Tennis Rules: Scoring, Tiebreaks, Serving and Doubles

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It’s 5-all in the second set of a Saturday doubles match, and somebody asks, “Wait, whose serve is it?” Four adults look at each other. Someone else wonders whether the next one is a tiebreak or a match tiebreak, and whether the league plays no-ad. Every club player has been there. The tennis rules themselves are short and logical; it’s the scoring and the many local formats that trip people up. This page explains the official ITF Rules of Tennis in plain English: the court, scoring, tiebreaks, serving, doubles, and how college, high school, league and kids’ tennis change the format.

For the big picture, start at our tennis hub. Who runs each level is on the leagues and associations page.

The court, net, ball and racquet

• Court: 78 feet (23.77 m) long. The singles court is 27 feet (8.23 m) wide; doubles adds the alleys for a width of 36 feet (10.97 m).
• Net: 3 feet (0.914 m) high in the center, held down by a strap, and 3½ feet (1.07 m) at the posts.
• Ball: the ITF approves three speeds for regular play: Type 1 (fast) for slow courts, Type 2 (medium) for most courts, and Type 3 (slow) for fast courts such as grass. Kids use slower red, orange and green balls.
• Racquet: no longer than 29 inches (73.7 cm) and no wider than 12.5 inches, with a uniform string pattern. Most adult racquets are about 27 inches. Batteries or anything that changes the racquet during play are banned.

How tennis scoring works

Tennis has three layers of scoring: points make games, games make sets, and sets make a match. The server’s score is always called first.

Layer	How you win it
Game	Points go love (0), 15, 30, 40, game. At 40-40 the score is “deuce.” Win the next point for “advantage,” then one more to win the game. Lose it and you’re back to deuce.
Set	First to six games, but you must lead by two. In a “tiebreak set,” a tiebreak is played at 6-6. In an “advantage set,” play goes on until someone leads by two games.
Match	Best of three sets (win two) or best of five (win three).

The tiebreak

In a tiebreak, points count 0, 1, 2, 3 and so on. The first player or team to 7 points with a two-point lead wins the set 7-6. The player whose turn it is serves the first point from the right side; after that, each side serves two points in a row, starting from the left. Players change ends after every six points. In doubles, the serving order of the set continues. The player who served first in the tiebreak receives in the first game of the next set.

Match tiebreaks, no-ad and short sets

Appendix VI of the ITF rules lists approved shortcuts that many leagues, colleges and junior events use:

• No-ad scoring: at deuce, one deciding point wins the game. The receiver chooses which side to receive on. In mixed doubles, the player of the same gender as the server receives it.
• Match tiebreak: at one set all, a 10-point tiebreak (first to 10, by two) replaces the third set. There’s a 7-point version too.
• Final-set tiebreak: a 10-point tiebreak at 6-6 in the last set. All four Grand Slams have used it since 2022.
• Short sets: first to four games, with a tiebreak at 4-4 (or 3-3 if the organizer chooses).
• No-let: a serve that clips the net and lands in is played, not replayed.

Whatever format an event uses has to be announced in advance, so read the entry form or ask the tournament desk before your first match.

Serving rules

• Where to stand: behind the baseline, between the center mark and the sideline (the doubles sideline in doubles). Serve from the right side first in every game, then alternate.
• The serve: toss the ball by hand and hit it before it lands, over the net and into the service box diagonally opposite. If you toss and decide not to swing, you may catch it; that isn’t a fault.
• Two tries: a missed first serve is a fault and you serve again from the same side. Two faults in a row (a double fault) lose the point.
• Lets: a serve that touches the net and lands in the right box is a let and is replayed. It doesn’t cancel an earlier fault.
• Foot faults: during the serve you can’t walk or run, or touch the baseline, the court or the imaginary extensions of the center mark or sideline with either foot. Jumping is fine.

During the point

A ball that touches any part of a line is in. You lose the point if the ball bounces twice on your side, if you hit it out or into the net, if the ball touches you or your clothes, if you or your racquet touch the net while the ball is in play, or if you hit the ball before it crosses the net. The receiver must let the serve bounce. Under the ITF rules, players get a maximum of 25 seconds between points, 90 seconds when they change ends (with no rest after the first game of a set or during a tiebreak), and a 120-second break between sets. They change ends after the first, third and every other odd game of each set.

