Professional tennis in the United States is governed by the United States Tennis Association, which is a member of the International Tennis Federation. The ITF's official "Rules of Tennis" is available online in a 59-page document that covers everything from court size to scoring to the role of court officials. If you're looking for a primer on the basic rules, there are a few key things to know.
Players
Tennis can be played with two or four players. In singles play, one person is on each side of the net. In doubles play, two people form a team on each side of the net. Generally, players change ends of the court at the end of the first, third and every subsequent odd game in each set.
Serving
Who serves first is determined by the flip of a coin. The winner of the coin toss can choose to serve or receive, or choose which side of the court he wants. If he chooses to serve or receive, then his opponent can choose the court side, or vice versa. The person who serves stands to the right of the center mark on the court and must stay behind the baseline. He must the serve the ball over the net and into the service court diagonally across from him. If the first serve doesn't hit the mark, he gets a second chance. If he misses the second serve, it's called a double-fault and he loses the point. A person serves until the game is won and takes turns serving each point from left and right of the center line.
Scoring
A person scores in tennis when the opponent is unable to return the ball in-bounds or before the ball bounces twice. A ball that hits the line is considered good. The goal in tennis is to win two sets. You win a set by winning six games. However, you must have a margin of two games over your opponent. To win a game, you have to get four points while serving. Points are not counted up 1, 2, 3 and 4. When there's no score, the term used is "love." From there, points are scored as 15, 30, 40 and game. If each player or team has won three points, the score is "deuce." A player or team needs to score at least two consecutive points after deuce to win the game. The first point scored after deuce is called "advantage." If the opposing player or team scores the next point, play is again at deuce.
Member Comments