LESSON 2 OF 8 • BEGINNER • 6 MIN
How Tennis Scoring Works
The short answer
Points count 0 (love), 15, 30, 40, then game. You need to win a game by two points. Six games wins a set, again by two. Most matches are the best of three sets, so the first player to win two sets wins the match.
Points, then games, then sets
Think of it as three nested boxes. Points make a game. Games make a set. Sets make a match. Most beginners get lost because the numbers change names at each level, so take it one level at a time.
Inside a game
The first point you win is 15. The second is 30. The third is 40. Win the next one and you win the game, unless the score is tied at 40-40. Zero is called love. Nobody is sure why for certain, and it doesn't matter. The server's score is always said first, so "30-15" means the server has two points and the receiver has one.
Deuce and advantage
At 40-40 it's deuce. Win the next point and you have advantage. Win the one after that and you take the game. Lose it and you're back to deuce. Games can go back and forth for a long time, and that's where the tension in tennis comes from.
Inside a set
Win six games and lead by at least two, and you win the set. A 6-4 scoreline works. 6-5 doesn't, so the set continues. If it gets to 6-6, most matches play a tiebreak, a mini game to seven points where you also need a two-point lead.
Who serves when
One player serves for the whole game, then the serve passes to the other player. Within a game you alternate sides: the first point from the right (deuce) side, the second from the left (ad) side, and so on. That's also where those side names come from. At deuce, the score is deuce, so that point is served from the deuce side. At advantage, it's served from the ad side.
Common beginner mistakes
- Saying "45" instead of 40. It's 15, 30, 40.
- Not calling the score before each serve. Say it out loud. Arguments over the score are very common in friendly matches.
- Forgetting the two-point rule and stopping at 40-30 plus one.
Try this at the court
- Play one game with a friend and call the score out loud before every serve.
- Use the score keeper above to replay a tiebreak so the "win by two" rule sticks.
Questions people ask
Why does tennis use 15, 30 and 40?
Nobody knows for sure. The system is centuries old and the exact origin is debated. What matters today is that the four points are called love, 15, 30 and 40.
What does deuce mean in tennis?
Deuce means the game is tied at 40-40. A player must then win two points in a row to win the game.
How many sets are in a tennis match?
Most matches are best of three sets. Some major men's tournament matches are best of five. Friendly matches can be any length you agree on.