net ball

3.4

In tennis a served ball that hits the net but lands in the service box and must be served again

noun

: bola de red

The umpire called a net ball, so Emily had to serve again.

Examples

Whenever a net ball occurs, the point is replayed from the start of the serve.
He was frustrated because he hit a net ball on his first serve.
What a net ball!
She served a net ball during the match.
The umpire confirmed that it was a net ball, so the player had to retry the serve.
After she hit a net ball, the crowd encouraged her to focus for the next serve.
When a net ball is called, the serve must be taken again to continue the game.

Synonyms

let

vsnet ball

Jargon

1 8.1

A serve that touches the net but lands in the correct service area and must be replayed

has the same meaning and is the standard tennis term for that serve

Surface Forms

net ball singular

net balls plural

Morphology

net + ball

The compound 'net ball' is transparently built from 'net' + 'ball' and directly denotes a ball that touches or involves the net; this literal compositional relation is easily inferable by a B1 learner who knows both words. While the specific tennis rule consequence (serve taken again) is a sport-specific detail, the basic meaning 'a ball that hits the net' is clearly derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Net ball comes from tennis: it's when a ball on a serve just touches the net and still falls into the service box. Because the net was touched, the 'serve' does not count and the player must try the 'serve' again, so a net ball means a served ball that is replayed.