Meaning & use
double fault
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountablesport
In tennis, a mistake in which the server misses both the first and the second serve, giving the opponent a point.
Grammar: Countable: say 'a double fault', 'two double faults'.
Patterns
- commit a double fault
- serve a double fault
- double fault on something
She was leading 5–4 but then committed a double fault at match point.
He served a double fault on his second attempt, handing the game to his opponent.
The crowd groaned when the champion double faulted twice in the final set.
Word forms
| plural | double faults |
|---|
Common combinations
- commit a double fault
- He committed a double fault at the worst possible moment.
- serve a double fault
- She served a double fault to lose the first set.
- double fault on break point
- The young player double faulted on break point.
- avoid a double fault
- He needs to avoid double faults if he wants to win.
Commonly confused: double fault or fault?
double fault vs fault
A single fault is just one missed serve; a double fault means both serves were missed, so the point is lost.
Practice
In tennis, what is a double fault?
Choose one answer.
A double fault means the server misses both the first and second serve, so the opponent wins the point. The other options do not describe this specific tennis term.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “double fault”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.