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1 Chapter 1 : Tennis/Basic rules - Wikibooks, open books for an open world Basic Rules of Tennis So you are all decked out with your racquet in hand and suited up but still struggling with the mind boggling rules of the tennis? This article aims provide you with the basic rules of the tennis game to enable you to inject some competitive spirit into your game. Louis was unhappy with playing tennis outdoors and accordingly had indoor, enclosed courts made in Paris "around the end of the 13th century". This in turn led to the codification of modern rules for many sports, including lawn tennis, most football codes, lawn bowls and others. After Leamington, the second club to take up the game of lawn tennis appears to have been the Edgbaston Archery and Croquet Society, also in Birmingham. Evans, turfgrass agronomist, "Sports historians all agree that [Wingfield] deserves much of the credit for the development of modern tennis. He produced a boxed set which included a net, poles, rackets, balls for playing the game â and most importantly you had his rules. He was absolutely terrific at marketing and he sent his game all over the world. He had very good connections with the clergy, the law profession, and the aristocracy and he sent thousands of sets out in the first year or so, in The first Championships culminated a significant debate on how to standardize the rules. She became fascinated by the game of tennis after watching British army officers play. The first American National championship was played there in September An Englishman named O. There were different rules at each club. The ball in Boston was larger than the one normally used in New York. On 21 May, the oldest nationwide tennis organization in the world [21] was formed, the United States National Lawn Tennis Association now the United States Tennis Association in order to standardize the rules and organize competitions. The World Hard Court Championships were awarded to France; the term "hard court" was used for clay courts at the time. Some tournaments were held in Belgium instead. The success of the event was overwhelming and the IOC decided to reintroduce tennis as a full medal sport at Seoul in Pyle established the first professional tennis tour with a group of American and French tennis players playing exhibition matches to paying audiences. Each year, a grass court tournament and an induction ceremony honoring new Hall of Fame members are hosted on its grounds. Wooden racket - c. Tennis technology Part of the appeal of tennis stems from the simplicity of equipment required for play. Beginners need only a racket and balls. For the first years of the modern game, rackets were made of wood and of standard size, and strings were of animal gut. Laminated wood construction yielded more strength in rackets used through most of the 20th century until first metal and then composites of carbon graphite, ceramics, and lighter metals such as titanium were introduced. These stronger materials enabled the production of oversized rackets that yielded yet more power. Meanwhile, technology led to the use of synthetic strings that match the feel of gut yet with added durability. The entire racket must be of a fixed shape, size, weight, and weight distribution. There may not be any energy source built into the rackets. The rackets must not provide any kind of communication, instruction or advice to the player during the match. The rules regarding rackets have changed over time, as material and engineering advances have been made. Wilson, Head and Babolat are some of the more commonly used brands; however, many more companies exist. A tennis racket and balls. Tennis ball Tennis balls were originally made of cloth strips stitched together with thread and stuffed with feathers. Traditionally white, the predominant colour was gradually changed to optic yellow in the latter part of the 20th century to allow for improved visibility. Tennis balls must conform to certain criteria for size, weight, deformation, and bounce to be approved for regulation play. Balls must weigh between Although the process of producing the balls has remained virtually unchanged for the past years, the majority of manufacturing now takes place in the Far East. The relocation is due to cheaper labour costs and materials in the region. Vibration dampeners may be interlaced in the proximal part of the string array for improved feel. Players often use sweat bands on their wrists to keep their hands dry and head bands or bandanas to keep the sweat out of their eyes as well. Finally, although the game can be played in a variety of shoes, specialized tennis shoes have wide, flat soles for stability and a built-up front structure to avoid excess wear. Manner of play The dimensions of a tennis court Two players before a serve For individual terms, see Glossary of tennis. Tennis court Tennis is played on a rectangular, flat surface. The court is 78 feet Page 1

