The Not-so-Easy Rules of Tennis:
Basic Game-play, Keeping Score, and Advanced Rules
The rules of tennis are complicated, interesting, and ingenious. In this article, I explain all of the rules of the sport, beginning with the most basic. If you’re already familiar with basic game play and want to become familiar with the more complicated scoring system and some of the more advanced rules, feel free to scroll down to “Keeping Score.”
Overview of Game-play
The basic game-play gives players one bounce or less to return a ball over the net and within the marked boundaries of the court. Players begin play with a serve, which is typically followed by an exchange of shots (called a rally) where the last player to play a valid shot wins a point. A forehand or backhand shot after a single bounce is called a groundstroke, and a forehand or backhand shot without a bounce is called a volley. Players may only use their racquets to hit the ball and must place their shots over the net and into the appropriate lines of the opposing court. If a shot lands on any part of a line that borders the appropriate part of the court, the shot is in. A ball that touches the net and goes in during a rally is valid, but it may not go under or through the net. Tennis can be played as singles (one versus one) or doubles (two versus two). The scoring and most of the rules are the same for both types of tennis.
The Lines of the Court
The lines of a tennis court indicate where players may serve and where they may place their shots during the ensuing rally. Most courts are equipped for both singles and doubles. In both types of tennis, players must serve from one side of the baseline into the diagonal (crosscourt) service box (i.e. one of the small rectangles near the net). Players have two attempts to put a serve into play. Once a valid serve is in play, a singles rally must maintain their shots within the singles court while a doubles rally may include shots that land in the extended area, known as the doubles allies.
In the diagram below, the baseline is the top and bottom of the court and, along with the sidelines, acts as the outer limit of the playing area. The singles sideline, service line and centerline combine to make the service boxes. The doubles sideline marks the edge of the playing area in doubles only.
Keeping Score
Game, Set, Match.
A tennis contest is called a match. To win a match, a player or doubles team will have to win two sets of six individual games. To win an individual game, a player or doubles team will have to win four points by a margin of two. Throughout matches, players switch off serving after each full game (i.e. each game features one player serving only until its conclusion). If players split sets (i.e. each win one set), they will play a third set to determine the winner of the match. The best two out of three set format is the most common match format, used at nearly all levels of the sport besides the four professional majors. To sum up, players need four points for a game, 6 games for a set, and two sets for a match.
Service Game Scoring & Formal Matchplay Rules
In a game, players must win 4 points by a margin of at least two points. Game-scoring uses unique numbers and words instead of standard integers. These are love (0), 15 (1 point), 30 (2 points), and 40 (3 points). Players must reach 40 and win one additional point to win the game. When both players reach 40, this score is called deuce, which means that players must win by a two point advantage to take the game. When the server has the advantage, the score is called ad-in. When the returner has the advantage, the score is called ad-out.
The first point of a service game always starts on the right or deuce side of the court (the left side of the court is known as the advantage side or ad side). Players will serve from alternating sides after every point. Unless a match official (i.e. umpire) is present, the server is expected to call the score and must call his/her own score before the receiver’s. For example, if the server wins the first point, the score is 15-Love. If the receiver wins the first point, the score is Love-15. When there is a tie in the score, players are formally expected to use the word “all” after the number (with the exception of deuce). For example, if the server and receiver each win one point in a service game, the score is 15-All. If the server and receiver each win two points in a service game, the score is 30-All.
Set Scoring, Tiebreakers, and Changeovers
Set scoring is more straightforward. Players use standard integers between 1 and 6 to indicate how many games each has won. Players must win 6 games by a margin of at least 2 games to win a set. This means that when sets reach 5-all, players will play two additional games and one player may win 7-5. If the score remains tied at 6-all, players will then play a tiebreaker, which is a first to seven points mini-match. Maintaining the service order and starting on the right side, one player will serve one point and the next player will serve two points. Players will continue trading off serves each two points until one player wins the tiebreaker by two points or more.
Changeovers
A changeover is a mandatory changing of ends at the end of the first service game of each set and every two service games afterwards (i.e. on odd numbers). This is the closest thing to a timeout that exists in tennis. Changeovers ensure that players deal with the same conditions on the court. For example, one half of the court may face the sun or have a tailwind. Changeovers force both players to spend the same time playing in these conditions.
Differences between Singles and Doubles
Besides the additional court space for rallying, doubles players need to be aware of some important differences in rules. Throughout a given set, players must maintain the same serve and return order. With regards to serves, both teams and individuals must switch off serves after each game. In other words, the teams must switch off serve duties and maintain a rotation of four different servers in each game during a set (and during a tiebreaker if necessary). Teams are allowed to change the order of servers in a second set. With regards to returns, individual players may only return on one side of the court throughout a set. In other words, if a player returns on the deuce side and his/her partner returns on the ad side, both players may only return on these sides throughout the set. They may switch their return sides at the beginning of a new set. Both returners may stand anywhere on their half of the court when returning.
