Everything You Need to Know About Scoring Tennis Matches
Mastering Tennis Scoring – Need to learn the tennis scoring system? In tennis, players score points to win games, and they need a sequence of games to clinch a set. Depending on the kind of tournament, you will either play best of 3 sets or best of 5. Usually only the ATP Men’s Professional tournaments play best of 5 sets. These are details that are established before you start your match.
Scoring in tennis looks confusing at first, but this article will demystify the scoring process, offering you a thorough guide from the initial serve to the final point, match point. Prepare to grasp the curious progression of points – ‘love’, ‘15’, ‘30’, ‘40’, and the strategic dance of achieving a ‘deuce’ as we lay out the essential elements of tennis scoring.
Mastering Tennis Scoring Takeaways
- Tennis scoring is a tiered structure that requires players to win points to win games, games to win sets, and sets to win matches, with unique terms like ‘love’, ‘deuce’, and ‘advantage’.
- In deuce (40-40), a player needs two consecutive points to win the game. If the server wins the point after deuce, it is called ‘add in’ and if the receiver wins the next point after deuce, it is called, ‘add out’. Again, that player will need to win by two.
- To win a set, players play until one player gets to 6 games by two. If the score is 6-5, then one more game must be played. If the score is 7-5, the set is finished. If the game count is 6-6, a 7 point tiebreak must be played to determine who won the set..
- Most tournaments feature a 7-point tiebreak format when the game count is 6-6. This helps to avoid excessively long games. In most tournaments, in a tie breaker situation players switch sides after every 6 points played. In the league that I play, we play a Komen Tie Breaker, where you switch sides after the first service, and then every four points. This allows players in doubles to serve from the same side each time it is their serve. But in most normal tournaments, traditional tie breakers apply.
The Fundamentals of Mastering Tennis Scoring

If you’re new to tennis, the scoring system can seem a bit complex at first. But don’t worry, once you get the hang of it, it’s quite easy..
In tennis, the goal is straightforward: earn enough points to win a game, enough games to take a set, and enough sets to win the match. Each point, game, and set contributes to achieving victory in the match. Now, what does “enough” mean here? That’s where things start to get interesting.
A tennis match is essentially a series of sets, with the majority of championship matches being the best out of three sets. In the Grand Slam Events, the men’s singles play the best of five games. In all other divisions the best of three sets is played.
Each set consists of a number of individual games, and points make up these games. When you are playing for games in a set, you are trying to get to win 6 games by two. The first player to win 6 games by two wins the set. In the game, players score points in a variety of ways, such as when their opponent fails to return the ball correctly, lets it land outside the boundaries, or can’t make it over the net. It is also possible to win a point as a winner, meaning that it was executed so well, the opponent couldn’t reach it. That is another way to win a point.
Sounds simple enough, right? Let’s dig deeper!
Point-by-Point: Understanding the Basics of Mastering Tennis Scoring
When the format is ‘regular scoring’ the point values in tennis are quite unique, starting with:
- ‘love’ (zero)
- 15
- 30
- 40
before reaching the game-winning point. Ever wondered why tennis doesn’t use standard numbers like 1, 2, 3, and 4 for scoring? That’s part of the charm and tradition of the sport. There is a format of scoring in tennis called, ‘no ad’ where you use numbers like, 1, 2, 3, and 4. But in that case there is no deuce. This is not the traditional way you keep score, and while you will see it used in some play, most often the traditional scoring is the method used.
But what happens when both players have scored three points each, and the score is 40-40? This situation is referred to as ‘deuce’.
Once the score reaches deuce, a player must win two consecutive points to secure the game. This rule adds an extra level of challenge to the match. At ‘deuce’ if the server win that point, then the score is called as, ‘add in’ if the receiver wins the deuce point it is called as ‘add out.’ Player needs to win by two to win the game.
So, the game of tennis doesn’t just test your physical skills, but also your mental resilience to pull off those crucial consecutive points.
Game Play Dynamics
In tennis, winning a game requires a bit more than just scoring points. You need at least four points to secure a game, but you also need to maintain a two-point lead over your opponent.
Now, you might be thinking, “Why do I need a two-point lead? Isn’t reaching four points enough?” Well, that’s where the beauty of tennis lies. The two-point rule keeps the competition alive and maintains the suspense until the very last point.
