Tennis Scoring Explained: From Love 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.