How to Score in Tennis A Beginner's Guide

How to score in tennis is all about winning points to capture games, games to take sets, and sets to secure the match. But before you can get there, you need to understand the unique language of the game. At Mantis, we believe understanding the game is as important as having the right tennis strings. A single game is built on a sequence of points—Love (0), 15, 30, and 40—and the winner must always be ahead by at least two.

It’s this system that forms the foundation of every match you’ll ever play or watch.

Breaking Down How to Score in Tennis

Stepping onto a court for the first time can feel like entering a new world, especially with its own vocabulary of 'Love,' 'Deuce,' and 'Advantage.' At Mantis, we believe that getting to grips with the score is the first step to truly loving the game. We're here to demystify the entire system, starting with the absolute basics.

We’ll walk through how points build into games, games into sets, and sets into a full-blown match victory. Whether you're watching a Grand Slam final or just getting ready for your first friendly hit, this knowledge is just as fundamental as your gear. Think of it like this: knowing the score is as crucial to your performance as choosing the best tennis strings for your racket.

This peculiar scoring system, with its famous 15, 30, and 40 point markers, has roots in medieval France. However, it was its evolution in the UK that truly cemented its place in history. When the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club hosted the very first Wimbledon Championship in 1877, they adopted these rules, and the system has endured ever since. 

To help you keep track with confidence, here’s a quick rundown of the essential terms you'll hear shouted across the net in every single game.

Essential Tennis Scoring Terms

This table is a handy cheat sheet for the language of points in tennis.

Master these six terms, and you've unlocked the core of how every game of tennis is scored. From club matches to the pro tour, these words are the building blocks of every battle on the court.

A common question from beginners is why the third point is 40, not 45. While there’s some debate, most tennis historians believe it was simply shortened from the French "quarante-cinq" to "quarante" to make it easier for umpires to call out. The change stuck, giving us the slightly odd sequence we use today.

How to Win a Game in Tennis

Every tennis match is built from smaller battles, and the most fundamental of all is the game. At Mantis, we know that understanding how to win a single game is the core building block for everything else that follows in learning how to score in tennis.

Here at Mantis, we believe that learning the rhythm of a game is just as essential as choosing the right tennis equipment. It’s all about building momentum.

The goal is simple: be the first player to win four points, but you have to win by a margin of at least two points. The scoring has its own unique language, which can feel a bit strange at first, but you'll pick it up quickly.

It works like this:

• Win your 1st point: Your score is now 15.
• Win your 2nd point: The score moves to 30.
• Win your 3rd point: You’re at 40.
• Win the 4th point: That's Game, provided you're ahead by two.

The Deciding Moment: Deuce

This is where the real drama kicks in. Picture this: you and your opponent have both fought hard to win three points each. The score is now tied at 40-40. In tennis, this critical moment is called Deuce.

From here on out, just winning the next point isn't enough to seal the game. The pressure is on.

To win a game from Deuce, a player has to win two points in a row. Winning the first point gives you the Advantage. If you win the very next point, you take the game. But if you lose it, the score snaps right back to Deuce.

Let's say the server wins the point at 40-40. The umpire will call out, "Advantage server." If that server then wins the next rally, the game is theirs. If the receiver wins it instead, the score resets to Deuce, and the tense battle for a two-point lead starts all over again.

This flow shows how those individual points stack up to create games, then sets, and finally, a match victory.

As you can see, getting comfortable with this point-by-point sequence inside a game is the very first step on the road to winning sets and, ultimately, the entire match.

Alright, you’ve got the hang of winning games. Now, let’s talk about stringing those wins together to take a set, which is how you ultimately win a match.

At Mantis, we know that getting your head around how sets work is just as fundamental as having the right tennis racket in your hands. A set is really just a race to win games, but with a couple of important twists.

The main rule is pretty simple across all levels of tennis: the first player to win six games wins the set. Simple enough, right? But here’s the crucial catch – you have to win by at least two games. So, a 6-4 scoreline is a clear win, but 6-5 isn’t. If you’re leading 6-5, you need to win the next game to close out the set 7-5. If your opponent manages to win that game, the score levels out at 6-6, and that’s when a tiebreak comes into play.

