The game of tennis requires excellent physical conditioning, discipline and a knowledge of what your opponent is trying to do. It also requires an understanding of the rules of the game. Tennis rules are fairly clear cut, but determining if a ball is in or out can often be controversial. When players do not have a referee, they must call the shot based on the honors system, even if the call hurts their chances of winning the match.
Scoring System
Points are awarded in tennis when one player cannot return the shot of his opponent into the boundaries of the court. When the server wins the first point of the game, he is ahead 15-love. The next point would be 30-love, the point after would make the score 40-love. The next point would win the game and make the score 1-0. The other player would serve the next game. Games are continued until one player wins six games and is ahead by two games. If the player is not ahead by two games, they would play a tiebreaker once the score reaches 6-6. In the tiebreaker, the players take turns serving; the first player to get to seven points while ahead by two wins the set. The tiebreaker keeps going until one player has a two-point edge. That would give the player the victory in the set. In most matches the winner is determined by the first player to win two sets. In some tournament matches, victory comes as a result of winning three of five sets.
Serving
The ball is put in play by serving. The server tosses the ball overhead, then hits the ball with an overhand stroke as it descends. The ball must go over the net and land in the serving box. If the serve does not cross the net or does not land in the box it is called a fault. The player gets a second chance to serve the ball in the serving box. If that ball does not go in, it is called a double fault and the point goes to the opponent. If the ball goes in, the returner must hit the ball over the net and have it bounce in the court. When that happens, a rally is started and it ends when one player cannot return a shot successfully into the court.
Court Dimensions
A tennis court is 78 feet long and it is 27 feet wide for a singles match. The net that divides the court is 3 1/2 feet high at the posts that hold up the net and 3 feet high in the center. The serving boxes are 21 feet long and 13 1/2 feet wide. Any ball that hits a portion of the line that marks the boundaries is considered in. If it does not hit the line, it is considered out.
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