be played off the walls.
- Tennis courtA rectangular marked court, divided across the middle by a net, where tennis is played as singles or doubles.
- Sports hallA large indoor hall with multi-sport line markings, used for court sports like basketball, volleyball and badminton.
- Badminton courtA rectangular indoor court, divided by a high net, on which badminton is played as singles or doubles.
Rules
- Foot faultA serving fault called when the server's foot touches the baseline or court before striking the ball.
- GoaltendingA basketball violation for interfering with a shot while the ball is on its downward path to the basket or above the rim.
- Backcourt violationA basketball rule breach for returning the ball into a team's own defensive half after it has crossed into the attacking half.
- TravelingA basketball violation for moving illegally with the ball without dribbling it.
- Double dribbleA basketball violation for dribbling with two hands at once, or for dribbling again after picking up the ball.
Playing surfaces
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- Content type
- Term
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
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- Content updated
- 2026-08-04
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