Tennis Scoring
How Do you Win a Tennis…Whatever?
-
Best-of-3-sets wins a match
-
The match is the term that refers to the entire tennis event. Tennis matches are composed of sets. In singles play, both professional men (ATP) and women (WTA) play best-of-3-set matches. (I.e., first to win 2 sets, wins the match.) The only exception to this format is when men play best-of-5-set matches at some of the 4 Major tournaments, called Grand Slams.
-
-
First to win 6 games (up by 2) wins a set
-
Each set is comprised of a series of games. The player to win a set is the first one to win 6 games, and be ahead by at least 2 games. (E.g., 7 games to 5.) If you are tied at 6 games all, you must play a tiebreaker.
-
-
4 Points (up by 2 if tied 3-3) wins the game
-
One player serves per game. A game is generally won when a player (or team if you are playing doubles) wins four points. A point is started when one player calls the score and serves. The opponent hits it back and the point continues in a back and forth manner until one player hits it out or in the net. (See Wikipedia for all the ways to win a point.)
-
Both players start any given game with 0 points, which is called, "love-love" or "love all." (Numbers are reserved for set scores. For example if the server is up a set, the score a the start of a new set might be, "1-0, love all") The first player to four points, *and is ahead by two points, wins the game. (E.g., 5-3 or the point right after "Ad-in")
-
1st point won is "15 points"
-
2nd point won is "30 points"
-
3rd point won is "40 points" (If the game score is tied at 3-3 or "40" - "40"—also known as "deuce"
-
4th point won makes GAME (signifying the end of the game)
-
-
-
Best of 12-point tiebreaker breaks a 6-6 set
-
The standard tiebreaker is always the 13th game in a set, when the score is tied 6-6. The winner is the first to get the best out of 12 points. That's saying, "first to 7 points, up by two." Unlike normal game scoring, you use normal counting to keep score. (E.g., A tiebreak score could include the following scores 1-0, 3-3, 7-5.) When the score is a multiple of 6, the players switch ends of the court in order to prevent advantages. A tiebreaker is used to prevent the match from going on forever.
-
-
Terms
-
Match = Best of 3 sets
-
Set = Best of 6 games (win my 2 games)
-
Game = First to 4 points (unless the game score is tied 3-3; then an advantage point is played)
-
Scoring:
-
Zero: "Love"
-
1: "15"
-
2: "30"
-
3: "40"
-
4: "Game"
-
Server +: "Ad in"
-
Serve receiver +: "Ad out"
-
-
"All": Tied score except when Deuce (e.g., "30 all" or 30-30)
-
Deuce: A score of 40-40
-
Ad-In: Scorer needs one more point to win
-
Ad-Out: Receiver needs one more point to win
-
What is "Deuce"?
In tennis, when two players have a tied score of 40 to 40 during a game, it is called a deuce. There are two ways to play out a deuce point (which are decided before the match begins):
Advantage Scoring
The scoring system normally used when time isn't a constraint. Here's how it works:
-
When the game score is "deuce," you must win two, consecutive points in order to win the game.
-
The person who won the deuce point now has the ‘advantage’ (‘ad’ for short).
-
A player must then win the ad point in order to win the game.
-
If the player who wins the deuce point then subsequently loses the ad point, the score goes back to deuce (#2).
-
No-Ad Scoring
A.K.A. "Sudden Death" scoring system. Be sure to make it clear, before the match begins, if you will be deviating from traditional advantage scoring.
-
When using no-ad scoring, players will often call the points "1, 2, 3, Game" instead of using the "broken clock" method (Love, 15, 30, 40).
-
At 3-points-all (or 40-40 in advantage scoring), instead of deuce, it is called, deciding point—to remind the players that the next point wins the game.
-
For the deciding point (3-3), the receiver then decides from which side of the court he desires to return his opponent's serve. (However, in no-ad mixed doubles play, a special rule states that gender always serves to the same gender at game point and during the final point of tiebreaks.)
-
This method is commonly used in big tournaments and in NCAA matches in order to shorten the play time.
Calling the Score
The server calls their own score first, followed by their opponent’s score. "Servers are always selfish."
-
If you have won two points on serve, and the serve receiver has won only one, the score would be called: “30-15”.
-
If your receiver has won three points and you have won only one, you would call “15-40”.
-
If the receiver asks you (the server), "Is the score 40-15?" It assumes you have 40. (Finger gesturing helps to clarify this.)
The server should announce the set scores so far completed in the match after a set is complete but before the first serve of the next set. Call the set score first, followed by the current game score (E.g., If you're in the first set, you'd say, "2 game to 1; love all"). This is done so all the players have a chance to agree on the score. It stinks to be 9 games into a set and feel like you have 3 more games under your belt than your opponent has called.
-
If the server has won the first two sets and is beginning the third, he would say, "Two, love, new set (or love all)."
-
If the current server (or service team) had lost the first two sets, they might say, "Zero-two, new set (or love all)."
-
Finally, after the completion of the match, either player, when asked the score, announces his own scores first (because there is no longer a server for reference). E.g., "I won the match (6-3, 2-6, 6-4)."
For each game it is the server’s responsibility to call out the score loudly and clearly before each first serve so that their opponent can hear it. For a second serve, just say, "second serve." (In a professional setting, a chair umpire would keep and call the score throughout the match).
As an example of a professionally scored match, consider a match between Victoria Azarenka and Ana Ivanovic. Azarenka won the first set 6–4, Ivanovic won the next set in a tiebreaker 7–6(7–4), and Azarenka won the final set 6–0. At the end of each set, the umpire would announce the winner of each set:
-
"Game, first set, Azarenka. 6-4."
-
"Game, second set, Ivanovic. 6-4, 7-6."
-
"Game, set, match, (Victoria) Azarenka, two sets to one, 6-4, 6-7, 6-love." (The score of the tiebreak is not included in announcing the final result; it is simply said "seven–six" regardless of the outcome of the tiebreak.)
-
The final score would be written and announced in respect to the winner of the match: "Victoria Azarenka defeated Ana Ivanovic 6–4, 6–7(4–7), 6–0."
-
Side note: While we're on the topic of shouting things—you should only make a call on the ball when it's on your side, and if it's out. If the ball is good, DON'T SAY ANYTHING; that way, your opponent can know with greater certainty, if you make a loud but indistinct noise when returning serve, that you're calling the ball out.
Tennis Scoring Trivia
-
Originally, the scoring was based on the hands of the clock. (Perhaps it took them a minute to play a game? Or an hour to play a set?) Thus, the 15-30-45-Game scoring that would seem logical. Over time, 40 became “slang” (or shortened) from 45.
-
"Love,” which is a score of zero, looks like an egg. French for “the egg” is “l’ouef”. When that was anglicized it became “love.”
-
Tiebreakers were first introduced to professional tennis in the 1970's when games became televised. This allowed for broadcasters to gauge how much air time to dedicate and also better kept the spectators' interest.
-
The only exception to playing a tie-break set is in the final (fifth) set of all Majors except the US Open. (We're series about our broadcasting contracts apparently.) In these 3 Grand Slams fifth sets are called Advantage or "Deuce" sets. In these special Advantage sets the first to 6 games and is ahead by 2 games, wins.)
-
Tiebreakers are always the 13th game in a set (after the set score is tied at 6-6).
-
At the 2010 Wimbledon Championships John Isner defeated Nicolas Mahut in 5 sets, [6–4, 3–6, 6–7 (7–9), 7–6 (7–3), 70–68 (longest set in history!)] in the world's longest match ever recorded. The match lasted 11 hours, 5 minutes. (Wikipedia)