Doubles uses the same basic tennis scoring as singles: points build into games, games build into sets, and sets decide the match. The main difference is how the four players take turns serving and receiving—and which court areas count as in.
Most recreational matches follow regular advantage scoring, while some leagues and tournaments use no-ad games or a match tiebreak to finish. Check the event rules before you play, but the guide below covers the usual scoring and rotation.
How points, games, and sets are scored
A doubles game follows the familiar tennis sequence. The serving team’s score is called first, then the receiving team’s score:
- 0 points: love
- 1 point: 15
- 2 points: 30
- 3 points: 40
- 4 points, with a lead of two: game
If the score reaches 40-40, it is called deuce. With standard advantage scoring, a team must win two points in a row from deuce. The first gives it the advantage; the next wins the game. If the other team wins the following point, the score returns to deuce.
For example, if Team A is serving and the score is 30-40, Team A needs to win the next point to make it 40-40. Team B is one point from winning the game. The score is always announced with the server’s team first.
Most sets go to six games, but a team must win by two. At 6-6, many matches use a tiebreak, usually played to at least seven points with a two-point lead. A match may use a different format, so check whether its rules call for a full final set or a deciding match tiebreak.
What changes in doubles?
The scoring sequence stays the same, but all four players share the serving and receiving duties. Each team has two players, often called partners, and the doubles court includes the side alleys. Those alleys are in for rallies, so a shot landing in an alley is good during a point. The alleys are not part of the service box: a serve still has to land in the diagonal service court.
How serving rotation works
Each player on a team serves in turn. Once a team’s first server has served a game, that player’s partner serves the next time their team is due to serve. The opposing team follows its own two-player rotation. This means the four players take turns serving over the course of a set.
Before a set begins, each team decides which partner will serve first. The players then keep the same serving order for that set. In a tiebreak, the service sequence continues according to the order already established. Teams can choose a new serving order at the start of the next set.
Here’s a simple example. Call the players A1 and A2 on one team, and B1 and B2 on the other. If A1 serves the first game, the service order could be:
- A1 serves the first game.
- B1 serves the second game.
- A2 serves the third game.
- B2 serves the fourth game.
The pattern then repeats. The players don’t switch servers partway through a game: one person serves every point in that game, alternating between the deuce and ad service courts.
How receiving positions work
The two players on the receiving team also choose who will receive from each side at the start of a set. One partner receives serves hit into the deuce court; the other receives serves into the ad court. They keep those sides for the rest of the set, including a tiebreak. The receiving team can pick new sides at the start of the next set.
That choice matters tactically. A team might put the partner with the stronger backhand return on the side where it will face more important points, or place a confident returner against a server who favors a particular direction. It also gives partners a clear plan: each knows which balls are theirs to take.
No-ad scoring and match tiebreaks
Some doubles formats shorten the match with no-ad scoring, a match tiebreak, or both. These changes affect how a game or match ends, but not the basic point values. Always follow the tournament or league’s stated format.
| Format | What happens at a key score | Common use |
|---|---|---|
| Advantage game | At deuce, a team must win two points in a row to take the game. | Traditional scoring |
| No-ad game | At deuce, the next point wins the game. The receiving team chooses which side receives. | Some doubles events and recreational leagues |
| Match tiebreak | Often played instead of a final set, usually to 10 points with a two-point lead. | Some tournament doubles matches |
In a standard tiebreak, players serve in a set order: the first server serves one point, then each following player serves two points in turn. The tiebreak is usually played to seven points, but a team must win by two. In a match tiebreak, the same two-point margin applies even when the target is 10.
Quick tips for keeping score
- Call the score before each point. Say the serving team’s score first.
- Keep track of the server. A quick check before each game helps prevent serving out of turn.
- Remember the set’s receiving sides. Each receiver stays on the chosen side until the next set.
- Confirm the event format. No-ad games and match tiebreaks can change how a close match ends.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is doubles scoring different from singles scoring?
The point, game, set, and tiebreak scoring systems are generally the same. Doubles adds a second player to each team and uses the full doubles court, including the side alleys during rallies.
Does each partner serve during the same game?
No. One player serves the whole game. Partners take turns serving when their team is next due to serve, and the order stays fixed for that set.
Who chooses which side receives the serve?
At the start of a set, the receiving team decides which partner receives from the deuce court and which receives from the ad court. They keep those positions for that set.
How many points do you need to win a doubles tiebreak?
A regular tiebreak is commonly played to seven points, and a match tiebreak is commonly played to 10. In either case, the winning team must lead by at least two points.
Final Thoughts
Doubles scoring is straightforward once you separate the score from the rotation. Points and games work much like singles; the extra details are knowing whose turn it is to serve, which partner receives from each side, and whether the match uses advantage or no-ad scoring. Agree on those details before the first serve, and close games are much easier to follow.
