Want to learn how to play tennis or understand what’s happening at a tournament or on TV? Knowing the rules is essential. They might seem a bit confusing at first, but don’t worry—we’ll explain everything clearly and simply. Keep reading to get a straightforward guide to the official tennis rules that most organizations follow.
First, it’s important to know that the rules for singles and doubles tennis matches are different, though they’re mostly similar. Before we dive into the specifics of singles and doubles, let’s cover some general tennis rules that apply to all matches.
Basic Tennis Rules
- A ball must land within the court boundaries for play to continue. If a player hits the ball outside, they lose the point.
- Players or teams cannot touch the net, posts, or cross onto the opponent’s side of the tennis court.
- Players or teams cannot catch or carry the ball with their tennis racket.
- Players cannot hit the ball twice before it goes over the net.
- Players must wait for the ball to cross the net before attempting to return it.
- If a player fails to return a live ball before it bounces twice, they lose the point.
- If the ball hits or touches a player, it results in a penalty.
- A penalty is given if the tennis racket leaves the player’s hand or if there is verbal abuse.
- Any ball that lands on the boundary lines is considered in.
- A serve must bounce once before the receiving player can return it.
Equipment
- Tennis Racket: The tennis racket has a handle, frame, and strings woven in a crisscross pattern. It should not exceed 32 inches in length, with a handle no longer than 12.5 inches, and a hitting surface no more than 15.5 inches long or 11.5 inches wide. Only devices that reduce vibration and wear are allowed.
- Tennis Balls: Tennis balls are white or yellow for tournaments, with a diameter of 2-1/2 to 2-5/8 inches and a weight of 2 to 2-1/16. The ball’s elasticity and surface must meet approved standards. When selecting tennis balls for tennis, it’s crucial to ensure they meet these specifications.
- Tennis Shoes: Proper tennis footwear is essential for maintaining balance and grip on the tennis court. Wearing the right tennis shoes can significantly impact your game, providing stability and support during play. Shoes tennis shoes are specifically designed to handle the movements and demands of the sport.
Scoring
- Points: Points are the smallest unit of measurement and increase from Love (0) to 15, 30, 40, and then game.
- Games: A game is won by the first player to reach 4 points with at least a 2-point lead.
- Sets: A set consists of 6 games, and a player or team wins the set by being the first to reach 6 games with a 2-game lead.
- Advantage Set: If the score reaches 6-6, an advantage set rule requires a player or team to win by 2 games to take the set.
- Matches: Matches are typically played as the best of 3 or 5 sets.
- Deuce: If the score is 40-40, a player must win 2 consecutive points to win the game. Winning one point gives a player the advantage, but if they lose the next point, the score returns to deuce.
- Tie-Break Game: If the set score is like 6-6, a tie-break game decides the winner. Players must reach 7 points with a 2-point lead. The serving order is Player 1 serves for the first point, Player 2 serves for the next two points, Player 1 serves for the next two points, and so on.
Understanding the Court Lines
- Baseline: The baselines are the lines on either end of the court that determine the boundaries of play going lengthwise. They are also where a player serves behind.
- Center Mark: The center mark determines the two halves of the tennis court. It mainly helps with service to determine where a player should stand prior to serving.
- Center Line: The center line divides the two service boxes into a distinct left service box and right service box on either side of the court. Landing a serve on the line is considered good.
- Net: The net stands 3 feet and 6 inches high where the posts lie while the middle of the net is 3 feet tall, with the posts 3 feet outside of the court on either side. Hitting a ball into the net is considered an out while any ball that hits the net cord and falls onto the other side is considered good except for a serve, which allows for a re-do, or let.
- Service Line: The service line separates the forecourt from the back court, and it also marks the length of the service box.
- Singles Sideline: The singles sideline is the innermost line running lengthwise and determines the boundary of play for singles matches as well as the width of the service box.
- Doubles Sideline: The doubles sideline is the outermost line running lengthwise and is only used in doubles matches.
Who Serves First?
A flip of the coin or spin of the tennis racket, known as the toss, determines which player or team serves first. If called correctly, the player or team that did so chooses who serves first. The player/team who did not call it correctly decides which side of the court they want to play on first.
Rally
The rally consists of the exchange of shots after the serve is made until a player/team makes a mistake and loses the point. Any shot that is hit within bounds is considered good and allows the rally to continue. If you want to learn how to play tennis, you will need to know how to rally consistently.
Serving and Choosing Sides
- Foot Fault: A foot fault is when a player steps into the court or crosses the center mark before they have made contact with the ball. This results in the loss of the serve.
