The first time someone calls “15-love” or “deuce,” tennis scoring can sound like a code. The system is easier once you separate a match into three parts: points make games, games make sets, and sets decide the match.
The basic scoring ladder
Within a standard game, points are called in this order:
| Points won | Score called |
|---|---|
| 0 | Love |
| 1 | 15 |
| 2 | 30 |
| 3 | 40 |
| 4 or more | Game, if the player is ahead by two points |
The server’s score is announced first. If the server has won two points and the receiver has won one, the score is 30-15. If the receiver is ahead by two points, it is 15-40. “Love” means zero; “15-love” means one player has won a point and the other has not.
Unlike most sports, tennis does not use a simple count like 1, 2, 3 for points. But after you learn the sequence, the key thing to remember is that a player usually needs to win four points—and be two points ahead—to take a game.
Deuce and advantage
If both players reach 40, the score is deuce. A player must win two points in a row from deuce to win a standard game.
The first point after deuce gives its winner the advantage. You may hear “advantage server” or “advantage receiver,” or the shorter calls “ad-in” and “ad-out.” If the player with advantage wins the next point, that player wins the game. If the opponent wins it, the score returns to deuce. This can happen several times in a long game.
For example, if the score is deuce and the receiver wins the next point, the receiver has advantage. If the server then wins the following point, nobody has won the game yet: the score is deuce again. That back-and-forth is why a game can last much longer than four points.
No-ad scoring
Some recreational games and competitions use no-ad scoring to shorten play. At deuce, one deciding point is played instead of requiring a two-point lead. In doubles, the receiving team usually chooses which player will receive that point; the event’s rules determine the exact procedure. Check the format before play, because the deciding point changes the usual deuce-and-advantage system.
How games make a set
Games are counted in ordinary numbers. A set score of 4-2 means one player or team has won four games and the other has won two. In most standard formats, the first to six games wins the set, but must lead by at least two. So 6-4 wins the set, while 6-5 does not: the player ahead must win another game to make it 7-5, or the score may reach 6-6.
At 6-6, many matches use a tiebreak. The winner takes the set 7-6. Some events use different rules, including a longer set or a match tiebreak in place of a full deciding set, so competition regulations matter.
How a tiebreak works
A tiebreak counts points as 0, 1, 2, 3 and so on. A player typically needs to reach at least seven points and lead by two to win. If the score reaches 6-6, play continues until someone builds that two-point margin—for example, 8-6 or 10-8.
The serving pattern changes for the tiebreak. The player whose turn it is to serve starts with one point. The opponent serves the next two, then the first player serves the following two, and that two-point pattern continues. Players change ends after every six points. In a standard tiebreak, the score might be called “5-4”; the server’s tiebreak points are still announced first.
Some deciding sets use a 10-point match tiebreak instead of a full set. It is usually won by the first player or team to reach 10 points with a two-point lead. That is a match-format choice, not the rule for every tiebreak, so confirm what your event is using.
How a match is won
Most matches are best of three sets: the first player or team to win two sets wins the match. Some major men’s singles events use best of five, meaning three sets are needed. Other competitions may use shortened formats. The score is generally written with the winner’s games first in each set, such as 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. That example describes a three-set match won by the player who took the first and third sets.
A tiebreak result may be shown in parentheses to make the set score clearer, such as 7-6 (7-4). Here, the set finished 7-6, and the tiebreak itself finished 7-4.
Keeping score while you play
- Call the score before each point. The server announces the score, with their points first. This gives both players a chance to catch a mistake before play resumes.
- Track points only within the current game. After a game ends, reset the point score to love-all and add one game to the set score.
- Keep a running set score. A quick note on a scorecard or phone can help, especially in a long match. Write down the games after each one rather than relying on memory.
- Confirm the format before starting. Find out whether the match uses standard or no-ad games, a tiebreak at 6-6, and a full deciding set or match tiebreak.
For example, if the server wins the opening point, the score is 15-love. If the receiver wins the next two, it becomes 15-30. If the server then wins a point, it is 30-30. From there, keep calling the points in the usual sequence until someone wins the game under the format being played.
In doubles, the point and game scoring works the same way. Teams also follow a serving order: each player takes a turn serving in the rotation, which continues through the set. Before a match, agree on who serves first and the order for both teams so there is no confusion later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is zero called love?
It is the traditional tennis term for a score of zero. You do not need to know its historical origin to keep score correctly: just use “love” when a player has not won a point in that game.
Who calls the score in tennis?
The server normally calls the score before serving each point, with the server’s score first. In organized matches, an umpire may make the calls. In casual play, either player can ask for clarification before the next point.
Does a let serve count as a point?
No. If a serve touches the net and still lands in the correct service box, it is generally called a let and replayed. A fault does not immediately cost a point either, but two faults on the same point—a double fault—give the point to the receiver.
Is every tiebreak played to seven?
No. A set tiebreak is commonly played to at least seven points with a two-point lead, while a deciding match tiebreak is often played to at least 10. The competition’s rules set the format.
Final Thoughts
Keep the sequence in mind—love, 15, 30, 40, then game—and remember that standard scoring requires a two-point lead at deuce. Games build sets, and sets build the match. Once you know whether your match uses a tiebreak or a shortened format, calling the score becomes part of the rhythm of play rather than a puzzle between points.
