OVERVIEW

Tennis is a sport played on a rectangular court with a variety of surfaces. It may be played with two players (single match) or four players (four-player match) (doubles match). Players stand on opposing sides of the net and strike the ball back and forth with a stringed racquet.

GAMEPLAY

After their opponent has struck the ball, each player or team has one bounce to return the ball over the net and inside the court’s limits. Players in wheelchair tennis have a maximum of two bounces. The opponent scores a point if a player fails to return the ball to the proper court.

Tennis is played to win enough points to win a game, games to win a set, and sets to win a match.

THE MATCH BEGINS

Before you warm up with your opponent, either player or team will spin their racquet, with the winner having a few alternatives to pick from. They can select one of the following three options:

The courtroom’s side

Alternatively, they can delay their decision to their opponent — but the opponent cannot do the same.

After the toss winner selects one of the alternatives above, the opponent selects the remaining option.

SYSTEM OF POINTS

Tennis has a unique point system compared to other sports. Before we get into the details, here’s a quick rundown of how you score a game:

• 0 points equal love
• 1 point equals 15
• 30 points = 2 points
• 40 points = 3 points
• All of the scores is tied
• Deuce = 40-40
• Deuce point for the server = Ad-In
• Deuce point for the receiver = Ad-Out

WHO IS THE WINNER?

A player must score at least four points to win the game. You win the game if you are up 40-30, 40-15, or 40-love and win one more point. When a game or set is tied, you use “all” when reporting the score. The score would be 30-all if both you and your opponent won two points in the game.

WHAT EXACTLY IS A DEUCE?

Only when you and your opponent have won three points, and the score is 40-40, is this different. This is referred to as deuce. When the score hits deuce to win the game, one player or team must win at least two points in succession. Ad-In refers to when the server wins the deuce point, whereas Ad-Out refers to when the server loses the deuce point. If the side with the advantage (Ad-In or Ad-Out) wins another point, the game is over; otherwise, the game is reset to deuce.