Tennis Scoring Explained: From Love to Match Point
Tennis scoring looks baffling from the outside — a language of 'love', 'deuce' and '15-30' that seems designed to confuse newcomers. It is actually a simple nested system: points build into games, games into sets, and sets into a match. Once you see the structure, it clicks. Here is the whole thing, from the first point to match point.
Points inside a game
The smallest unit is the point. Within a single game, the score climbs through a quirky sequence rather than 1, 2, 3:
'Love' just means zero (most likely from the French l'oeuf, 'the egg', for its shape). You need at least four points to win a game, and you must win by two.
- 0 points = 'love'
- 1st point = 15
- 2nd point = 30
- 3rd point = 40
- 4th point = game (if you are ahead by two)
Deuce and advantage
If both players reach 40 (that is 40–40), it is called 'deuce'. From deuce you must win two points in a row. Win the first and you have the 'advantage'; win the next and you take the game. Lose the point at advantage and it slides back to deuce, and the tug-of-war continues.
Some leagues and doubles formats use 'no-ad' scoring to save time: at deuce, the very next point decides the game (the receiver usually chooses which side to receive). If you hear 'sudden death' or 'no-ad', that is what it means.
Games into sets
Win six games — by a margin of at least two — and you win the set. So 6–4 wins the set, but 6–5 does not; you play on to 7–5, or to 6–6.
At 6–6, almost all sets are decided by a tiebreak (below). Players switch ends of the court after every odd-numbered game to keep sun and wind fair.
The tiebreak
A tiebreak is a mini-game played to 7 points (win by two), using plain 1-2-3 counting instead of 15/30/40. The player whose turn it is to serve starts by serving one point; after that, service alternates every two points. Players switch ends every six points.
If it reaches 6–6 in the tiebreak, it keeps going until someone leads by two — which is how you get those famous 15–13 tiebreaks. Win the tiebreak and you take the set 7–6.
Sets into a match
Most matches are 'best of three' sets — first to two sets wins. The Grand Slam men's draws use 'best of five'.
Final sets have their own rules that have changed over the years: all four majors now use a first-to-10-points tiebreak at 6–6 in the deciding set. Many recreational matches replace a third set entirely with a single 10-point 'match tiebreak' to save time.
How to call the score
The server's score is always said first. So if you are serving and you have won two points to your opponent's one, you call '30–15'. Announce the score before every point when you serve — it prevents 90% of on-court arguments.
A quick slang glossary
- Break — winning a game your opponent served.
- Hold — winning your own service game.
- Bagel — winning a set 6–0.
- Breadstick — winning a set 6–1.
- Ad-in / ad-out — at deuce, advantage to the server / receiver.
- Double fault — missing both serves, losing the point outright.
Frequently asked questions
Why is zero called 'love' in tennis?+
'Love' means zero and most likely comes from the French l'oeuf ('the egg'), for its resemblance to the shape of a zero. You need at least four points to win a game, and you must win by two.
What does 'deuce' mean in tennis?+
Deuce is when both players reach 40 (40–40). From deuce you must win two points in a row: win the first for 'advantage', win the next to take the game. Lose the point at advantage and it slides back to deuce.
How does a tiebreak work?+
A tiebreak is a mini-game played to 7 points (win by two), using plain 1-2-3 counting. Service alternates every two points after the first, and players switch ends every six points. Win it and you take the set 7–6.
Why does the score go 15, 30, 40?+
The first point is 15, the second 30, the third 40 (historically shortened from 45), and the fourth wins the game if you're ahead by two. The server's score is always called first.
Who serves first, and how do you decide?+
Before the match someone spins the racquet and the other player calls how the logo on the butt cap will land — 'up' or 'down', or 'M or W' on a Wilson — or you simply flip a coin. Whoever wins the spin picks one of three things: to serve first, to receive first, or which end to start on, and the other player gets whatever choice is left. In casual play people often just rally a ball or spin the racquet and get on with it.
What is a 'let'?+
A let is a serve or point that gets replayed with nothing scored. The most common one: your serve clips the top of the net but still drops into the correct box — you just serve again. It does not count as a fault, so a let on your first serve gives you both serves back, while a let on a second serve only replays that second serve. Lets are also called mid-rally if something interrupts the point, like a stray ball rolling onto your court.
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