Calling your own lines

Most matches below the pro level have no line judges. The USTA’s code of conduct, “The Code,” says each player calls the balls on their own side of the net, the opponent gets the benefit of any doubt, and a ball that can’t be called out is good. Call a ball out only when you clearly see space between the ball and the line.

Doubles rules

Doubles uses the wider court, alleys included, but the service boxes stay the same. At the start of each set, each team decides who serves first for them, and partners take turns serving every other game for the rest of the set. Receiving works the same way: each team picks who receives in the deuce (right) court and keeps that order for the set. Once the serve is returned, either player can hit the ball, but not both on the same shot. In doubles, the server may stand anywhere behind the baseline out to the doubles sideline.

How formats differ by level

Level	Format
Grand Slams	Men’s singles best of five sets; other events best of three; 10-point tiebreak at 6-6 in the final set.
College (ITA rules for NCAA and NAIA)	Three doubles matches, each one set to six games with a 7-point tiebreak at 6-all, worth one “doubles point.” Then six singles matches, best of three sets, one point each. First team to 4 of 7 points wins. No-ad scoring in singles and doubles. Coaches may coach whenever the ball isn’t in play.
Junior college (NJCAA, ITA rules)	Three doubles matches to eight games, then six singles; 9 team points; regular (ad) scoring.
High school	No NFHS tennis rulebook: USTA rules, with each state association setting the format, for example three singles and two doubles in Georgia. Check your state’s handbook for scoring and coaching rules.
USTA League (adults)	Team matches by NTRP level: for example two singles and three doubles at 18 & Over levels 3.0–4.5, one singles and four doubles at 40 & Over, three doubles at 55 & Over and mixed.
10 and under	Red ball on a 36-foot court, orange ball on a 60-foot court, green ball on the full court; short formats like one match tiebreak, short sets or timed matches are allowed.
Wheelchair tennis	Same rules, but the ball may bounce twice; the second bounce can be inside or outside the court.

In college, once a dual match is decided, unfinished matches usually switch to a shortened format: a 10-point tiebreak in place of a third set. Our youth tennis page covers the red, orange and green stages in detail.

What you need for your first match

Bring a new can of balls (in many leagues and junior events, players supply them), a racquet with a fresh grip, water and a snack for long matches. Most US hard courts call for extra-duty balls: Penn Championship Extra Duty is the official ball of USTA League and is approved by the USTA and ITF (about $19 for six cans on Amazon in October 2026). A tacky overgrip such as the Wilson Pro Overgrip keeps the handle dry, which AAOS suggests to avoid blisters (about $27 for 12). For long, hot matches, a big bottle like the Nalgene 32 oz saves trips to the fountain. More on the tennis gear page.

Back to the tennis hub, or see tennis leagues and associations, tennis game day and tennis injuries. Long matches in the heat? Our electrolyte powder guide helps. Also play soccer? See the soccer rules.

Tennis rules questions

Why is tennis scored 15, 30, 40?

The rulebook doesn’t explain the history; it simply sets the calls: love, 15, 30, 40, game. What matters is that you need four points and a two-point lead to win a game, which is why deuce and advantage exist.

How does a tiebreak work in tennis?

At 6-6, players count points 1, 2, 3 and so on. The first to 7 with a two-point lead wins the set. One player serves the first point, then each side serves two points in a row, and players change ends every six points.

What is a 10-point match tiebreak?

An ITF-approved replacement for a deciding third set: at one set all, the first player or team to 10 points with a two-point lead wins the match. Many leagues and college matches use it in a shortened format.

Is a ball on the line in or out?

In. If the ball touches any part of the line, it’s good. Without officials, The Code says you give your opponent the benefit of any doubt.

How is college tennis scored?

A dual match has seven points: one for winning two of the three doubles matches and one for each of six singles matches. The first team to four points wins. Games use no-ad scoring.

Can you hit the ball before it bounces?

Yes, that’s a volley, except on the serve: the receiver has to let the serve bounce. You also can’t reach over the net to hit a ball that hasn’t crossed to your side yet.