In fact, at least two points are needed to create that crucial gap and ensure victory, which is essentially achieving two or more points difference.
Imagine you’re at deuce, the score is 40-40. You’re just one point away from winning, but so is your opponent. In order to win the game, it is necessary to score two consecutive points.
This will secure the victory for the player or team. The transition from ‘deuce’ to having an ‘advantage’, and then winning the game adds an extra layer of excitement and unpredictability to the game.
Settling the Set: The Race to Six Games
Now that you’ve got a grasp of the points and games, it’s time to turn our attention to sets. To win a set in tennis, a player must win at least six games and have a lead of two games over the opponent. But what happens if both players win six games each? That’s where the real fun begins!
When both players have won six games each in a set, a tiebreak game is played to determine the set winner. A 7 point tiebreak is an exciting and nerve-wracking scenario where every point matters. If the score reaches 6-6 in a tie-break set, a 7 point tiebreak game ensues. In a tie breaker, a player still needs to win by two.
There are some new rules put into place for Grand Slams in regard to deciding set tie breakers. Those tie breaks will be played to 10 by 2.
Now, let’s dive into the dynamics of this thrilling tiebreak game.
Navigating the Tiebreak Terrain in Tennis Matches

A tiebreak game is a unique beast in the world of tennis. It commences with the player who was up next to serve, serving one point from the deuce side, after which the opponent serves two points starting from the ad side. The goal in a tiebreak is to reach at least seven points while maintaining at least a two-point advantage over the opponent.
But there’s more to it than just scoring points. In tiebreak play, players or teams switch ends of the court after every six points, and the serve alternates after the first serve, with each player serving two consecutive points until the tiebreak concludes. This process ensures fair play and keeps the game intriguing until the last point is scored.
Tennis Serving Strategies in a Tiebreaker

Serving in a tiebreaker is a bit different from a regular game. It’s the player who would normally serve after reaching a 6-6 score in the set who initiates the tiebreak serving sequence. This initial serve is considered a service game for the player initiating the sequence.
After the initial serve, players alternate serving with the receiver of the initial serve serving the next two points – first from the ad court, then from the deuce court. Mastering the serve in a tiebreak game is crucial as it can give a significant advantage to the server, so players often employ unique serving strategies to outwit their opponents.
Managing Pressure Points Like Tie Breakers
Tiebreaks represent critical junctures in tennis matches and often dictate the direction of the match. To truly own mastering tennis scoring, you need to understand tie breakers in tennis.
Players must manage significant mental pressure in tiebreak scenarios, where the outcome can hinge on a handful of crucial exchanges. That’s why mental strength and resilience are as important as physical skills in tennis.
During tiebreaks, players also switch sides of the court after every six points, which can influence their physical and strategic approach. The changing court conditions, combined with the mounting pressure, make for an exhilarating and challenging situation, testing a player’s adaptability and composure on each side of the court.
Love and Other Scoring Quirks
One of the charming aspects of tennis scoring is its unique vernacular. In tennis, the tennis scoring rules dictate the following system:
- Love: represents zero points
- 15: for the first point
- 30: for the second point
- 40: for the third point before a player wins the game
Scores tied within a game are often announced with the term ‘all’, such as ‘15-all’ or ‘30-all’. Informal slang like ‘five’ and ‘three’ for 15 and 30 points is also sometimes used.
These scoring quirks, such as the use of ‘love’, ‘all’, and informal slang terms, contribute to the unique character of tennis scoring language.
What Does Love Mean in Tennis Scoring?
And no, ‘love’ doesn’t mean that tennis players have a romantic side (although they might!). It is not even referring to our Love Gift Guide – The term ‘love’ has been a part of tennis since the late 1800s, with theories suggesting it either represents playing for the ‘love of the game’ or is a phonetic distortion of the French ‘l’œuf’, meaning ‘egg’ or ‘zero’
So next time you hear a score announced as ‘love-all’, you’ll know it’s not a romantic declaration but the start of an exciting game of tennis!
The Grand Slam Finale: Final Set Differences

Grand Slam matches are the pinnacle of professional tennis, and their final sets have some unique rules. Historically, tiebreaks were introduced to prevent matches from dragging on indefinitely.
However, in 2019, changes were made to how ‘advantage sets’ are handled in Grand Slams to avoid excessively long final sets.