Best-of-Three vs. Best-of-Five Match Formats

How many sets you need to win depends on the tournament. The most common format you'll see on both the men's (ATP) and women's (WTA) professional tours is best-of-three sets. Here, the first player to win two sets takes the match. This could be a straightforward 6-4, 6-3 victory, or a nail-biting three-setter like 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.

Then you have the ultimate test of endurance: the best-of-five sets format. This is reserved for men's singles at the four Grand Slam tournaments – Wimbledon, the US Open, the French Open, and the Australian Open. In these epic showdowns, a player must dig deep and win three sets to be crowned champion.

Don’t worry, tracking the score is simpler than it sounds. The server's score is always called out first. So, if a player is up 4-2 in the first set and the score in the current game is 30-15, the umpire would announce, "4-2, 30-15."

Let’s look at a couple of typical best-of-three match scenarios:

• Player A vs Player B: 6-3, 6-4

  • Player A took the first set 6 games to 3.
  • Player A followed up, winning the second set 6 games to 4.
  • Match over. Player A is the winner.

• Player A vs Player B: 2-6, 7-5, 6-1

  • Player B came out strong, winning the first set 6 games to 2.
  • Player A fought back to clinch a tight second set 7 games to 5.
  • With momentum on their side, Player A dominated the final set 6 games to 1.
  • Player A wins the match.

Getting comfortable with these structures not only helps you follow professional tennis but also makes it much easier to keep score accurately in your own games.

Mastering the High Stakes Tiebreak

When a set hits a tense 6-6 scoreline, it kicks off one of the most exciting moments in tennis: the tiebreak. At Mantis, we see the tiebreak as the ultimate test of nerve and a crucial part of understanding how to score in tennis. It was introduced to stop sets from dragging on forever, and today, it’s a high-pressure shootout to decide the winner.

Forget the usual 'Love, 15, 30' scoring. A tiebreak is all about simple numbers: 1, 2, 3, and so on. The goal is to be the first player to reach seven points, but just like a regular game, you have to win by a clear two-point margin. So, a 7-5 score gets you the set, but if it’s 7-6, the match continues until someone pulls ahead by two.

Tiebreaks really became essential because of how dominant servers are in the modern game. They were officially brought into Wimbledon in 1971 to finally put an end to those marathon sets. With servers in men's singles now winning 65-70% of their points at major tournaments, the tiebreak is a common and critical part of any match. You can dig deeper into the history of tennis scoring rules on Wikipedia.

The Serving Rotation and Changing Ends

The serving pattern in a tiebreak is unique, and it’s something every player needs to get right. It’s designed to be completely fair and keep the pressure balanced between both players.

Here’s how the sequence works:

• Point 1: The player who would have served the next game (at 6-6) serves the first point, starting from the deuce (right) side of the court.
• Points 2 & 3: The serve immediately switches to the opponent. They serve the next two points, starting their first serve from the ad (left) side.
• Continuing the Pattern: From then on, players alternate, each serving for two consecutive points until the tiebreak is over.

A key rule to remember is that players switch ends of the court after every six points are played. This is done to ensure neither player has an unfair advantage due to sun, wind, or other court conditions. There is no rest period during these changeovers play resumes immediately.

Let's walk through a quick example. Imagine Player A is leading Player B 4-2. It's now Player B's turn to serve the next two points. Once those points are done, the players will switch ends because a total of six points have been played (4 + 2). This continues until one player wins the set.

Practical Tips for Keeping Score on Court

Knowing the rules is one thing, but keeping track of them in the heat of a match is another beast entirely. At Mantis, we know that confident scorekeeping lets you focus on what really matters—playing your best tennis. Getting the details right turns potential confusion into a non-issue, and just like finding the right equipment (you can learn more about how to choose a tennis racket in our detailed guide), mastering on-court communication is key.

One of the simplest and most effective habits you can build is for the server to announce the score clearly before every single point. It’s a small act that serves as a constant reset, keeping both players on the same page and cutting down the chances of a disagreement later on.

