Tennis Scoring: Simple Guide to Points, Games, Sets & Tie‑breaks

Ever watched a match and wondered why the numbers jump around so much? You’re not alone. Tennis has its own language, but once you get the flow, reading a score feels as easy as checking a basketball scoreboard.

Understanding Points and Games

Each rally starts at "love" – that’s zero. The first point wins you 15, the second 30, the third 40. Win a fourth point and the game is yours – unless both players hit 40. That’s called "deuce" and the next point gives "advantage". If the player with advantage wins the next rally, the game ends; if they lose, you go back to deuce.

To snag a game, you need to win four points and be at least two points ahead. That two‑point margin is why deuce can stretch a game out for several minutes, especially when both competitors are evenly matched.

Sets, Tie‑breaks, and Match Formats

A set is a collection of games. The standard rule is first to six games, but you must be two games ahead. So, 6‑4 wins the set, but 6‑5 doesn’t – you have to push it to 7‑5 or trigger a tie‑break at 6‑6.

A tie‑break is a quick race to seven points, again needing a two‑point lead. Players switch ends every six points, and the server alternates after the first point, then every two points. The winner of the tie‑break claims the set 7‑6.

Matches come in two flavors: best‑of‑three sets (most women’s and many men’s events) or best‑of‑five sets (Grand Slam men’s). Your final score might look like 6‑3, 4‑6, 7‑6(5), meaning you won two sets and lost one, with the last set decided by a tie‑break that ended 7‑5.

If you’re new to following tennis, focus on the numbers before the hyphen – they tell you how many games each player has won in that set. The numbers in parentheses after a 7‑6 indicate the tie‑break score, so 7‑6(8) means the tie‑break ended 10‑8.

Now that you know the basics, watching a match becomes less mysterious. You’ll spot when a player is pushing for a break point, understand why they’re nervous at deuce, and appreciate the drama of a tie‑break. Next time you hear "love‑15" or see a score like 6‑4, 5‑7, 7‑6(4), you’ll know exactly what’s happening on the court.