Individual Sports Vocabulary

an athlete's best-ever performance in an event

“She set a personal best in the 100 meters.”

Origin: From personal + best

winning all major championships in a sport in one year

“Only a few have achieved the calendar grand slam.”

Origin: From bridge card game, meaning winning all tricks

a point that if won gives victory in a match

“She saved three match points before winning.”

Origin: From match + point

a ranked player given a favorable tournament position

“The top seed advanced to the finals.”

Origin: From agricultural metaphor of planting players in draws

preliminary rounds to enter a main competition

“He fought through qualifying to reach the main draw.”

Origin: Latin qualificare `to attribute a quality to`

a system for equalizing chances between competitors

“Her golf handicap dropped to single digits.”

Origin: From hand in cap, an old trading game

a single movement or hit in racket or club sports

“She won by two strokes.”

Origin: Old English strac `a stroke, blow`

a contest or round, especially in boxing or wrestling

“The championship bout went the distance.”

Origin: Probably from Low German bucht `a bend`

a division of a match or competition

“He was knocked out in the third round.”

Origin: Old French roont, from Latin rotundus `circular`

a preliminary race to determine finalists

“She won her heat easily.”

Origin: Old English hǣtu, metaphor from intensity of competition