How to Keep Score in Tennis
The tennis scoring system can be a bit weird when you first encounter it. While most sports have a fairly straightforward point system, Tennis does things... Differently. Let us try to explain.
Points, Games, Sets, Match
The first concept you should understand is that the tennis scoring system is divided into points, games, sets and ultimately a match.
Points
The points start at 0-0. A 0 in tennis is referenced as "Love". So technically, when its 0-0 you can say its "Love" - "Love". The first number is always the server's score. Every point in a tennis game is in increments of 15. Just kidding, every point in tennis is in increments of 15 except when you reach 30 which then it's in increments of 10 . Let's say you are serving, and the score is 30-15. If you win this point, the new score will be 40-15.
There are a two things that can happen once someone reaches 40.
If both players reach 40 we enter into a:
Deuce
A deuce happens when both players reach 40 points, that is the score is 40-40. When you win a single point in a deuce this is called an "advantage". Only a player in "advantage" can win a game. If the opposing player (player without "advantage") wins the point we go back to deuce. This is repeated indefinitely until someone wins two points in a row, which is then said to have won a game.
If the person who's at 40 wins the point and the game is not at Deuce:
Win a Game
There are a two things that can happen once someone reaches 40.
If both players reach 40 we enter into a:
Deuce
A deuce happens when both players reach 40 points, that is the score is 40-40. When you win a single point in a deuce this is called an "advantage". Only a player in "advantage" can win a game. If the opposing player (player without "advantage") wins the point we go back to deuce. This is repeated indefinitely until someone wins two points in a row, which is then said to have won a game.
If the person who's at 40 wins the point and the game is not at Deuce:
Win a Game
Games
Games in tennis are tracked in a more traditional way, using increments of one. They follow the same principle where the first number called out is the current server's number of won games. For example, if you are serving and you hear the call out "2-1", at the beginning of the game, you are winning 2 games to 1 against your opponent. We keep increasing the game tally one by one until someone reaches 6 won games.
There are two things that can happen once someone reaches 6 won games:
If both players reach 6 won games we enter into a:
Tiebreaker
During a tiebreaker points are tallied in increments of one until someone gets to 7. If the person who reaches 7 points, is winning by two they are said to have won the set. If both players reach 7 points the first player to win by two wins the set.
If the player who wins the game is winning by two games afterwards:
Win a Set
There are two things that can happen once someone reaches 6 won games:
If both players reach 6 won games we enter into a:
Tiebreaker
During a tiebreaker points are tallied in increments of one until someone gets to 7. If the person who reaches 7 points, is winning by two they are said to have won the set. If both players reach 7 points the first player to win by two wins the set.
If the player who wins the game is winning by two games afterwards:
Win a Set
Sets
Sets in tennis are also tallied in increments of one. Most tournaments follow a best of 3 format where the player who wins 2 sets wins. Some tournament's, such as the men's Wimbledon, follow a best of 5 where the player who wins 3 sets wins the:
Match
So to recap, a tennis match consists of sets. Sets consist of games. And games consist of points.
There you go.
"Game, Set and Match"
"Game, Set and Match"