Do you know your “deuce” from “advantage”? The number of games per set? We have done the work, so you don’t have to. This blog will cover the rules of Tennis, the “Game of Kings”, in an easy digestible format to help improve your understanding and enjoyment of the sport.
The Basic’s of Tennis
Lawn Tennis is a sport played by two or four players, using rackets to hit a ball over a net and into the opponent’s court. The game is split into Games and sets. The objective of the game is to win the most points by hitting the ball over the net in a way that the opponent is not able to return it.
History
Tennis is a sport that dates back to 12th century France. Originally known as “jeu de paume,” or “game of the palm,” popular with kings and nobleman. French players would begin a game by declaring “Tenez”, which in English is Play.
In 1877 the first official tennis tournament at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club took place. Over time, tennis evolved to the game we love today. Since then, the sport has grown in popularity and is now played by millions of people around the world. From the grass courts of Wimbledon to the clay courts of the French Open, tennis is a sport that offers something for everyone. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, there’s never been a better time to pick up a racket and start playing
The governing body for Tennis is the International Tennis Federation (ITF) founded in 1913 to regulate and promote the sport of tennis.
What do you need?
Tennis is played with rackets and a ball. The rackets are made of metal or composite materials and are used to hit the ball. The racket must be no more than 29 inches in length and 12.5 inches in width.
The tennis ball is a hollow rubber ball that is pressurised with air. The ball must be between 2.57-2.70 inches in diameter and weigh between 2.5-2.7 ounces. Tennis balls are mainly light green in colour to assist players seeing it as it crosses the court.
The tennis net divides the court in half and the players must hit the ball over the net. The net is mesh and must be 1.07 meters high at the posts and 0.914 meters high the centre.
Tennis is played on a rectangular court that is 78 feet long, 27 feet wide for singles matches, and 36 feet wide for doubles matches. There is a net that divides the court in half, and a baseline at each end of the court.
Playing Tennis
Tennis is a game of either two or four players, known as singles and doubles.
A game of tennis starts with a serve, which is a shot hit by the server to the receiver. The serve must be hit diagonally across the court and land within the service box. The server has two chances to hit a legal serve, and if they fail to do so, the receiver is awarded a point.
Scoring in Tennis
A point is won by the player who hits the ball into the opponent’s court and the opponent is unable to return it, or if the opponent hits the ball out of bounds.
The basic scoring system in tennis is simple: the player who wins the most games, wins the match. A game is won when a player reaches four points and is ahead by at least two points. Points in tennis are called “love,” “15,” “30,” and “40,” with “love” being zero points and “40” being game point. If each player scores 40, this is called Deuce.
When the score is Deuce a player must win by two clear points, when a player goes one point in the lead it is called “advantage”.
In addition to games, tennis matches are also scored by sets. A set is won by the player who wins six games and is ahead by at least two games. If the set is tied at six games each, a tiebreak is played to determine the winner. A players tennis scores can be represented as, sets won, games won and points won, for example 1-2-0. In this example a player has won 1 set and 2 games and is love or zero in the current match.
The tiebreak: If the score in a set is tied at six games each, a tiebreak is played to determine the winner of the set. In a tiebreak, the first player to reach seven points with a two-point lead wins the set. The tiebreak is played to a maximum of 13 points.
In most professional matches, best-of-five sets format is used, where the player who wins three sets wins the match. However, there are also best-of-three sets format for females and in some tournaments and events.
Understanding the scoring system in tennis is essential to fully appreciate the game and follow along with matches. With a little practice, you’ll be able to keep score like a pro in no time.
Ace!
An ace, one of the most famous terms is tennis, is a legal serve that the receiver is unable to touch with their racket. This wins the point for the server. simple as that!
The Foot Fault
Players are not allowed to touch the baseline or the center line with their feet while serving. If a player commits a foot fault, the opponent is awarded a point.
The Let
If a ball touches the net on a serve but still lands in the correct service box, the point is played again. This is called a “let.”
Tennis can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Now that you understand the basic rules of tennis you can jump in and start playing right away or enjoy it as a spectator. You can see how easy the rules of tennis are, with a positive attitude and a go-get mentality you can ‘ace’ this sport in no time.
Keep up to date with the tournaments here and check out another centuries old sport; Cricket.
