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TENNIS – LEARN ABOUT THE RULES OF THE GAME AND SCORING
2023-11-08
Interest in tennis in Poland has definitely increased in recent years. This is undoubtedly influenced by the successes of Iga Świątek and other national players. Want to start following the struggles of tennis players or try your hand on the court yourself? Learn the most important rules of tennis and the rather unusual scoring rules of the sport.
HOW TO PLAY TENNIS?
At first glance, the tennis game is fairly self-explanatory – two players are opposite each other on a court divided in half by a net. Their job is to bounce the ball into the opponent's half. When one player fails to return the ball, the other gets a point. However, you only need to watch the game for a few minutes to notice the other rules of tennis as well.
Points, games, sets...
Each match consists of points, games and sets. A set is about winning six or seven games. Whereas, four points are required to win a game. In addition, the player must lead by a minimum of two games. The game is played until 2 or 3 sets are won, depending on the tournament. The surface on which the players play also varies. For example, the famous Wimbledon is played on a grass surface and the Australian Open is played on a clay (crushed brick) surface.
Serve and rally
One player is the serving player and their opponent is tasked with returning the ball. The rally starts with a service from behind the end line and the roles reverse at the end of each game. The receiver can position themselves anywhere on their side of the court. Once the server has performed the correct service, the rally takes place. Players must bounce the ball before it bounces twice off their half court. The rally ends when one of the players makes a mistake, i.e. fails to return the ball or strikes it out of bounds (out of court).
TENNIS – SCORING RULES
Points can be scored when an opponent fails to return the ball or strikes it out of bounds. If the opponent fails to return the service ball and the rally does not take place, an 'ace' occurs. In addition, points can be scored when an opponent commits a service error such as:
• a service out,
• a play that does not go over the net,
• “foot fault”, i.e. crossing or making contact with the baseline of the court,
• double fault, i.e. two missed serves.
Points in tennis are calculated in a specific way. The first win is awarded 15 points, the second 30, the third 40, and the fourth involves winning a game. To win a game, you only need to win four balls, but you need to be two points ahead of your opponent. When the receiving player needs one win to break (win a game), it is referred to as a “break point”.
What is a tie-break?
The rules of tennis provide for play to two or three sets won. Winning a set, on the other hand, requires winning six games with a lead of two over your opponent. In the event of a 6:6 result, there are two possible outcomes. The first is to continue playing until one of the players has a two-game lead. More often, however, a so-called tie-break is used. It is a conclusive game. Its points are counted differently from standard games (i.e. 1, 2, 3, etc.).
However, the first player to score seven points, with a minimum advantage of two over their opponent, is the winner. Winning the tie-break means winning the entire set. Some interesting information include the fact that tie-breaks are not played in competitions such as the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, Davis Cup or Fed Cup, and at the Olympic Games. As a result, matches at evenly balanced levels of players in these events can sometimes be very long.
WHAT DOES A TENNIS COURT LOOK LIKE?
Tennis rules also include the required court parameters. As mentioned earlier, it can have different types of surface. However, the size of the court is always the same. It must be 23.77 metres long and 8.23 metres wide (for single play). During doubles, or pairs play, the court is wider at 10.97 m.
The court is divided into two halves by a net. It must be attached to posts at a height of 1.07 m. Whereas, in the middle of the court, its height should be 0.914 m. Therefore, posts and nets are basic tennis equipment. There is also an umpire’s chair on the court at all times – the main umpire sitting on a raised platform announces the outcome of each action and ensures that the game proceeds correctly. They are assisted by linesmen located at the court lines.
WHERE TO BUY PROFESSIONAL TENNIS EQUIPMENT?
Looking for professional court equipment? At Sport Transfer you will find tennis equipment to suit a variety of needs. We offer posts, nets, 
and other court equipment, as well as assembly elements and accessories. We encourage you to take a look at our range!