Tennis scoring can feel confusing at first, especially with its unusual terms and layered structure. Love, deuce, advantage—it’s not exactly self-explanatory. But once you break it down, the system is actually straightforward and consistent across nearly all levels of play.
Whether you're watching a Grand Slam match or picking up a racket for the first time, here’s how the tennis scoring system really works.
At the core of tennis scoring are three parts: points, games, and sets. Matches are composed of sets, sets are made up of games, and games are built from individual points.
Here’s the standard progression of points within a game:
If both players reach 40, it’s called deuce. From there, a player must win two consecutive points: one for the advantage, and the next to win the game.
This part of the scoring structure stays consistent regardless of the match level or tournament.
To win a set, a player must win at least six games and lead by two. If the score reaches 6–5, one more game can end the set at 7–5. If it gets to 6–6, most formats use a tiebreak to decide the winner of the set.
A standard tiebreak is played to 7 points (must win by two), and the winner of the tiebreak takes the set 7–6.
Some tournaments have different rules for deciding final sets, especially in major events, but the 6-game standard is almost universal for regular sets.
A match is typically played as best-of-three or best-of-five sets:
In non-Grand Slam events like ATP and WTA 250s, 500s, and Masters events, even top-level pros play best-of-three sets. The five-set format is mainly reserved for the Grand Slams and Davis Cup.
One thing that throws people off about tennis scoring is the terminology. “Love” means zero, “15” and “30” don’t represent actual point values, and “40” comes out of nowhere. While the exact origins are debated, one common theory traces these terms back to medieval French numerals used on clock faces for early scorekeeping.
Whatever the roots, they’ve stuck around. And once you get used to them, they become second nature.
Most sets that reach a 6–6 score go to a tiebreak, but not all formats use the same rules in final sets.
Here’s the general breakdown:
Before this change, tournaments like Wimbledon had final sets that could continue indefinitely until a two-game margin was reached. That led to some legendary matches—but also scheduling headaches.
Now, all four Grand Slams use a 10-point final set tiebreak at 6–6, bringing consistency to the sport.
In tennis, players alternate serving every game. During tiebreaks, the serve alternates more frequently: the first server serves one point, then it switches every two points after that.
Players also switch sides of the court every odd-numbered game (after the first, third, fifth, etc.). This helps account for any environmental differences, like sun or wind.
In doubles, the scoring is nearly identical to singles, with one key difference: no-ad scoring is often used. That means at deuce, the next point wins the game—no need to win by two.
Also, many doubles matches replace a third set with a match tiebreak, played to 10 points. This speeds up play while still providing a decisive finish.
At recreational levels, especially in junior or club play, scoring formats are often modified to fit time constraints. For example:
Even with these variations, the basic point progression—15, 30, 40, game—usually stays the same.
Tennis scoring may seem complicated at first, but it’s built on a clear, layered structure. Once you understand how points lead to games and how games lead to sets, the rest falls into place.
Whether you’re new to the sport or just brushing up before a big tournament, knowing how the scoring works makes the entire experience more enjoyable—on the court or from the stands.
