Tennis rules
How tennis scoring works
Love, fifteen, thirty, forty. The strangest counting system in sport, explained so it finally sticks.
Tennis counts in four layers: points make games, games make sets, sets make the match. Each layer has one twist, and once you know the three twists you know the whole system.
Points
| Points | Called |
|---|---|
| 0 | Love |
| 1 | 15 |
| 2 | 30 |
| 3 | 40 |
| 4 | Game, if you are two clear |
The first twist: you must win by two. At 40-40 the score is *deuce*. Win a point and you have *advantage*; win the next and the game is yours. Lose it and you are back to deuce, potentially forever.
Games and sets
The second twist: six games win a set, but again you must be two clear. At 5-5 you play on to 7-5. At 6-6 a tiebreak decides it — see how tiebreaks work.
Sets and the match
The third twist: matches are best of three sets almost everywhere. Men's Grand Slam singles is best of five. In the final set, most tournaments now play a tiebreak rather than continuing indefinitely.
Reading a scoreline
A result written 6-4 3-6 7-6(5) means: won the first set 6-4, lost the second 3-6, won the third in a tiebreak that finished 7 points to 5. The number in brackets is always the loser's tiebreak score.
Short formats for club tournaments
- Short sets to 4 games, tiebreak at 3-3 — cuts a match to under an hour.
- Pro set to 8 games — one long set instead of a whole match. Great for doubles.
- Match tiebreak to 10 instead of a third set — saves 20 to 30 minutes per match.
- No-ad on top of any of the above.
Combining no-ad with short sets roughly halves a tennis event. There is a full breakdown in how to organise a tennis tournament.
Frequently asked questions
Why is zero called love in tennis?
The most repeated explanation is that it comes from the French *l'œuf*, egg, for the shape of a zero. It is disputed, but it is the story everyone tells.
What is deuce?
The score at 40-40. From there a player must win two points in a row to take the game: first advantage, then the game itself.
What is no-ad scoring?
At deuce, a single point decides the game instead of playing advantages. The receiver usually chooses which side to return from.
How long is a tennis match?
Roughly 90 minutes for best of three. With short sets and no-ad scoring you can bring that down to 45 to 60 minutes.