TENNIS SCORING AND

MATCHPLAY

DR. MOHD FAHMI BIN MOHD YUSOF

SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES
CONTENTS
• Scoring format in tennis
• Game formats in tennis
• Match formats in tennis
Scoring Format in Tennis
• Scoring in tennis is to determine
the winner of a tennis match
• The scoring in tennis is divided
into 3 parts
– Points
– Game
– Set
Scoring Format in Tennis
• The Points has the scoring sequence of 15, 30, 40.
After winning the point at 40, a Game is
completed.
• Only one player/side that will serve for each
game. After The Game is completed, the match
will continue with the other player/side to serve.
• When a player serves and win the Game, it is
often called ‘hold serve’
• When a player serves and lose the Game, it is
called ‘break’ or ‘broken serve’.
• A serving player is said to be more advantageous
as he/she starts the Points with offence.
Scoring Format in Tennis
• For example, The match A
starts with Player A to
serve.
• The game shall start from
the Deuce court to
Advantage Court
continuously.
• If Player A scores a point, it
will be 15-0 score. If the
next point is won by Player
B, it will be 15-15 score.
• If the Point is tied at 40-40,
it is called ‘deuce’. B
 Scoring Format in Tennis
• During ‘Deuce’, a player need to win 2 Points continuously
to win the Game
• If Player A wins a point after Deuce, the score is called
‘Advantage Player A’ of ‘Advantage Server’ (AD). If Player A
wins another point, the Game is completed giving the score
1-0 in the Set.
• If Player B wins a point after Deuce, the score is called
‘Advantage Player B’ of ‘Advantage Striker’ (AD). If Player B
wins another Point, the Game is completed giving the score
1-0 in the Set.
• If Player A wins a point after Deuce (AD), then Player B wins
the next, the AD is cancelled and the score is back to Deuce
until any player wins two points back to back
Scoring Format in Tennis
• In Doubles match, the server’s A B
sequence would be A-X-B-Y.
• In certain format of match, no
AD is played. Therefore, any side
that win the Point after 40-40
will win the Game
• In this format, The receiving side
shall choose to receive from
deuce of advantage court.

Y X
Game Formats in Tennis
• There are many format of matches
introduced by the governing body
(ITF) to determine the match
namely:
– Tiebreak Set
– Short Set
– Pro-Set
– First to reach 9
 Game Formats in Tennis
Tiebreak Set
• The match is played until
any side wins 6 Games. The
match shall be played in 3
to 5 sets
• If the score is tied at 5-5,
the set shall be played until
7 (lead by 2 Games).
 Game Formats in Tennis
Tiebreaker point
If the score later tied at 6-6, a
tiebreaker shall be played. The
scoring will be 1 point each until
any side wins 7 points. The Set is
then concluded at 7-6 (score of the
tiebreak).
• Eg. 7-6(5) means the tiebreak
was won by Federer by 7-5
score.
Game Formats in Tennis
Short Set
• The set is played until any side wins 4
games. The match shall be played in 3 to 5
sets
• If the score was tied at 3-3, the set shall be
played until 5 (lead by 2 games) e.g. 5-3
• If the score later tied at 4-4, the tiebreaker
shall be played similar to the tiebreak set
(7 points) and the set will end at 5-4 score.
• Commonly used in many junior level and
developmental tournaments
Game Formats in Tennis
Pro Set
• Played only until any side wins 8 games. The match is only
played in 1 set.
• If the score is tied at 7-7, the match will be played until 9
(lead by 2 games)
• If the score is later tied at 8-8, tiebreaker of 7 points will
be played and the match will end at score of 9-8.
First to Reach 9 Set
• Played only until any side wins 9 games. The match is only
played in 1 set.
• If the score is tied at 8-8, a tiebreaker of 7 points shall be
played. The match will end at score of 9-8.
• Pro Set and First to Reach 9 Sets are commonly used in
recreational tournaments.
Match Formats in Tennis
• Several formats of tennis match is used in
a tournament to determine the winner of
a match
• This concerns only when Tiebreak Set and
Short Set are being used
• The most common formats are:
– Best of Three Match
– Best of 5 Match
– 2 +1 Match
Match Formats in Tennis
Best of Three Match
• The winner is determined when any side
first wins 2 sets from total of 3 sets.
• If the sets is tied at 1-1 sets, The match is
determined from the third and rubber set
• Commonly used in many professional
tournaments at lower Grades (ATP and ITF)
Match Formats in Tennis
Best of 5 Match
• The winner is determined when any side
first wins 3 sets from total of 5 sets.
• Used in big tournaments such as Grand
Slams, Olympic Games and Davis Cup
Match Formats in Tennis
• Some Tournaments do
not have tiebreaker in the
5th set when the sore in
the 5th set is tied at 6-6.
• The match will continue
until anybody wins 2
games back to back
• E.g. Wimbledon 2009
which Federer wins the
5th set with score 16-14
Trivia
The longest ever tennis match is
between Nicholas Mahut (Fra) and
John Isner (USA) in Wimbledon 2010.
The match took more than 11 hours
and played in 3 days
John Isner won the 5th set with the
score of 70-68. The 5th set alone was
played for more than 8 hours
THANK YOU