2 A net is stretched across the full width of the court, parallel with the baselines, dividing it into two equal ends. It is held up by either a metal cable or cord that can be no more than 0. The modern tennis court owes its design to Major Walter Clopton Wingfield. Occasionally carpet is used for indoor play, with hardwood flooring having been historically used. Artificial turf courts can also be found. Lines The lines that delineate the width of the court are called the baseline farthest back and the service line middle of the court. The short mark in the center of each baseline is referred to as either the hash mark or the center mark. The outermost lines that make up the length are called the doubles sidelines. These are the boundaries used when doubles is being played. The lines to the inside of the doubles sidelines are the singles sidelines and are used as boundaries in singles play. The area between a doubles sideline and the nearest singles sideline is called the doubles alley, which is considered playable in doubles play. Despite its name, this is not where a player legally stands when making a serve. Point tennis The players or teams start on opposite sides of the net. One player is designated the server, and the opposing player is the receiver. The choice to be server or receiver in the first game and the choice of ends is decided by a coin toss before the warm-up starts. Service alternates game by game between the two players or teams. For each point, the server starts behind the baseline, between the center mark and the sideline. The receiver may start anywhere on their side of the net. When the receiver is ready, the server will serve, although the receiver must play to the pace of the server. In a legal service, the ball travels over the net without touching it and into the diagonally opposite service box. If the ball hits the net but lands in the service box, this is a let or net service, which is void, and the server retakes that serve. The player can serve any number of let services in a point and they are always treated as voids and not as faults. A fault is a serve that falls long or wide of the service box, or does not clear the net. If the second service is also a fault, the server double faults, and the receiver wins the point. However, if the serve is in, it is considered a legal service. A legal service starts a rally, in which the players alternate hitting the ball across the net. A player or team cannot hit the ball twice in a row. A ball that hits the net during a rally is still considered a legal return as long as it crosses into the opposite side of the court. The first player or team to fail to make a legal return loses the point. The server then moves to the other side of the service line at the start of a new point. For software term, see Breakpoint. Game, set, match Game A game consists of a sequence of points played with the same player serving. A game is won by the first player to have won at least four points in total and at least two points more than the opponent. The running score of each game is described in a manner peculiar to tennis: If at least three points have been scored by each side and a player has one more point than his opponent, the score of the game is "advantage" for the player in the lead. During informal games, "advantage" can also be called "ad in" or "van in" when the serving player is ahead, and "ad out" or "van out" when the receiving player is ahead. The scoreboard of a match between Andy Roddick and Cyril Saulnier. In tournament play, the chair umpire calls the point count e. At the end of a game, the chair umpire also announces the winner of the game and the overall score. Set A set consists of a sequence of games played with service alternating between games, ending when the count of games won meets certain criteria. Typically, a player wins a set by winning at least six games and at least two games more than the opponent. If one player has won six games and the opponent five, an additional game is played. If the leading player wins that game, the player wins the set 7â 5. If the trailing player wins the game tying the set 6â 6 a tie-break is played. A tie-break, played under a separate set of rules, allows one player to win one more game and thus the set, to give a final set score of 7â 6. Match A match consists of a sequence of sets. The outcome is determined through a best of three or five sets system. On the professional circuit, men play best-of-five-set matches at all four Grand Slam tournaments, Davis Cup, and the final of the Olympic Games and best-of-three-set matches at all other tournaments, while women play best-of-three-set matches at all tournaments. The first player to win two sets in a best-of-three, or three sets in a best-of-five, wins the match. In these cases, sets are played indefinitely until one player has a two-game lead, leading to some remarkably long matches. Special point terms Game point A game point occurs in tennis whenever the player who is in the lead in the game needs only one more point to win the game. The terminology is extended to sets set point, matches match point, and even championships championship point. For example, if the player who is serving has a score of love, the player has a triple game point triple set point, etc. Game points, set points, and match points are not part of Page 2

3 official scoring and are not announced by the chair umpire in tournament play. Break point A break point occurs if the receiver, not the server, has a chance to win the game with the next point. Page 3

