Scoring Explained

Tennis scoring looks confusing because it is older than most modern sports. Here is what everything means.

Points inside a game

At 40–40 it is deuce. The next point won is advantage. Win the point after advantage and you win the game.

Games inside a set

• First to 6 games wins the set, but you must lead by 2.
• At 6–6, most matches play a 7-point tiebreak.

Match

• Best of 3 sets is normal club and pro women's play.
• Best of 5 sets is men's Grand Slam.

The tiebreak

• First to 7 points, win by 2.
• Player A serves point 1. Player B serves points 2 and 3. Then A serves 2, B serves 2, etc.
• Change ends every 6 points.
• Whoever won the tiebreak serves first in the next set.

Super tiebreak

Some formats (doubles, mixed) replace a deciding set with a first-to-10 super tiebreak.