Taking the Mystery out of Tennis Scoring

Tennis is an excellent sport for all ages and skill levels. However, if you are just starting, the tennis scoring system can be confusing. Never fear! This blog post will break down the basics of tennis scoring so you can approach the next match with confidence.

Scoring Basics
The score in tennis starts at zero (“love”) and goes up to forty. A point is scored whenever one player beats the other player by hitting a ball that cannot be returned. The points that can be earned after “love” (zero) are 15, 30, 40, game. The first player to win four points wins a “game” and each game won adds to their overall score for winning a set. In order for a player to win a set, they must win six games with at least two games more than their opponent. Finally, winning two out of three sets (or three out of five sets for men’s grand slam tournaments) typically determines who wins a match.

Advantage
If both players have reached 40 points (“deuce”) in a game then it is necessary for one of them to get an “advantage” before they can win the game. When one player has an advantage, they must win the next point in order to win the game; otherwise, the score remains deuce until someone gains another advantage point and wins the game.

Set Tiebreaks
If each player has won six games in a set, then there is usually a tiebreak that takes place to determine who wins that set. During a tiebreak, players take turns serving until one person reaches seven points with two points more than their opponent (for example 7-5). At this point, they have won the set and move on to the next set or they win the match if it was the final set.

Scoring in tennis may be complicated but understanding it does not have to be! With these basics under your belt, you will be able to confidently keep track of scores during your next tennis match—whether you’re watching or playing. So grab your racket and hit those courts; now you know how scoring works in tennis!