4 Chapter 2 : The Tennis Scoring System, Rules and Guidelines. Basic Rules for Playing Tennis Changing Sides Players change sides at the end of the first and third games and every other game after that until the set ends. At the end of a set, players only change sides if the total number of games in the set is an odd number. Simply termed and insinuates the obvious. In this type of tennis competition there are a total of four tennis players involved. In other words, doubles is two vs. Two tennis players combine forces to compete as a team challenging another team of two on opposite ends of the tennis court. Doubles Which is more challenging, singles or doubles? This is argumentative and at times an endless debate due to the various opinions and obvious factors. In my opinion, competition is competition in the sport of tennis, but there is an obvious clear-cut difference in the dynamics of the game when competitors compete in doubles tennis. Since there are two tennis players on a team in doubles compared to one tennis player on a team in singles an individual tennis player has less court to cover making it less demanding, but not necessarily less challenging than singles. The primary objectives in singles and doubles tennis competition are constant. First and foremost, the court size is wider. The boundaries are extended from side to side to the doubles sidelines. This includes the alleys between the singles and doubles sidelines on the court. Keep in mind though that the doubles tennis court boundaries are only in play after the ball is served. Doubles Tennis Serving Rotation Serves rotate from team to team, but instead of a two player rotation singles a four player rotation doubles is noted and maintained throughout a set. It has been determined that Team 2 is serving the first game in the set. Simply put, each player rotates to serve every fourth game until the set is finalized. In the set s that follow, teams can decide which player will serve first for their respective team and establish a new rotation. Strategic game play comes into play, but my advice is to let the best server on your team serve first. There is a slight addition to serving options in doubles in relation to singles. The server gains the area behind the alley, along baseline between the singles and doubles sidelines. Deuce Court or Advantage Court Prior to game play, teammates must opt to receive serves in the right service court deuce court or left service court advantage court. Once this is decided, each player on that team can only return serves from his or her designated service court for that set. Switching service courts to receive serves is not an option until the set is over. At that point, teammates can switch service court sides to start a new set and at the beginning of each new set. Teammates can stand anywhere on the teams end on the court providing that the player expected to return the serve actually attempts or executes the return and not the other player. Typically, the receiver positions behind the baseline to receive serves and the teammate positions in or along the adjacent service court. As the tennis ball travels from one end of the court to the other end of the court, only one competitor on that team can strike, smash, slice, lob, volley For instance, if you and your teammate attempt to return the same ball and both of your racquets touch the ball, the point is awarded to the other team. However, if only one of the racquets touches the ball, game play continues until a team wins that point. The game is doubles, but that does not imply that competitors must take turns striking the ball. In fact, after the serve a competitor for a team may decide to cover the entire court and execute every return in an effort to win a point. With the exception of returning serves, that is well within the rules and guidelines in regards to doubles tennis. Every now and then that may be necessary, but if this competitor habitually covers the entire court - expect an aggravated response from his or her teammate. The Doubles Tennis Tie-Breaker Basically, singles tie-breaker scoring and guidelines are maintained in the doubles tie-breaker, but there is an exception. Similar to singles, the two-point rotation starts after the initial point is played out and the serving rotation is maintain. The difference is that instead of two, there are four players participating in the two-point serving rotation. The serving rotation is maintained above and Player X next in line to serve. To win the tie-breaker and finalize the set, a team must score a minimum seven points combined with a two point advantage. Possible tie-breaker scoring results for the winning team could be,,,,, etc. The rules and guidelines remain in tact as stated, but there is a condition. One male and one female are the conditional members on each team. Canadian Doubles - This alternative of doubles requires three players. This is two-on-one competition. In other words, this is doubles vs. One side of the court has two players and Page 4

5 the other side of the court has one player. Three sets are played and each player must play singles in at least one set. This is tennis with a twist, but the typical tennis rules and guidelines are enforced. The championship is determined by the singles player who wins the majority of combined games played in the match. Australian Doubles - Similar to Canadian Doubles, but there are couple of differences. Australian Doubles is still doubles vs. The scoring rules are not etched in stone. Since this is considered an unsanctioned style of tennis, scoring can be determine prior to game play by tournament officials, coaches in practice, and at times the players participating in a pick up game. Typically, many adopt the Canadian Doubles guidelines most combined games won by a singles player to determine a winner. Another common method is to determine a specific point value for each game. For instance, lets say a game is worth 4 points. If the singles player wins, he or she gains 4 points for that game. If the doubles players win, each player on that team split points, gaining 2 points a piece. This is brilliantly stated and credited to the United States Tennis Association in a captivating slogan aim at promoting tennis as a lifelong recreational and competitive sport. Spectators admire its electrifying nature while tennis athletes relish in the competition. Yes, the fast-paced energetic action in double tennis competition compliments the sports dynamics as it is stimulating watch and no doubt a blast to play. Page 5

