Tennis Scoring Explained: How Points, Games, and Sets Work

When you watch a tennis match, the scoring can feel confusing—tennis scoring, the system used to determine winners in tennis matches through points, games, and sets doesn’t follow normal counting. It starts at zero, called "love," then jumps to 15, 30, 40—and then you hear "deuce" and "advantage." It’s not broken. It’s just old. And once you know how it works, it makes perfect sense.

At its core, a tennis game, the basic unit of scoring where one player must win at least four points and be ahead by two is won by being the first to four points with a two-point lead. If both players get to 40, that’s deuce, the tied score at 40-40 where a player must win two consecutive points to win the game. After deuce, the next point is called "advantage"—if the same player wins the next one, they win the game. If not, it goes back to deuce. This keeps matches competitive and prevents lucky one-point wins.

Now, a set, a collection of games where a player must win at least six games and be ahead by two is what builds the match. Most sets are won 6-3, 6-4, or 7-5. If it gets to 6-6, a tiebreak usually happens—first to seven points, win by two. The exception? The final set in some Grand Slams still goes without a tiebreak, meaning players keep playing until one leads by two games. That’s why matches can last five hours.

And then there’s the match, the full contest, typically best of three or five sets, depending on the tournament. Women’s matches are usually best of three. Men’s Grand Slam matches are best of five. That’s why you see players dragging themselves off the court after five hours—they’re not just tired, they’ve played through three or five full rounds of this strange, beautiful scoring system.

It’s not just about winning points. It’s about patience, control, and mental toughness. A player can win 50 points and still lose the match if they don’t win the right ones at the right time. That’s why tennis scoring rewards consistency, not just power.

What you’ll find below are real questions from people who watch, play, or just want to understand the game better. Why is it called love? How do tiebreaks work in Wimbledon? What’s the longest game ever played? These aren’t theory questions—they’re lived experiences from players and fans who’ve been there. You’ll get clear answers, no fluff, no jargon. Just the rules, the history, and the moments that make tennis scoring unforgettable.