In tennis, players must keep the ball in play by returning it over the net before it bounces twice. Tennis matches take place on courts with several different surfaces, including grass, clay and hard court. The United States Tennis Association, the governing body for tennis in the U.S., belongs to the International Tennis Federation and follows all rules set by that organization. These rules set the standard for tennis competition.
Starting Play
A tennis match begins with a coin toss. The player who wins the toss can choose to serve or receive the first game or to begin the match on a particular side of the court. That player's opponent gets to make the opposite choice. Players then alternate serving every other game, and they change ends after every odd-numbered game.
Serving
The server must stand behind the baseline and to one side of the center mark in the middle of the baseline. She must stand to the right of the center mark for the first serve of each game, and then alternate sides with every other serve. The server must toss the ball and hit it out of the air into the opponent's service box diagonally opposite the serving position. The service boxes lie between the net and the service line and to either side of the center service line. The server has two opportunities to make a successful serve before each point. Two missed serves result in a lost point.
Play
After the serve, players must keep the ball in play by returning it over the net before it bounces twice. Players win points by hitting shots their opponents cannot return. If a player hits the ball into the net or out of bounds, her opponent wins the point. Balls that hit the court's lines count as in-bounds.
Scoring
Tennis matches follow an unusual scoring method. Both players begin each game with a score of zero, or "love." When a player wins one point, he reaches a score of 15. A player's second and third points bring him to 30 and 40, and a fourth point wins him the game. If two players reach three points each in a game, the score is "Deuce." One player must then win two points in a row to win the game. A player must win six games to win a set. In most matches, a player must win the best of three sets to win the match. In major championships, male players must win the best of five sets to win the match.
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