Serving Facials: 12 Unusual Sports Sayings, Explained | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
Carter Sullivan The word "love" generally means adoration, affection and, you know, warm fuzzies.
However, in tennis scoring, love means zero. The origins of this word as a part of scoring are the subject of some dispute. Ossian Shine, author of The Language of Tennis, told Stuart Miller of The New York Times, "Love being the term for zero is one of the most celebrated puzzles in tennis."
According to Les Roopanarine of The Guardian, the Oxford Dictionary of Etymology suggests that it comes from a "love of the game" sentiment, while others think it is derived from the French word "l'oeuf," which means egg. You know, like goose eggs.