The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is the governing body of men's professional tennis, and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) is a member of the ITF. Therefore, everything you need to know about the rules of men's tennis can be found in the ITF's rules of tennis. If anything occurs during a match that is not covered in the rules, the USTA's code provides American tennis players with additional guidelines as well.
Scoring: The Basics
Tennis has a unique scoring system that is based on games, sets, and matches. Unlike sports with time limits, the first player to win six games wins a set and matches are either best of three or best of five. But there is a catch: the first player to win six games in a set also must win by two. In most men's professional tennis matches tiebreakers are played to settle sets that are tied at six apiece. When a tiebreaker is played, the first player to win seven points wins the set. As with sets, the winner of the tiebreaker must also win by two.
Scoring: Games
Games are scored as follows: zero points equals "love," one point equals "15," two points equal "30," and three points equals "40." In the event that both players have three points apiece, the score is called as "deuce" instead of "40-40." Just as in sets, players must win games by two points. What this means is that "30-30" is essentially deuce. When the server wins the deuce point, the score is "advantage in." When the server loses the deuce point, the score is "advantage out." From "deuce," a player must win two consecutive points to win the game, or the game continues from deuce. There is no time limit in games, sets or matches in tennis.
Scoring: Sets
The first player to six games while winning by two games or more wins the set. Players switch sides after the first game of the set, and after each successive pair of games afterwards. A coin toss prior to the match enables the winner of the toss to choose either a) to serve or receive serve b) the preferred end of court to start on or c) to defer the choice to his opponent. In the event that the set is tied at six all, two things can happen: players can continue to play on until someone wins the set by two games, with no limit of games, or, a tiebreaker can be played (depending on prescribed rules).
Scoring: Tiebreakers
A tiebreaker starts with the server who served the first game of the set serving to the deuce side of the court. After one point, his opponent serves two points, starting by serving to the advantages side of the court. Players alternate serving two points in succession for the remainder of the tiebreak, serving one point to the advantage side, and one to the deuce side of the court. Players switch sides after every six points, and the first player to reach seven points while winning by two wins the set.
Serving
When starting games, the server serves to the deuce side of the court, and alternates sides after each successive point. The "deuce side" means that the server will serve to the right of the center line, assuming that he is standing on the baseline facing the net. The advantage side is the other side.
Serving: Faults and Lets
Players are allowed two serves per point, with a serve that misses the box being called a "fault" that leads to a second serve. If a player misses both serves he loses the point automatically. If a player hits a serve off the net and it bounces in, the serve is called a "let" and is replayed. Like a foul ball, there is no limit to the Number of lets a player is allowed. If a server hits a serve off the net and it bounces out, the serve is a "fault." A player must not make contact with the baseline before he hits the ball or a "foot fault" will be called. A "foot fault" is scored the same as a fault.
Other Rules
There is a long list of regulations for men's tennis that covers equipment, court surfaces, court size, clothing regulations, and more. Consult the ITF rulebook, the ATP rulebook, or the specific tournament operators for additional regulations not covered in this article.
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