Tennis scoring is genuinely strange, and pretending otherwise does not help anyone learning it. Love, 15, 30, 40, deuce, advantage. None of it is intuitive.
It is also simple once you see the structure. Win points to win a game, win games to win a set, win sets to win the match. Everything else is detail.
Scoring a single game
| Points won | Called | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Love | From the French for egg, meaning zero |
| 1 | 15 | |
| 2 | 30 | |
| 3 | 40 | |
| 4 | Game | Provided you lead by two points |
The server’s score is always called first. So “thirty-love” means the server has two points and the receiver none, while “love-thirty” is the reverse.
Deuce and advantage
If both players reach 40, the score is deuce rather than 40-all. From deuce you must win two points in a row to take the game.
- At deuce, the next point won gives that player advantage.
- If the player with advantage wins the following point, they win the game.
- If they lose it, the score returns to deuce.
- This repeats indefinitely until someone wins two consecutive points.
Some leagues and social formats use a deciding point at deuce instead, sometimes called no-ad scoring, where a single point settles the game. Check the format before your first league match, because it changes tactics considerably.
Games, sets and matches
Win six games and you win the set, provided you are two games clear. At 6-5 you play on. At 6-6 you play a tiebreak.
| Unit | How you win it | Typical length |
|---|---|---|
| Point | Opponent fails to return the ball legally | Often 1 to 4 shots |
| Game | 4 points, two clear | A few minutes |
| Set | 6 games, two clear, or a tiebreak at 6-6 | 30 to 60 minutes |
| Match | Best of three sets, or best of five at some events | 1 to 3 hours |
The tiebreak
At six games all, a tiebreak decides the set. First to seven points wins, but you must lead by two, so a tiebreak can run to 9-7, 12-10 or further.
- The player due to serve serves the first point only.
- After that, players serve two points each, alternating.
- Change ends every six points.
- The set is recorded as 7-6 regardless of the tiebreak score.
Many club and league formats also use a match tiebreak, first to ten points by two, in place of a deciding third set. It is worth knowing which format you are playing before you walk on court.
Serving rules
- You serve from behind the baseline, starting on the right side of the centre mark and alternating sides after every point.
- The serve must land in the service box diagonally opposite.
- You get two attempts. A missed first serve is a fault; missing both is a double fault and loses the point.
- A serve that clips the net and lands in is a let, and is replayed.
- You keep serving for a whole game, then your opponent serves the next.
Foot faults are the rule most commonly broken at club level. Touching the baseline before you strike the ball is a fault, and while nobody enjoys calling it, consistently serving from inside the court is a genuine advantage.
The court and which lines count
The singles court is narrower than the doubles court. The tramlines, those corridors along each side, are in play only in doubles.
| Line | Singles | Doubles |
|---|---|---|
| Baseline | In play | In play |
| Singles sideline | The outer limit | Inner line; still used for serving |
| Doubles sideline | Out | The outer limit |
| Service line | Bounds the service box | Bounds the service box |
| Centre service line | Splits the service boxes | Splits the service boxes |
One rule that surprises beginners: the service box is the same size in singles and doubles. The tramlines are never in play for a serve.
Doubles: the extra rules
The written rules are only half of it; the conventions that govern club play are in this guide to tennis court etiquette. Doubles adds a few rules that catch people out in their first league match.
- Each team sets its serving order at the start of every set, and it cannot change mid-set.
- The receiving team fixes who takes the deuce court and who takes the ad court, and that also holds for the whole set.
- Only the designated receiver may return the serve; a partner touching it loses the point.
- After the return, either player may hit any ball.
- The tramlines are in play during rallies but never for the serve.
Getting the receiving order wrong is the most common error and it costs the point immediately, so agree it before the set starts. The tactical side of all this is in doubles court positioning.
Line calls and etiquette
In club tennis there is no umpire, so you call the lines on your own side and your opponent calls theirs. The convention is firm and worth knowing: if you are not certain the ball was out, it is in.
- A ball touching any part of the line is in.
- Call “out” clearly and immediately; hesitation implies the ball was good.
- You cannot call a ball on your opponent’s side.
- If you genuinely disagree and cannot resolve it, replay the point.
The full official regulations are published by the International Tennis Federation, which is the governing authority for the rules of tennis worldwide.
A few rules people get wrong
| Belief | Reality |
|---|---|
| The ball must bounce before you can hit it | Only on the return of serve |
| You cannot touch the net | Correct, and it loses you the point immediately |
| A ball hitting you is a let | It loses you the point, even outside the lines |
| You may reach over the net to hit | Only if the ball has bounced back over on its own |
| Two bounces is fine if you get there | The point ends on the second bounce |
Once the scoring makes sense, the next step is simply playing. These tennis drills for beginners take you from first contact to playing points in ten sessions, and if you are looking for somewhere to play, this guide to public tennis courts on the Peninsula lists the free public options nearby.
Frequently asked questions
Why does tennis scoring go 15, 30, 40?
The system is inherited rather than designed. The most widely repeated explanation involves a clock face marked in quarters, with 45 shortened to 40 over time. Nobody is certain, and the scoring works perfectly well without knowing why.
What does love mean in tennis?
Love means zero. The term most likely comes from the French word for egg, l’oeuf, because a zero resembles an egg. A game starts at love-all and a set can be won to love.
What is deuce in tennis?
Deuce is 40-40. From deuce a player must win two consecutive points to take the game. Winning one point gives you advantage; winning the next wins the game, while losing it returns the score to deuce.
How many sets are in a tennis match?
Most matches are best of three sets, meaning the first to win two sets wins. Men’s singles at the four Grand Slams is best of five. Club and league matches often use shortened formats such as a match tiebreak in place of a third set.
How does a tiebreak work?
At six games all, a tiebreak decides the set. The first player to seven points wins, provided they lead by two. Players change ends every six points, and the set is recorded as 7-6.
Written by Claire Carter, a former WTA Tour professional and full-time teaching pro at Bay Club Redwood Shores, where she has coached juniors and adults for more than twelve years.
Image credits: Ahmed (Pexels), Alari Tammsalu (Pexels), Carl Malmer (Unsplash), Daniel Neves Cotta (Pexels), Parsoa Khorsand (Unsplash), Raj Tatavarthy (Pexels), Waldemar Brandt (Unsplash). Photographs are illustrative.