Tennis scoring has its own vocabulary, which can puzzle newcomers. Once you know the layers, from points to games to sets to matches, it becomes much easier to follow.

Points within a game

Points are called love for zero, then 15, 30 and 40. The player who wins four points with a lead of at least two wins the game. If both players reach 40, the score is deuce, and one player must then win two points in a row.

Games and sets

A set is typically won by the first player to win six games with a two-game lead. If the set reaches six games each, a tiebreak is commonly played to decide it, although tournaments have different rules for deciding sets.

Tiebreaks

In a standard tiebreak, players count points in ordinary numbers, and the first to reach the required total with a two-point lead wins. Servers change after the first point and then every two points.

Matches

  • Matches are played as the best of three or five sets.
  • Formats differ by tournament and level, so check the event rules.

Takeaway

Think of tennis as a ladder: points make games, games make sets and sets make the match. Watching a few games with this in mind makes the scoreboard far easier to read.