6 Chapter 3 : Doubles Tennis Rules and Guidelines. The aim. Tennis is a game played on a rectangular court by either two players (singles) or four (doubles). Players stand on opposite sides of a net and use a stringed racket to hit a ball back and forth to each other. Tennis Rules are very Simple to Learn and once mastered it is a case of Practise which you can do by: Opponents stand at opposite ends of the Tennis court and hit the ball back an forth over a 3 foot high net in the middle. The Ball must go straight over the net without hitting the players own side. If the ball then bounces more than once on the other side then the player wins the point. The Lines on the court show boundaries which form boxes such as the service area, service box and doubles alleyway. The Doubles Alleyway is an out of bounds area in Singles to decrease the amount of space a player has to cover. When a Ball hits the line it is considered as in but if the ball hits anywhere outside the line. The serve Always serve diagonally starting each game on the right. You can serve anywhere in the service box at any speed with any spin. If the ball goes out once it called a fault and you get a second serve, however, if this one goes out too then the point goes to your opponent. A let A let is when the ball touches the net on a serve yet still goes over and into the service box. How many Lets in Tennis? You get as many lets as you want as long as the ball hits the net and goes over the other side. After one game the other player will then serve etc. A coin is tossed and the person who wins get to decide if they wish to serve first or not and the other player decides which end they will start playing from. Tennis Rules State that you can play either a best of 5 sets or best of 3 sets match. In big tournaments women play 3 set matches and men play 5 set matches but they can go on for hours so it is purely your choice. Of course you could just play one or two sets if you are practising. It is the first player to get 6 games with a two game lead, for example would win a set but would not. If the score gets to there is what is known as a tie-break, which is the first player to get 7 points with a two point lead. In the final set of a match either the 3rd set or 5th set there is no tie-break so the players would keep going until one of them wins with a two game lead. Games make up a set. The points system -Both players start at love which is zero points. Every two games players change ends so you would be playing from the other side of the court. More Advanced Tennis Rules State that in tournaments every 6 games new tennis balls must be used but obviously this is not usually possible or necessary in practice. Doubles Opponents stand on opposite ends of the court. This game is for 4 people but is made up of two teams of two, and can either be 4 people of the same gender or one person of each gender per team, this is known as mixed doubles. The Tennis Rules for Doubles are the same as in singles. Tennis Rules For serving are slightly different in Doubles. In terms of splitting up one side of the court between two people, the two main techniques are: In Doubles is where the Doubles Alleyway is used. Page 6

7 Chapter 4 : Everyone Should Know These Basic Rules for Playing Tennis Basic Rules of Tennis One player hits or serves the ball from a corner of a marked out area called a court, that is divided down the middle with a three feet high ( meter) net. The opposite player's goal is to return the ball, bouncing it no more than once in his own court, aiming for the other player to not be able to hit it. The ITF is responsible for the rules of tennis, which include technical specifications for courts and equipment, and the certification of tennis officials or chair umpires. The rules and regulations set forth by the ITF have been adopted by organizations such as the United States Tennis Association USTA and are globally accepted as the standard rules to use when playing tennis. The official Rules and Regulations Handbook is quite complex, but for those looking to just pick up a racquet and start playing, the general gist is included in the text below. Simplified Rules of the Game While the rules of tennis are somewhat straightforward, the game itself is very challenging. Positioning Players stand on opposite sides of the court. The player who initiates the point by putting the ball in play is the server. The player who stands opposite and across from the server is the receiver. If the choice of service or receiver is chosen by the winner of the coin toss or racquet spin, the opponent gets to choose which side of the court to start on. Rules of Service The official and simplified rules of serving are: The match begins with the server. For the first point, the server must stand behind the baseline on