Unfortunately, her unforced error count continued to stifle her play - 30 in total - and she lost the final two points of the match.

Could you explain “unforced error”?

My comments:

This is generally speaking a tennis term, which means a simple mistake, one that actually could be avoided.

If you’re on top of your game, that is.

In tennis you win points by striking the ball hard and sharp into, say, the deep corners of the opponent’s court, making it difficult for him or her to return the ball back. You do this the best you can in order to force them into making errors, i.e. hitting their returns long, wide, down into the net or simply failing to reach the ball.

Unforced errors, though, are those you make inadvertently, either due to carelessness or distraction. Unforced errors are costly, a sign that your concentration level is not there.

In short, unforced errors are UNFORCED. In other words, they’re self-inflicted. They’re of your own making.

Still in other words, they’re your own doing which, eventually and often enough, may in the end lead to your undoing.

Related stories:

Catch a break

City slicker

Political correctness

Gee up

Media-friendly

Big mind

Blanket statement

Making knee-jerk changes is not in our DNA

Pick one's brains

A good eye

Thank one's stars for

Real money

Nodding acquaintance

Flip out over nothing

Bury the hatchet& have an ax to grind

Vocal proponent

Growing pains

Fleeting acquaintance

All-weather friend

Lead the pack

Fish or cut bait

Gilt-edged

To do more with less

Right down the middle

Take my word for it

40-sometimes

Last but not the least

Call it a dog

Pull my leg

Ego bath

Tough call

Rain check

Upper reaches

Off the shoulders

Off and running

Go to Zhang Xin's column

本文僅代表作者本人觀點，與本網立場無關。歡迎大家討論學術問題，尊重他人，禁止人身攻擊和發布一切違反國家現行法律法規的內容。

About the author:

Zhang Xin（張欣） has been with China Daily since 1988, when he graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Write him at: zhangxin@chinadaily.com.cn, or raise a question for potential use in a future column.