Tennis Rules Explained — How Scoring Works, From Zero

Once you get the scoring, tennis makes sense

The single most confusing thing about tennis is its scoring system. Once that structure clicks, everything else about the match falls into place.

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The scoring ladder — point → game → set → match

Point:  0 (Love) → 15 → 30 → 40 → win the game
Game:   Win 4 points first, but by a margin of at least 2
Set:    Win 6 games first, by a margin of at least 2
        (e.g. 6-4) → set won
Match:  Win 2 of 3 sets (or 3 of 5 sets) to win the match

Points won	Call
0	Love
1	15
2	30
3	40
Tied at 40-40	Deuce

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Deuce and advantage

• 40-40 (Deuce): you need to win 2 points in a row to take the game
• 1 point after deuce = Advantage (Ad)
• Win the next point from Advantage = game won Lose it = back to deuce

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Serving rules

• The serve must land in the diagonally opposite service box to be valid
• Miss the first serve → you get a second attempt Miss that too = double fault (point goes to your opponent)
• Foot fault: stepping on or over the baseline while serving is a fault
• If the serve clips the net and still lands in the correct box = a Let (the serve is simply replayed)

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The tiebreak

If a set reaches 6-6, it’s decided by a tiebreak

• First to 7 points, winning by a margin of at least 2, takes the set (e.g. 7-6)
• Points in a tiebreak are simply counted 1, 2, 3…

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The court, and what counts as in or out

• Singles: play stays inside the narrower singles sidelines
• Doubles: play extends out to the wider doubles sidelines
• A ball touching the line at all counts as “in”
• A ball landing outside the court is “out”
• The ball may bounce only once before you return it

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Key takeaways

1. Scoring runs 0 → 15 → 30 → 40 → game, and you must win by at least 2 points.
2. A set needs 6 games won by a 2-game margin; a match is usually decided over 2 of 3 sets.
3. At 40-40 (deuce), you need two points in a row — the first gets you “advantage.”
4. Serves must land in the diagonal service box; a double fault hands the point to your opponent.
5. A set tied 6-6 goes to a tiebreak, first to 7 points by a 2-point margin.

This guide follows International Tennis Federation (ITF) rules. The number of sets played and other details can vary by tournament.