the right side of the center hash, which is considered the deuce court. The server must stand and serve from the boundaries of the singles court or within the doubles court if playing doubles. Even-numbered points are played from the deuce court and odd-numbered points are played from the advantage court, or left side, of the center hash. If the server misses the target twice he or she loses the point. If the ball hits the net and goes in the correct service box, a "let" is called and another serve is granted. If a let occurs on a second serve, it remains second serve. If a foot fault occurs on a second serve, the server loses the point. The receiver can stand anywhere on the court, but must let the ball bounce in the service box before attempting to return the serve. If the opponent strikes the ball before the ball bounces on a serve, the server is awarded the point. Rules of Scoring Knowing how to properly announce and keep score is a fundamental aspect of playing a competitive or friendly match. Calling out the score before the point begins is not mandatory, but is encouraged to limit any confusion or conflict. Love means zero in tennis and indicates the player referenced has a score of "0". The first point won earns a score of For example, if the server won the first point, the score would be or Love. The second point won by either player is called The third point won is called If a score of is reached, the score is called "deuce," and should be called out as such, as opposed to or All. Once a game goes to deuce, one player must win two consecutive points in order to win the game. Net and Boundary Rules The net is the only obstacle between you and your opponent, so knowing the rules about the net and boundaries is crucial. If a shot lands outside of the boundaries of the court, the player loses the point. A ball struck that hits the line is considered in. If a ball touches an opponent, the point is awarded to the player that hit the ball. If a player is not sure whether a ball landed in or out of bounds and cannot make a definite call, the ball is considered to be in. Let Ball If during a point, a ball not in play rolls onto the court, a "let" is called and the point is replayed. The server is awarded two serves. One Bounce Rule A player must hit the ball before it bounces twice on his side. If the player cannot make contact with the ball within two bounces, a "not up" is called and the point is awarded to the opponent. How to Win and Tie Breaks A tennis match generally is played best two out of three sets. A set is awarded to a player after winning six games by more than two games. If players are tied,, a seven-point tie-breaker is played, during which the server begins service from the deuce court and only serves one point. After the first point of the tie break, each player serves two consecutive points. As a result, the first of the two service points will always occur in the advantage court and the second starts from the deuce court. After every six points, players switch sides of the court. The winner of the tie-break is the first to win seven points by more than two points. Page 7

8 Chapter 5 : The Rules of Table Tennis Explained Singles. A two-player game is known as a singles match. Players use the narrower singles court. The player who plays the ball first is the server and the person who returns it is the receiver. Guide to Scoring and Tennis Basics Tennis rules have changed little since the origin of lawn tennis in England in the late s. Modern tennis is a racket sport played on a 78 feet Players on opposite ends of the court attempt to clear the net while keeping the ball in play until hitting a winner or until one player makes a mistake. This may include hitting a shot into the net, out of the tennis court boundaries, or allowing the ball to bounce more than once. Tennis courts are typically built from clay, natural grass, or a hard surface such as concrete, asphalt, acrylic, or other synthetic surfaces. The full width of the court is used in doubles matches, while the singles matches are confined to the singles sidelines. Shots Used in Tennis The game of tennis is played using various types of shots. The service, or serve for short, is an overhead shot taken at the start of a point. This is followed by the return, the ensuing shot taken by the receiving player. The next sequence of shots might include a groundstroke if played from the baseline after the ball bounces, or a volley if played up at the net without allowing the ball to bounce. Whereas groundstrokes involve a full swing and follow-through, a volley is played using a shortened swing and little to no backswing. A half volley is similar to a volley, except that it is hit just seconds after the ball bounces. Typically half volleys are played a bit further back from the net than volleys, and low to the ground. Traditional forehand shots are performed with the palm of the hand leading the racket. Backhands can be executed as either a one-handed backhand or a two-handed backhand. Forehands are most commonly played as a one-handed stroke, though it is possible to hit the forehand as a two-handed stroke. Additional Shots and Spin Some additional shots used in the game include the lob, a shot placed over the opponents head when they are up at the net, the drop shot which is a lightly hit shot that just makes it over the net, and the smash which is an overhead shot taken with or without a ball bounce. An approach shot is a shot placed by the