Tennis Rules Simplified  

The rules of tennis are quite simple. The game itself is complex. "

Rule 1.

• Opponents stand on opposite sides of the court.
• The player who delivers the ball to start the point is called the server.
• The player who stands opposite and cross-court from the server is the receiver.

Rule 2.

• The right to serve, receive, choose your side, or give the opponent these choices is decided by a toss of a coin or racquet.
• If the choice of serve or receive is chosen, the opponent chooses which side to start.

Rule 3.

• The server shall stand behind the baseline on the deuce court within the boundaries of the singles court when playing singles and within the doubles sideline when playing doubles.
• All even points are played from the deuce court and odd number points played from the advantage court.
• The server shall not serve until the receiver is ready.
• Serves are made from the deuce court to the opponent's service box on the deuce court. Advantage court to advantage box.
• If the server misses his target twice, he loses the point.
• If the ball hits the net and goes in the correct service box, another serve is granted.
• If the server step on the baseline before contact is made, the serve is deemed a fault.

Rule 4.

• The receiver is deemed ready if an attempt is made to return the server's ball.
• The receiver can stand where he likes but must let the ball bounce in the service box.
• If the ball does not land in the service box, it is deemed a fault and a second serve is given.
• If the ball is hit by either opponent before the ball bounces, the server wins the point.

Rule 5.

• After the game, the opponents serve. Games equal 1. The first to win 6 games, by two, wins the set.
• The first to win 2 sets wins the match.
• If the score is 6-6, a tie-breaker is played.
• This is scored by one's.
• The first team to score 7 points winning by two wins the set.
• The tiebreaker continues until one side wins by two. Hence, Game-Set-Match.

Rule 6.

• If the ball goes into the net, or outside the boundaries of the court, the player who hit that ball loses the point.
• If the ball hits the net during the point and goes into the opponents court, the ball is in play.
• A player loses the point if:
• he touches the net.
• drops his racquet while hitting the ball
• bounces the ball over the net
• hits a part of the surroundings such as the roof, or a tree.
• the ball touches him or his partner.
• he deliberately tries to distract the opponent.

Rule 7.

• A let is called during the point if a ball rolls on the court or there is a distraction from someone besides the players on the court.

Rule 8.

• A ball that lands on the line is good.

Rule 9.

• If players serve out of turn or serve to the wrong person or court, the point or game will stand and order will be resumed following the point or game

Tennis Scoring

Singles

• The server always calls his score first.
• Scoring is done like a clock.
• Love means zero in tennis.
• If a player wins his first point, the score is called 15 for that player.
• on winning his second point, the score is called 30 for that player.
• on winning his third point, the score is called 40 for that player, and the fourth point won by a player is scored game for that player except as below:-
• If both players have won three points, the score is called deuce.
• the next point won by a player is scored advantage for that player.
• If the same player wins the next point, he wins the game.
• if the other player wins the next point the score is again called deuce; and so on, until a player wins the two points immediately following the score at deuce, when the game is scored for that player.
• Advantage-In means if the server wins the next point, he wins the game.
• Advantage-Out means the receiver has a chance to win the game on the next point.

Doubles

• In doubles a similar procedure to that for singles shall apply.
• At deuce the Receiving Team shall choose whether it wishes to receive the Service from the right-half of the court or the left-half of the court.
• The team who wins the deciding point is scored the game.

Mixed Doubles

In mixed doubles, a slightly different procedure will apply as follows:

• At deuce, with the male player serving, he shall serve to the male player of the opposing team irrespective of which half of the court he is standing.
• when the female player is serving, she shall serve to the female player of the opposing team.

Court Measurements