The Code of Conduct
In official matches, referees may warn and penalize players who violate the code of conduct. When officials are not involved, play is self-governed and players are ultimately responsible for maintaining a good-natured dynamic on the court. Common code violations include:
1. Racquet Abuse – Throwing or smashing a racket. Racket must break to be considered a violation.
2. Ball Abuse – Hitting balls recklessly during a break in play. This could include hitting balls out of the court or smashing them onto a permanent fixture on the court.
3. Verbal Abuse/Audible Obscenity – Using language that is easily heard and clearly obscene or threatening.
4. Time Wasting – Taking too much time on changeovers or between points (See next section: Pace of Play).
5. Unsportsmanlike Conduct – Cheating or committing malicious behavior towards an opponent or official.
6. Coaching – In most tournaments, coaches are not allowed to interfere with match proceedings. Players may try to find ways around this. Whether an act is coaching or simply encouragement is ultimately at the discretion of a match official.
In official matches, warnings and penalties are given at a referee’s discretion. In most cases, referees will follow an escalating four-strike policy: one violation is a warning, two is a point penalty, three is a game penalty, and four is a default. Penalties must follow this order, and players may not receive two strikes for a single action. If a single action breaks multiple rules simultaneously, most referees will deem the act sufficiently egregious to default the player in question. For example, if a player throws a racquet or hits a ball at an opponent during a break in play, this is both unsportsmanlike conduct and racket/ball abuse. However, if a player racquet abuse and ball abuse separately, he/she will be given a warning and then a point penalty.
Other Important Terms and Rules
Line Call - When a player calls a shot in or out. If no call is audible or visible, then the ball is assumed in. An out call must come immediately after a bounce, players must stop play immediately to call the ball out, and ball must bounce (without interference) to be called out. If players correct their own call (from out to in), they must cede the point to the opponent.
Benefit of the Doubt - In self-officiated matches, players are expected award the benefit of the doubt on line calls. A ball that is 99% out is 100% in.
Out/ In Sign - Players are allowed to hold up their index finger rather than make an audible “out” call (although you should still say out). Similarly, if a ball lands in, players may hold out a flat hand to indicate that the ball was good.
Let - A let is any kind of redo. A common type of let is a serve that hits the net and goes over and in. When this happens, players are required to repeat the serve. If a let occurs on a first serve, the server may attempt another first serve. If the let occurs on the second serve, the server may only attempt his/her second serve again. A let can also refer to playing a point over when something happens on the court that interferes with play.
First Serve/Second Serve - Players have two serves to begin the point. A typical first serve is faster or more aggressive than a second serve, which is typically slower and safer. After a let, players will need to specify which serve they are hitting.
Double Fault - When a player serves two faults (misses) in a point, resulting in a lost point.
Foot Fault - When a player’s foot touches or crosses the baseline before making contact on the serve. In recreational tennis, this kind of fault is rarely called but players should still try to avoid committing them.
Game Points/ Holding Serve- A game point means a server needs one point to win a game. If he/she wins the game point, this is called a hold.
Break Points/ Breaking Serve - A break point means a receiver needs one point to win a game. If he/she wins the break point, this is called a break of serve.
Hindrances - A hindrance is an occurrence that happens on court and has an immediate effect on the next shot in the rally. Some hindrances allow the wronged players to claim a point while others may call for a let. A player that commits a hindrance deliberately forfeits the point. A player that could have prevented a hindrance receives a warning for one offense and forfeits the point after a repeat offense. A hindrance that is unpreventable warrants a let.
Alternative Scoring Methods
No Ad-Scoring: When a game reaches deuce, players play a sudden-death point. The returner may choose to receive on the ad side or the deuce side.
Pro-set: An alternative to the two out of three format, a pro set is a single set played to 8 games with a 7-point tiebreaker at 7-all.
Fast4 Tennis: Matches are comprised of short sets and played first to 4 games. Matches may be best 2 out of 3 sets or best 3 out of 5 sets. All games are no-ad and serves that hit the net must be played (no lets). In-set tiebreaks are 5 points only and played at 3 games all. Deciding sets are replaced with 10-point tiebreakers.
10-Point Tiebreaker: 10-point tiebreakers are a variant of the standard tiebreaker that uses the same rules except players must win 10 points instead of 7. This variant is common in tournaments where players will contest a 10 point tiebreak instead of a third set. As of 2022, all grand slam competitions besides the US Open use 10-point tiebreakers in deciding sets (i.e. 5th set for men, 3rd set for women). The US Open uses a 7 point tiebreaker in deciding sets.
Coman Tiebreaks: An alternative tiebreaker mainly used for doubles play, the Coman tiebreak requires players to switch sides following the first point and every four points after that. In doubles, this format will keep players serving on the same side of the court as they had during the set. The Coman format has only been recently adopted by the USTA who believe that standard tiebreakers (in which changeovers occur every six points) might be unfair to players that start on a side with worse playing conditions. While frequent changeovers seem to solve this issue, the Coman tiebreak is sometimes criticized for being overly time-consuming and disruptive compared to the standard format. To date, the Coman has not been adopted in any professional tours, colleges, or anywhere outside the US. In recreational tennis, the standard tiebreaker is still the more popular option.