hitter just prior to approaching the net. Typically a player will hit a deep shot in order to give themselves more time to approach the net. A passing shot is a winner that is hit past an opponent while they are up at the net. Additionally, shots can be cross-court or down the line depending on where they are placed relative to the hitting players positioning. Shots that are hit straight across the center of the court are referred to as down the middle shots. Often spin is used to throw off opponents or, in the case of topspin, to allow powerful shots to drop. Slice shots more accurately underspin are hit with backspin to make returning the shot more difficult for the opponent. Spin is used on groundstrokes as well as on serves. There are four types of serves used in the modern game: All shots that pass over the net and land anywhere within the boundaries of the court, lines included, are considered good. With the exception of the serve, shots can hit the net and still count as good as long as they land within the boundaries of the court. The Tennis Court Tennis courts measure 78 feet This allows for added coverage on wide shots. Occasionally players will play the ball very wide and beyond the extents of the net posts. Tennis can be played as a singles match between two opponents on opposite ends of the court, or as a doubles match with two players on each side. Whether the match is played as a singles match or a doubles match determines which parts of the tennis court are used. Additional overrun space is needed beyond the boundaries of a court to allow players to reach shots that are very wide or very deep. All together with the overrun area included, the total court area measures 60 feet 18 meters wide and feet 37 meters long. Most tennis courts are outdoor courts. However, indoor tennis courts are not uncommon in areas where rain and snow are prevalent. Indoor tennis courts, like outdoor tennis courts can be any material. The only exception being natural grass. Indoor courts sometimes use artificial grass in place of natural grass. However, similar to outdoor courts, hard courts are most common indoors. This is primarily due to their easy maintenance relative to other surfaces. Singles and Doubles Sidelines In a doubles match, the full width of the court 36 ft 11 m is used. This includes the doubles alleys on each side. The lines at the furthest extremes perpendicular to the net are known as the doubles sidelines. All shots that land on or within the doubles sidelines count as good. The lines just inside of the doubles sidelines are known as the singles sidelines. These lines demarcate the outer boundary for a singles match, 27 feet 8. All balls that land wide of Page 8

9 the singles line within the doubles alleys are considered out in a singles match. The Baseline The lines at each end of the length of the court are known as the baseline. Shots must land on or within the baseline for play to continue. The baseline is not only an important boundary for groundstroke shots but also plays a role during serves. When serving, a player must be careful not to step on or beyond the baseline. If this happens, the play results in a foot fault, which is the equivalent of missing the serve. In the middle of the baseline is a center mark. The center mark divides the baseline into two halves. During service, the player serving the ball is required to serve from the appropriate side of the center mark, depending on the score. The right side from the vantage point of the server is referred to as the Deuce court, while the right side is the Ad court. When service begins, players always serve first from the Deuce right side. On the next point, they switch to the Ad side. This sequence continues until the Game ends. Players are not allowed to set up past the center mark. They must set up on the side that corresponds with the point being played, that is either on the Deuce Court side or the Ad Court side. Service Lines and Boxes The final remaining lines are the service lines, which combined with the net and the singles sidelines form the service boxes. There are two service boxes on each side of the net, four in total in a tennis court. The service line in the middle of the court center of the net is referred to as the center service line. The service line towards the back, which runs parallel to the net, is simply called the service line. Service boxes measure 21 feet 6. As the name suggests, serves must land within the correct service box or service lines to count as good and for play to continue. The serve must go over the net cleanly, without hitting or even touching the net and must land in the service box located diagonally from the side the serve is taken from. The service returner must allow the ball to bounce once before making contact after the serve. If the returner hits the ball before it bounces, the point is automatically awarded to the server. Lets, Double Faults and Aces If the serve misses the service box or hits the net, the player gets a second chance to make the serve. If the second serve results in a fault â referred to as a double fault â then the player receiving the ball wins the point. The server must then repeat the serve. In theory, lets can go on indefinitely until either the ball lands cleanly in the service box or results in a fault. If the ball touches the net and lands out of the service box, this is considered out. It is the equivalent of missing the serve. For a serve to be a let, the ball must