How to Keep Score for Tennis

How to Keep Score for Tennis

The difference between a game, set, and a match. 

Match is the term that refers to the entire playing time of tennis. A match is comprised of either the best of three sets, or the best of five sets (depending on your league). Each set is played best out of six games

Know how each game is scored. 

One player serves per game.A game is generally won when a player (or team if you are playing doubles) wins four points. A point is started when one player serves, and the opponent hits it back and the point continues in a back and forth manner until one player hits it out or in the net. Keep in mind that a game might take seven points, or more, to end if, for instance, one player wins three points and another wins four. Each point is given its own value for each player:1st point won is "15 points"2nd point won is "30 points"3rd point won is "40 points"4th point won makes GAME

Know how to call the score when you are serving. 

During each game, it is the server’s job to call out the score so that the opponent can hear it. You always  say your score first, followed by your opponent’s score. For example: • If you have won two points and your opponent has won one, you would call out “30-15”.

• If your opponent has won three points and you have won one, you would call out “15-40”.

Understand how each set is scored.

Each set is played until one player or team (if you are playing doubles) has won six games. At the beginning of your serve, you must always call out the number of games each player or team has won, starting with your score. For example:• If you have won four games, and your opponent has won two, you would call out “4-2” before beginning your “service game” (the game you serve the ball in, rather than receive).

YOU MUST ALWAYS WIN BY TWO IF THERE IS A TIE.

This refers to both games and sets. Here are some examples:• If you both have a score of 40 to 40, then you have to win two points in a row in order to win the game. 

• If you both have won 5 games, and the score is 5 to 5, then you will need to win two more games in a row to make it 7-5 in order to win the set.

• If it is 5 to 5 and you win the next game, the score becomes 6-5. If you lose the next game and the score is 6-6, you will need to win 8 to 6 in order to win the set. Some sets have had scores of 12 to 10 or even higher.

Know when the match has been won (or lost).

Depending on the league you are playing in, you will either need to win three out of five sets, or two out of three sets. However, like with games and sets, you must win by two. That means that matches can sometimes be five out of seven sets, or even seven out of nine sets if you and your opponent keep tying.

Know how to write down the score aft er the match.

You should write the score of each set down on a scorecard. Always write your score first. For example, if you won the match, your scorecard might look like this:6-3, 4-6, 6-2. That means that you won the first set 6 games to 3; you lost the second set 4 games to 6; and you won the third set 6 games to 2.

Understanding Scoring Terminology

‘All’ means ‘both’

• If you and your opponent have both won one point, making it 15-15, you would call out “15-all”. 

• The same goes for sets. If you both have won three games, you would call out “3-all” before starting your serve.

‘Love’ refers to a score of zero

• If you are serving and have not won any points, but your opponent has won two, you would call out “love-30”.

• Same goes for games. If you have won three games, but your opponent has won none, you would call out “3-love”.

• If you are just beginning a game and neither of you have won any points, you would call out “love-all”. 

‘DEUCE’ AND ‘ADVANTAGE’

• When two players have a tied score of 40 to 40 during a game, it is called a ‘deuce’. 

• There are two ways to play out a deuce--either the person to get the next point wins, or you play ‘advantage’ (‘ad’ for short). This means that a player must win the deuce point, and the following point.

‘AD-IN’ AND ‘AD-OUT’

• When the player serving wins the deuce point, the score is ‘ad-in’ (advantage-in, meaning the server has the advantage).

• When the receiver wins the deuce point, the score is ‘ad-out’ (advantage-out, meaning the receiver has the advantage.)

• If one player wins the deuce point, but doesn’t win the ad, then the score goes back to deuce.

For example, if you were serving and you both won four points (making it 40-40 a.k.a. deuce) then you would serve again. Let’s say you won the deuce point making it ‘ad-in’. If you win the next point, you win the game. If you lose the next point, the score goes back to deuce and your opponent has the chance to beat you and get ‘ad-out’. If your opponent loses the ‘ad-out’, it goes back to deuce...etc.

Tennis Terms

• Love- when the score equals zero.• Serve-the first shot of every point. The player

begins on the right side of the baseline, and alternates from the left to right after the first point

• Singles- when one player plays against one opponent.

• Doubles-when a team of two players plays against a team of two opponents.

• Deuce- both players have won four points, equaling 40 to 40.

• Scoring Sequence- Love, 15, 30, 40. (add-in, or add-out if necessary)

• Advantage In- the player serving has one point past 40, and will win the game if they win the next point. If the point is lost, the score returns to deuce.

• Advantage Out- the player serving has a score of 40, and their opponent has a score one point above. If they lose the point, they lose the game. If they win the point, the game returns to deuce.

Game- the first player to win four points, with an advantage of two points over their opponent.

Set- when one opponent has won six games, and has a difference of two games ahead of their opponent. If the score is 6 to 6, and tie breaker must be played.

Match- a completion of the best 2 of 3 sets, of 3 of 5 sets.

Alley- the space between the singles and doubles sidelines.

• Down the line- when the ball is hit from near the sideline, and travels straight across the net close to the sideline.

• Ace- a serve that lands in the correct area, but out of reach of the opponent.

• Double fault-when the serve is out twice, the point goes to the opponent.

• Cross Court- a shot that is hit diagonally from one side of the court to the other.

Tennis Court

COLLETON COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLPHYSICAL EDUCATION & MOVEMENT

COACH J. BETHAY 2015