- Proper Serve: A player serves on the right side of the court at the beginning of each game, with the goal of serving the ball into the diagonal service box. If the serve lands in the correct service box, play can continue. The server switches to serve on the left side for the next point, and vice versa until the game is over.
- First Service: The server is allowed two chances to land their ball into the service box. The first attempt is known as the first service. Failing the first service leads to the second service.
- Second Service: The second attempt is known as the second service. Failing the second service results in the loss of the point.
- Let: A let is a re-do given to a player who serves although the ball hits the net cord before falling into the correct service box. You are allowed an infinite amount of lets, although it does not happen often.
- Order of Service: The player/team who wins the toss serves first (team that wins chooses which player serves). If playing singles matches, players alternate between serving and receiving every game. If playing doubles matches, teams alternate between serving and receiving every game, with each player on a team getting the chance to serve before the cycle repeats.
- Switching Sides: Players/teams switch sides for every odd-numbered game (so, games 3, 5, 7 etc.)
Singles Vs. Doubles Tennis Rules
Singles Tennis Rules
- Court Size: The singles court uses the innermost sideline and measures 27 feet wide by 78 feet long.
- Serving Order: The player who wins the coin toss chooses who will serve first. This player serves for the entire first game. After the first game, the player who received the serve last will serve in the second game. Players switch serving every game, and for every odd-numbered game, players also switch sides of the court.
- Tie-Break Serving Order: If the score reaches 6-6, a tie-break game is played. The goal is to reach 7 points first with at least a 2-point lead to win the set. The serving order for a tie-break game is:
- Point 1: Player A
- Point 2: Player B
- Point 3: Player B
- Point 4: Player A
- Point 5: Player A
- Point 6: Player B
- Point 7: Player B
- Point 8: Player A
- Point 9: Player A
- And so on.
- Match Format: Singles matches are usually played as the best of 3 sets, though some men’s singles tournaments use the best of 5 sets, depending on the tournament’s rules.
Doubles Tennis Rules
- Court Size: The doubles court uses the outermost sideline and measures 36 feet wide by 78 feet long.
- Serving Order: The team winning the toss decides which team serves first, and then that team chooses their server. The first server serves for the entire first game. After that, the next server is chosen by the team and serves for the duration of the second game. For every odd-numbered game, teams switch sides of the court, and the player who didn’t serve in the previous game serves for their team. The order of serving follows:
- Game 1: Player A
- Game 2: Player B
- Game 3: Player C
- Game 4: Player D
- Game 5: Player A
- Game 6: Player B
- Game 7: Player C
- Game 8: Player D
- And so on.
- Tie-Break Serving Order: In doubles, the same principle of tie-break serving order follows as in singles with a slight difference:
- Point 1: Player X
- Point 2: Player Y
- Point 3: Player Y
- Point 4: Player X
- Point 5: Player X
- Point 6: Player Y
- Point 7: Player Y
- Point 8: Player X
- Point 9: Player X
- And so on.
- Match Format: Doubles matches are usually played as the best of 3 sets.
Understanding and following these rules will help you enjoy the game of tennis, whether you’re playing or just watching. Now that you have a good grasp of the basics, you can confidently step onto the court and start playing. Enjoy the game!
Conclusion
Tennis is an engaging and dynamic sport with a rich set of rules that ensure fair play and competitive excitement. By understanding the basics of tennis—from the court layout and equipment specifications to the detailed scoring system and unique rules for singles and doubles—you’ll be well-prepared to enjoy playing and watching the game. Whether you’re a beginner or simply looking to deepen your appreciation of tennis, this guide provides a solid foundation. So, grab your racquet, head to the court, and start practicing those rallies!
FAQs about Tennis Rules
Q: What is a tennis racket? A: A tennis racket is a piece of equipment used by players to hit the ball in tennis. It has a handle, frame, and strings woven in a crisscross pattern.
Q: What are the dimensions of a tennis court? A: The tennis court measures 27 feet wide by 78 feet long for singles matches, and 36 feet wide by 78 feet long for doubles matches.
Q: How many sets are in a typical tennis match? A: Matches are typically played as the best of 3 or 5 sets, depending on the tournament’s rules.
Q: What happens if a tennis ball hits the net during a serve? A: If the ball hits the net cord and falls into the correct service box, it’s called a let, and the player gets to serve again. If it doesn’t fall into the correct service box, it’s considered a fault.
Q: What is a tie-break game in tennis? A: A tie-break game is played when the set score reaches 6-6. The first player or team to reach 7 points with at least a 2-point lead wins the set.
