set point

American

noun

Tennis. the point that if won would enable the scorer or their side to win the set.
setpoint.

set point British

noun

tennis squash badminton a point that would enable one side to win a set

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of set point

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The 23-year-old gave out a scream and fist pump as she held to go into a 6-5 lead before taking her second set point in the next game.

From BBC

Djokovic was reading Alcaraz's serve well and once he got in the rallies was authoritative, with a sensational forehand winner earning him two set points.

From Barron's

Rybakina looked in the zone and wrapped up the set in 37 minutes on her first set point when Sabalenka fired long.

From Barron's

Anisimova was slowly gaining the ascendancy and after a hold to love she made her move as Wang was serving to stay alive, earning a set point.

From Barron's

“In every match,” he liked to tell his coach at USC, “I’m always going to save one set point and I’m always going to save one match point.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023