How Tennis Scoring Works: A Beginner's Complete Guide
Tennis scoring can be confusing for newcomers. Why does it go 15, 30, 40 instead of 1, 2, 3? What's a deuce? When does the match end? Here's everything explained from the ground up.
Points
Each rally (the back-and-forth hitting) results in one player winning a point. Points are counted as:
- 0 points = "Love"
- 1st point = 15
- 2nd point = 30
- 3rd point = 40
- 4th point = Game (if you're ahead)
The server's score is always called first. So if the server has won 2 points and the returner has won 1, the score is "30-15."
Deuce and Advantage
When both players reach 40 (three points each), it's called "deuce." At deuce, a player must win two consecutive points to win the game:
- Win the first point after deuce → "Advantage" (ad-in if it's the server, ad-out if it's the returner)
- Win the next point after advantage → Game over
- Lose the point after advantage → Back to deuce
Games
Multiple points make up a game. The player who wins 4 points first (with at least a 2-point lead at deuce) wins the game. Players alternate who serves each game.
Sets
Multiple games make up a set. The first player to win 6 games wins the set, but they must win by at least 2 games. So 6-4 and 6-3 end the set, but 6-5 does not — play continues. If the score reaches 6-6, a tiebreak is played.
Tiebreaks
A tiebreak is a special game played at 6-6 to decide the set. Points are counted normally (1, 2, 3, etc. — not 15, 30, 40). The first player to reach 7 points wins, but they must win by 2. The serve alternates every 2 points, and players switch sides every 6 points. The winner of the tiebreak wins the set 7-6.
Matches
A match is made up of sets:
- Most junior and women's professional matches are best of 3 sets (first to win 2)
- Men's Grand Slam matches are best of 5 sets (first to win 3)
No-Ad Scoring
In many junior and college matches, no-ad scoring is used. This means at deuce, the next point wins the game — there's no advantage. The returner gets to choose which side (deuce or ad court) to receive the serve on. This speeds up matches.
Calling the Score
In junior tournaments, players call their own score before each point. The server announces the score before serving, with their own score first. It's important for juniors to learn this — calling the score clearly prevents disputes and shows good sportsmanship.