What is a Game of Tennis?
Tennis is a racquet sport that can be played individually against a single opponent (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles). Each player uses a racquet that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over or around a net and into the opponent’s court. The object of the game is to maneuver the ball in such a way that the opponent is not able to play a valid return. The player who is unable to return the ball will not gain a point, while the opposite player will.
How Many Rounds in a Game of Tennis?
Generally, a game of tennis consists of six rounds, commonly referred to as sets. The first player to win six games, with a margin of two games, wins the set. To win the match, a player must win two out of three or three out of five sets. At the professional level, men play best-of-five-sets matches at all four Grand Slam tournaments, Davis Cup, and the final of the Olympic Games and best-of-three-sets matches at all other tournaments, while women play best-of-three-sets matches at all tournaments.
Tennis Sets
A set consists of a sequence of games played with service alternating between games, ending when the count of games won meets certain criteria. Typically, a player wins a set by winning at least six games and at least two games more than the opponent. If one player has won six games and the opponent five, an additional game is played. If the leading player wins that game, the player wins the set 7–5. If the trailing player wins the game, a tie-break is played.
Tie-Breaks
A tie-break, also called a breaker, is a score of seven points (or however many the tie-breaker rule specifies) that must be won by a margin of two points. At the end of a set, if the scores are tied at six games each, a tie-break is played to decide the set. Typically, the tie-break is played as the best of twelve points, but, depending on the players’ skill levels, it can be played as the best of nine points or even the best of seven points.
Scoring System
In tennis, the score of a game is always expressed in terms of the points won by each player, with the winner of the game being the player who wins the most points. The points are awarded according to the following system:
Love (0 Points)
When a player or side has a score of “love,” it means that the player or side has not yet scored any points.
15 (1 Point)
When a player or side has a score of “15,” it means that the player or side has scored one point.
30 (2 Points)
When a player or side has a score of “30,” it means that the player or side has scored two points.
40 (3 Points)
When a player or side has a score of “40,” it means that the player or side has scored three points.
Advantage (4 Points)
When a player or side has an “advantage,” it means that the player or side has scored four points.
Game (5 Points)
When a player or side has a “game,” it means that the player or side has won five points.
Winning a Game
To win a game, a player must score at least four points and have a two-point lead over the opponent. If the score is tied at 40 points each, then the player who scores the next point wins the game. If the score reaches “advantage” for one player, then the player must win the next point in order to win the game.
Winning a Set
In order to win a set, a player must win six games by a margin of two games. If the score reaches six games each, then a tie-break is played to determine the winner of the set. The player who wins the tie-break wins the set.
Winning a Match
In order to win a match, a player must win two out of three or three out of five sets. The first player to win two sets is the winner of the match.
Conclusion
Tennis is an engaging racquet sport played between two players or two teams of two players each. A game of tennis consists of six rounds, commonly referred to as sets. The first player to win six games, with a margin of two games, wins the set. To win the match, a player must win two out of three or three out of five sets. The score of a game is always expressed in terms of the points won by each player, with the winner of the game being the player who wins the most points. If the score reaches six games each, then a tie-break is played to determine the winner of the set. The player who wins the tie-break wins the set. In order to win a match, a player must win two out of three or three out of five sets. The first player to win two sets is the winner of the match.