Introduction to Tennis Scoring
Tennis is a game played between two players (singles) or two teams of two players (doubles). The objective is to use a racquet to hit a hollow rubber ball over a net into your opponent’s court. A tennis match is composed of a number of sets and each set is composed of a number of games. Scoring in tennis can be confusing at first, but with a bit of practice and understanding, it is quite straightforward.
Tennis Scoring Basics
In tennis, each point is scored with a call of “15,” “30,” or “40.” When a player scores four points in a row, that player wins the game. The first player to win six games with a two-game lead is the winner of the set. The first player to win two sets out of three (or three out of five) is the winner of the match.
How to Calculate Points in a Tennis Match
In a tennis match, points are calculated according to the following rules:
- Love: Love (or “zero”) is the score given to a player at the beginning of each point.
- 15: The player who first scores 15 points wins the point.
- 30: The player who first scores 30 points wins the point.
- 40: The player who first scores 40 points wins the point.
- Advantage: If both players reach 40 points, the score is called “advantage” to the player who won the last point.
- Game Point: If the player who has the advantage scores the next point, he or she wins the game.
Tiebreakers
When the score in a game reaches 6-6, the game enters a tie-breaker. In a tie-breaker, the first player to score seven points with a two-point lead wins the game. The scoring of the tie-breaker is the same as during the regular game, but the first player to win seven points wins the game.
How to Calculate Sets in a Tennis Match
In a tennis match, sets are calculated according to the following rules:
- Best of Three Sets: The first player to win two sets is the winner of the match.
- Best of Five Sets: The first player to win three sets is the winner of the match.
- Tiebreaker Sets: If the score in a set reaches 6-6, the set enters a tie-breaker. The first player to win seven points with a two-point lead wins the set.
Scoring System for Tournaments
In professional tournaments, the scoring system is slightly different. In order to speed up the game, a point is not always called out when a player scores. Instead, the score is kept track of by the umpire and is displayed on a scoreboard. The scoring system for tournaments is as follows:
- Love: Love (or “zero”) is the score given to a player at the beginning of each point.
- 15: The score is not called out when a player scores 15 points.
- 30: The score is not called out when a player scores 30 points.
- 40: The score is not called out when a player scores 40 points.
- Advantage: If both players reach 40 points, the score is called “advantage” to the player who won the last point.
- Game Point: If the player who has the advantage scores the next point, he or she wins the game.
Scoring the Match
At the end of the match, the score is tallied up and the winner is declared. The score is typically written as follows:
- Player A: The number of sets won by Player A
- Player B: The number of sets won by Player B
For example, if Player A wins two sets and Player B wins one set, the score would be written as:
- Player A: 2
- Player B: 1
Scoring Points in Doubles
In doubles, the scoring system is slightly different. In doubles, points are scored as follows:
- Love: Love (or “zero”) is the score given to a team at the beginning of each point.
- 15: The team who first scores 15 points wins the point.
- 30: The team who first scores 30 points wins the point.
- 40: The team who first scores 40 points wins the point.
- Advantage: If both teams reach 40 points, the score is called “advantage” to the team who won the last point.
- Game Point: If the team who has the advantage scores the next point, they win the game.
Conclusion
Scoring in tennis can be confusing at first, but with a bit of practice and understanding, it is quite straightforward. The key is to remember the basics: love, 15, 30, 40, advantage and game point. With these basics in mind, you can easily keep track of the score in a tennis match.