Handling Disagreements and Lapses in Memory

Even the most focused players can lose track, especially during a gruelling rally or a particularly tight match. It happens. If you find yourself in that spot, don't panic. The trick is to stay calm and communicate clearly.

If you and your opponent have different scores in mind, the unwritten rule in matches without an umpire is to talk through the last few points to pinpoint where the mix-up happened.

If you can't agree on the last point or two, the fairest approach is to go back to the last score you both remember for certain and play from there. This is the method recommended by tennis governing bodies, and it’s brilliant for keeping the game moving and maintaining good sportsmanship.

And what if you both draw a complete blank? You can simply replay the point. If it’s the game score you’ve forgotten, you can replay the entire game. The most important thing is to agree on a way forward together so it doesn't sour the atmosphere.

Here are a few other strategies we have seen work well on court:

• Use Visual Aids: Some players will keep a couple of coins or dampeners in their pockets, moving one from their left to their right pocket for each game they win. It's a simple, tactile way to keep a tally.
• Confirm Verbally: As you switch ends after a game, a quick, "That's 3-2, my serve?" does wonders. It takes two seconds and can prevent a major headache three games later.
• Stay Focused: Ultimately, scorekeeping becomes second nature the more you play. It's a skill you build over time, and these little habits are what help build that on-court confidence.

Got Questions About Tennis Scoring? We’ve Got Answers

Even when you think you’ve got the rules down, tennis scoring has a few quirks that can trip up even seasoned players. At Mantis, we know it’s these little details that separate casual fans from those who truly understand the game.

To help you feel completely at home on the court, we've tackled some of the most common questions we hear. Think of it as the final piece of the puzzle. And for a full rundown, check out our complete guide on tennis for beginners.

Why Is It ‘Love’ and Not ‘Zero’?

This is easily one of the most charming traditions in tennis. While nobody knows for certain, the most accepted theory traces back to the game's French roots.

The idea is that the term 'love' comes from the French phrase for 'the egg' — l'oeuf. Why an egg? Because the shape of a zero (0) looks just like one. As the game made its way to the UK, the term was anglicised into 'love', and it stuck.

What Is No-Ad Scoring?

No-advantage, or 'no-ad' scoring, is a faster way to play a game, designed to keep matches moving. Instead of playing through the traditional 'deuce' and 'advantage' points, the game simply becomes a race to four.

Here’s how it works: if the score gets to 40-40 (which would normally be deuce), the next point decides the game. It’s a sudden-death point. The player receiving gets to choose which side of the court they want to receive the serve from (the deuce or ad side). Whoever wins that single rally wins the game. It's a popular format in doubles and social tennis.

This format really dials up the pressure. Knowing that any game point could be the deciding point means you have to stay sharp from the get-go. One loose shot at 40-40, and the game is over.

How Do They Decide the Final Set in Grand Slams?

For a long time, each Grand Slam had its own unique, and often gruelling, way of finishing a match. This led to some legendary marathon contests, but for the sake of player welfare, things have become more standardised.

Today, three of the four majors—the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon—all use a 10-point tiebreak when the final set reaches 6-6. The first player to reach 10 points (winning by at least two) takes the match.

The US Open is the only one that does things differently. It sticks to a standard 7-point tiebreak at 6-6 in the final set, just like it does in every other set of the match.

Who Serves First in a Tiebreak?

The serving rotation in a tiebreak is very specific to ensure fairness. It’s actually quite simple once you see it in action.

The player who was due to serve the next game (the 13th game, at 6-6) serves the very first point of the tiebreak.

After that single point, the serve immediately goes over to the other player. They serve the next two points. From then on, players alternate serving two points each until a winner is decided. This system ensures neither player gets stuck serving for too long, keeping the pressure perfectly balanced.

At Mantis, we believe that precision gear is the perfect partner for a precise understanding of the game. Our equipment is crafted for players who live for progress and love the sport. Explore our range of performance rackets, strings, and balls at https://mantissport.com.