Tennis Rules for Beginners: Scoring, Serving and Court Basics

A tennis match can look complicated until the first few points are broken down. The server starts each point from behind the baseline, the receiver sends the ball back after one bounce, and the rally continues until someone misses, hits the ball out or breaks a rule. The unusual scoring system is the part that takes longest to feel natural, but the rest of the game follows a clear pattern.

How tennis scoring works

A game begins at love, which means zero. The first point is 15, the second is 30, and the third is 40. A player must win four points with a margin of two to take the game.

• 0 points: love
• 1 point: 15
• 2 points: 30
• 3 points: 40
• 4 points: game, provided the player leads by two points

At 40–40, the score is called deuce. The next point gives the winner advantage. If that player wins the following point, they win the game. If they lose it, the score returns to deuce.

A set is usually won by the first player to take six games while leading by at least two. At 6–6, most competitions use a tie-break. Match formats vary: many professional matches are best of three sets, while some men’s Grand Slam matches use best of five. Local leagues and social matches may use shortened sets or match tie-breaks, so players should check the competition format before starting.

The tennis court and its lines

The court has different boundaries for singles and doubles. In singles, the inner side lines are used. In doubles, the wider outer side lines are included, creating the doubles alley.

The baseline runs across the back of each side of the court. The service line sits closer to the net and divides each half into two service boxes. The centre service line separates the left and right service boxes. The net divides the court in the middle.

During a rally, a ball touching a boundary line is considered in. This applies to the baseline and side lines. A shot is out only when the ball lands completely beyond the relevant line. For a serve, however, the ball must land in the diagonally opposite service box, not anywhere on the opponent’s side.

Serving rules for new players

One player serves an entire game, then the other player serves the next game. The server alternates sides after every point: the first serve of a game comes from the right side, followed by the left, and so on. The serve must travel diagonally across the net into the correct service box.

The server has two attempts. A first serve that lands outside the service box, clips the net and fails to enter the correct box, or breaks another serving rule is a fault. A second failed attempt is a double fault, and the receiver wins the point.

The server must stand behind the baseline and between the centre mark and the appropriate singles sideline. Their feet may not touch or cross the baseline before the racket makes contact with the ball. This mistake is called a foot fault.

After the serve is struck, the receiver must let the ball bounce once before returning it. The server does not need to wait for the receiver to be perfectly ready in every situation, but good recreational play normally includes a clear signal that the receiver is prepared. A serve that touches the net and still lands in the correct service box is a let; it is replayed and does not count as a fault.

What happens during a rally?

After the serve has bounced, both players may hit the ball before or after one bounce. The ball must be returned over the net and land inside the opponent’s court. A player loses the point if they:

• Fail to return the ball before it bounces twice.
• Hit the ball into the net.
• Hit the ball outside the correct court lines.
• Touch the net or its supporting posts while the ball is in play.
• Deliberately carry, catch or hold the ball on the racket.
• Allow the ball to touch their body or clothing before the shot is completed.

A ball that clips the net during a normal rally remains in play if it crosses the net and lands inside the court. Players may also hit the ball before it crosses fully to their side only in limited situations; reaching over the net to make contact normally loses the point unless the ball has already crossed to the player’s side and the follow-through carries the racket over the net.

Players should call lines honestly in recreational tennis. If a ball is clearly in, it should not be called out because the shot was difficult to return. On an unclear call, the benefit generally goes to the opponent, particularly when there is no umpire or electronic line-calling system.

Tie-break rules explained

A standard set tie-break is commonly played at 6–6. Instead of regular 15–30–40 scoring, players count points as 1, 2, 3 and so on. The first player to reach seven points wins the tie-break, but they must lead by two. At 6–6, play continues until one player has a two-point advantage.

The player whose turn it is to serve starts with one point from the right side. The opponent then serves the next two points, beginning from the left. From that point onward, players serve two points each, changing ends after every six points. The winner of the tie-break wins the set 7–6.

Singles, doubles and match etiquette

Doubles tennis uses the wider court, but the serving pattern is similar. Partners keep a fixed serving order within the set: one player serves the first game, an opponent serves the second, the other partner serves the third, and the remaining opponent serves the fourth. The order then repeats.

Players change ends after the first game, after every odd-numbered game, and at the end of a tie-break. A short break is normally allowed during these changes, although exact timing depends on the rules of the competition.

Good tennis etiquette is part of learning the rules. Keep quiet while a point is being played, return stray balls only when the rally has ended, avoid walking behind a court during a point and acknowledge a clean shot from an opponent. If a ball from another court rolls onto the playing area, stop the point rather than trying to continue around it.

A simple way to start playing

For a first match, use normal court lines and practise the sequence: one serve, one bounce, one return, then an open rally. Call the score before each point, starting with the server’s score. Beginners can also use a shortened set to four games or a first-to-seven match tie-break, provided both players agree before play begins.

The essential tennis rules are straightforward once the order becomes familiar: serve diagonally, keep the ball inside the lines, allow one bounce, count points correctly and win games and sets by the required margin. After that foundation is secure, faults, tie-breaks and doubles positions become much easier to follow.