Starting from 2022, all four Grand Slam events adopted a uniform final-set tiebreak format, where a 7-point tiebreak occurs at 6-6 in the deciding set, with victory requiring a two-point advantage.
This rule change was a major step towards standardizing the rules across all Grand Slam events and maintaining the excitement and suspense of the final sets.
Side Switching and Court Dynamics

In tennis, players or teams switch ends of the court on odd games and every two games after that, to maintain the fairness of play conditions. But why do they switch sides?
The purpose of side switching is to equalize any external conditions such as wind or sunlight that could otherwise provide an advantage to one player over the other. This rule ensures that no player gets an unfair advantage due to the play conditions.
During a tiebreak, players switch ends of the court after every six points, complementing the regular side switching pattern.
This rule of alternating sides adds another layer of strategy and fairness to the game, making tennis not just a battle of skills, but also a game of minds.
It is good to note that tournaments hold a tiebreaker a bit differently than league play. In league play, you still play to seven by two, but you change sides in a “Komen Tie Breaker” Basically, that means that the next person that is supposed to serve after the 6-6 game score starts off the tie breaker serving from the deuce side of the court. After that first point, the tie breaker continues play but switches sides after the first point, the fifth point, the ninth point and so on. There is a switching of sides after every four points. This ensures that players in doubles always serve from the same side that they were serving through the whole set.
Match Structures Across Tennis Events
Professional tennis tournaments feature a wide range of match formats, from traditional sets to innovative scoring systems, making mastering tennis scoring a worthy topic to learn about. World TeamTennis is a format of play that was co-ed and a lot of fun, but WTT has now changed names and is called. Impact Team Tennis. ITT uses a one set format instead of best of three. It will have men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and then mixed doubles. Each division plays one set, no-ad scoring.
This format emphasizes a team-oriented and quick-paced game, adding an extra layer of excitement to the matches. ITT is very fast and fun paced and the team is encouraged to be on court and to cheer for their teammates.
There are also unique formats like the eight game pro set, where a player wins by securing eight games with a two-game margin, utilizing a tie-break if the score reaches eight games all. I have most often seen a pro set used in high school tennis for the JV team or in other circumstances that the match needs to be completed by in a certain time frame.
The No-Ad Alternative: A Faster Pace
No-ad scoring was referred to above as a strategy that is put into place when you need to keep several courts going at about the same pace. As you can imagine, if you are keeping score in the traditional way, and get to deuce, that game can go on and on if the players are equally matched. If you are playing team tennis, and need all of the courts to continue at the generally the same pace, no-ad scoring is often used.
This alternative scoring system in tennis is a process where the first player to reach four points will win the game. Games are counted in the same manner. In no-ad scoring, there is no requirement for a two-point lead.
So, no more long deuce-advantage sequences! This system was developed by James Van Alen as a way to reduce the duration of tennis matches, leading to a more streamlined and faster-paced game.
For example, ITT matches commonly utilize no-ad scoring. This format emphasizes quick decision-making and keeps the adrenaline pumping throughout the match. Many players don’t like the “sudden death” feel of no-ad, but it is a great option if you are needing to get through a game at a faster clip.
In mixed doubles no-ad scoring, there is a gender-specific serving rule during game point and final point of tiebreaks, where each gender serves to the same gender. Also, when playing no-ad and the score is 3-3 (the same as deuce in regular scoring) the receiving team gets to choose which person will receive the serve. If you feel that one pair of the team is better at service return or if the server is weaker one way more than the other, the receiving team would want to keep that in mind.
This unique system brings a fresh twist to the traditional tennis scoring and keeps the spectators on the edge of their seats, and the players very present for each point of the game. There is very little wiggle room for accidents.
The Anatomy of a Tennis Match Score
Who is in charge of announcing the scores during a tennis match?
Announcing the game score is the server’s responsibility before starting the serve. This ensures that the players are aware of the current score. When I am playing a match, I want to make sure that I hear the server announce the score. It is really hard to go back and remember each point and who won what point, so if there is any disagreement about the score it is taken care of immediately. I know that college players and many youth players don’t think it is “cool” to announce the score, but it is even less cool to argue about a point that happened 4 points ago and no one can remember what the score is. At the completion of the game and on change overs, I like to utilize a game keeper like this (link to amazon) to help keep the score correct.
After the completion of a set, and after the allowed two minute break, it is time for another set. Before the new set starts, confirm with the opponents the game count of set one. There is no need to state the first set game count when set two is underway. In a professional match, there is an official to announce the scoring of the match underway.
