Tennis has a set of rules that govern both gameplay and scoring. Here’s a quick rundown of the basics:
The Objective: Hit the ball over the net and land it within your opponent’s court in a way they can’t return it. Win points by forcing your opponent to miss the ball or hit it out of bounds.
Gameplay:
- Players have a maximum of one bounce (two in wheelchair tennis) to return the ball after their opponent hits it.
- The ball must land within the court boundaries (singles or doubles) to be considered in play.
- Players cannot touch the net, posts, or enter their opponent’s court.
- You cannot carry or catch the ball with your racquet.
- Points are awarded when a player fails to return the ball properly.
Scoring:
- Points are called 15, 30, 40, and game.
- To win a game, you need to win four points with a two-point lead (e.g., 40-30, 40-15, 40-love).
- If the score reaches 40-40 (deuce), you need to win two consecutive points to win the game.
- Sets are typically played to the best of three or five games (win two or three games, respectively).
- If a set reaches 6-6, a tiebreaker is played to 7 points with a two-point lead.
- Matches are played to the best of three or five sets (win two or three sets, respectively).
Additional Rules:
- Servers alternate between games.
- Players change sides after odd-numbered games in a set and after each set.
- Foot faults occur when the server steps on or over the baseline while serving.
- Let calls are when the server’s serve hits the net and lands in the service box. The serve is replayed.
Resources for learning more:
- International Tennis Federation (ITF): https://www.itftennis.com/en/about-us/governance/rules-and-regulations/
- United States Tennis Association (USTA): https://www.usta.com/en/home/improve/tips-and-instruction/national/tennis-scoring-rules.html
- Olympics.com: https://www.itftennis.com/media/7241/olympic-tennis-event-eligibility-rule-paris-2024.pdf
I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions about specific aspects of the rules.