Tennis remains a popular sport for leisure and competition throughout the world. While the rules of tennis are simple, the scoring system of tennis may seem foreign to a novice player. Tennis is a sport that requires agility and stamina. Certain highly ranked professional tennis players have the ability to serve the ball over 100 mph. Learning the rules of tennis will allow you to play your own amateur games and matches.
Scoring and Points
The scoring system for tennis is much different from other conventional sports. Before scoring a point, the player has a score of Love, or zero. After the first point is scored, the player's score moves to 15. A second scored point earns a player a score of 30. A third point scored by a player moves his score to a 40. A fourth point generally wins the game; however, a player must win by two points. If each player has scored three points, the game stands at a score of "Deuce," or tied. A point scored after the Deuce gives the leading player the score of "Advantage." Tennis matches are played in three sets of six games. A player must win at least four out of the six games to win the set.
Serving and Receiving
Players determine who serves first by a coin toss at the beginning of the match. The winner has the opportunity of serving first or allowing the opposing player to serve first. The serving player must state the score before every service attempt. The server must stand on the right side of the court for the first serve. The server must toss the ball into the air and hit it over the net into the left box. The server's ball is considered fair if it lands on the lines of the receiving player's box. The serving player's feet must remain behind the white baseline at the far end of the court during the serve. The receiving player may stand inside or outside the lines of his designated side while the ball is being served.
Faults and Lets
A fault refers to mistake made by a player that in turn garners the opposing player one point. A foot fault refers to a fault by a serving player when he steps onto or over the baseline. After the ball is successfully served and returned, either player who hits the ball into the net or out of bounds is guilty of a fault. A let refers to an action that justifies the point being replayed. Lets include a serve touching the net before it enters the receiving box. A let may also include a stray ball rolling onto the court during a game.
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