This practice announcing the score is a good practice that keeps the spectators informed about the progression of the match and adds to the interactive nature of the sport. As a player in the match it also keeps each player in the match in the know and before play proceeds the score is agreed upon
It is easy to imagine that a server announcing a 40-15 lead might do so with confidence, while announcing an ‘add out” might be filled with tension and anticipation. But no matter what the score is, it is a really good practice to call the score.
This simple act of score announcement adds a touch of ‘good drama’ and excitement to the match. If there is a misunderstanding about the score, that ‘good drama’ can turn to ‘bad drama’ very quickly.
Summary – Mastering Tennis Scoring
To wrap up, when you are thinking about Mastering Tennis Scoring – the scoring system in tennis is a unique and layered structure that adds to the excitement and unpredictability of the game.
The scoring progresses from points to games, game to sets, and finally, winning sets will translate to the match being won. Each point in tennis is important but since the process is winning by two, there is a lot of grit that can be used to fight for the win in tennis.
Tennis uses some unique terms such as ‘love’, ‘deuce’, and ‘advantage’, along with the rules of side switching and tiebreak games, makes tennis not just a physical game, but also a mental one. When you get very familiar with the game of tennis you will learn tennis slang which will incorporate words like framer, junk ball, tweener, and ‘f.b.i’ (first ball in)
From traditional sets to innovative formats like no-ad scoring, tennis matches can take various forms, each bringing its own thrill and excitement. Once traditional scoring is well known and established, liberties like no-ad and timed matches are implemented so that tennis is more accessible and time friendly.
The recent uniform final-set tiebreak rule in all Grand Slam events is a testament to the evolving nature of the sport. Tennis is a sport that is accessible to everyone at every age and at all levels.
The unique and layered scoring system of tennis adds an intriguing dimension to the sport, making every point, game, set, and match a thrilling experience. There are no unimportant points in tennis. It is important to keep your head in the game for every single point. At the same time, once the game is done and dusted, then put it aside and focus on the rest of the game. Playing tennis is a great opportunity to dig in, work for every point and not get bogged down in the past. Look to the next point.
From ‘love’ to ‘deuce’, from games to tiebreaks, and from traditional sets to no-ad scoring, every aspect of tennis scoring brings its own charm and excitement. There is no running out the clock in the game of tennis. Every point must be battled through and strategized for the win. (There is such a thing as timed matches, technically you can run out the clock but you will get some very bad tennis karma if it is implemented as a strategy to win.)
So, the next time you watch a tennis match, you’ll not only marvel at the players’ skills but also appreciate the strategic and mental challenges posed by the fascinating scoring system of tennis.
Visit The USTA Website For a Complete List of Tennis Scoring Rules
Frequently Asked Questions About Tennis Scoring
What does ‘love’ mean in tennis scoring?
In tennis scoring, ‘love’ means zero points and has been a part of the game since the late 1800s.
What is a ‘deuce’ in tennis?
In tennis, a ‘deuce’ occurs when both players have reached a score of 40-40, and a player must win two consecutive points from deuce to win the game.
How does a tiebreak game work in tennis?
In tennis, a tiebreak game starts when the set score reaches 6-6. The players aim to reach at least seven points with a two-point lead, and the player about to serve starts the sequence. There is also a set tie breaker which is a 10 point tie break that is played in lieu of a full third set. Hope this helps!
What are the final set rules in Grand Slam events?
In Grand Slam events, the final-set tiebreak format involves a 10-point tiebreak at 6-6 in the deciding set, with victory requiring a two-point advantage. This rule has been adopted by all four Grand Slam events as of 2022. Except for the deciding set, the tie break goes to 7 by two.
What is no-advantage or no-ad scoring in tennis?
No-advantage or no-ad scoring in tennis allows the first player to reach four points to win the game in all situations, with no need for a two-point lead. It was developed to make a tennis more sensitive to time restraints.

About the Author
Katri is an avid club player and certified tennis junkie. Katri lives by the tennis mantra of, “Do whatever it takes to keep tennis fun. Sometimes it is playing more, sometimes it is buying a new tennis skirt.” Sportsmanship and fair play are utmost important and promotion of the game of tennis is paramount. Follow along for further tennis fun and friendship while keeping your head in the game.