not only touch the net but also land in the correct service box. If the service returner touches the ball but is not able to return the shot, this is known as a service winner. Additional Net Rules During a match, players are not allowed to touch the net with any part of their bodies or racket. They are also not allowed to cross the net with their racket, even if they themselves do not touch the net. Shots that are hit along the side of the net and land in are considered good. So long as the shot lands within the boundaries of the court, the ball can be hit around the net post. Sets, Games, and Matches Tennis matches are comprised of Sets. Depending on how the match is structured usually set up in advance, players need to win anywhere from one Set to three Sets best of five, with best of three Sets being most common. Sets, in turn, are broken down into Games. A player needs to win at least 6 Games to win the Set by a margin of at least two Games. If the lead is less than two, then seven Games are required to win the Set. This can be achieved either by reaching seven with a two-game lead or in the case of a tie, winning the Set in a tiebreaker. If less than two, the tie-breaker continues until one of the players manages to win by a margin of two points. During a tie-break, players alternate serve every two points, with the exception of the very first serve. On the first serve, the server serves only one point and then the serve switches to the other player. After that, the serve switches every two points. The person who serves first is determined based on who received serve the last Game. The player who received serve in the Game prior to the tie-breaker initiates serve during the tie-breaker. In some tournaments, such as Wimbledon where tiebreakers are not used, players must win by two Games regardless. This often results in high, double-digit Set scores. Point Scoring Finally, Games are further broken down into points. Page 9

10 Chapter 6 : Tennis Rules: How To Play Tennis Rules of Sport Tennis Rules State that you can play either a best of 5 sets or best of 3 sets match. In big tournaments women play 3 set matches and men play 5 set matches but they can go on for hours so it is purely your choice. Check new design of our homepage! For young aspirants and followers, it is necessary to understand the rules of tennis to enjoy it fully. SportsAspire Staff Last Updated: Jan 20, Basic Rules of Tennis One player hits or serves the ball from a corner of a marked out area called a court, that is divided down the middle with a three feet high 0. A point is gained when a player is not able to return the ball at all or he hits it out of the court. The ball is always served cross court or diagonally. Equipment The right equipment is essential for a good game of tennis, along with demarcation of the court according to international standards. Here are the specifications. Tennis Court Tennis is required to be played in a regulation size tennis court. This means that it has to be 78 feet long The court must have a 3 feet 0. The type of court floor varies. It may be asphalt, clay, concrete, grass, artificial grass, wood or made of other synthetic materials. The center line, which is perpendicular to the net, is drawn halfway between the sidelines and exactly divides the courts into two halves on either side. Moreover, the server line and the center line on either side, divides each side of the court into four quarters. Tennis Racquet The usual tournament size racket should not be more than 29 inches in length and The hitting area of the racket cannot be more than Tennis Balls These vary in color, but for official tournaments the ball must be yellow or white in color. Two, three, four or six balls may be used in a match. Singles Game Basics The server is chosen by a coin toss. The player who wins the toss can choose to serve or choose the side he wants. If the toss winner chooses to serve, his opponent gets to choose the side and vice versa. This applies to both singles and doubles games. Doubles Game Basics Serving is alternated from team to team and from player to player so that each player serves every fourth game. Both partners receivers and servers can stand anywhere they want, however it is traditional for partners to stand side by side. The order of serving needs to be decided before the first game of any set begins. The scores do not start increasing from single digits. The player who scores four points first, wins the game, provided there is a difference of two points. Thus the game begins with a noble message of love! A player wins a set, when he wins 6 games, provided he is ahead of his opponent by two games. If the difference between the players is less than 2 games, the game may continue till either wins the set by a margin of two known as the Advantage set scoring method. Alternatively, if both players are tied with 6 games to their name, whoever wins the tie-breaker game, will win the set this is known as the Tie-Breaker Method. The latter strategy is mostly adopted in ATP tournaments. Wimbledon, one of the four prime grand slams, uses the advantage set scoring method, due to which there is a possibility of a game continuing for a long time in some cases. A prime example is the Isner-Mahut match at the Wimbledon championships in, which went on for 11 hours and five minutes! The score read something like this -,,,,! The last figure is the number of points played in the last set, which lasted for eight hours, spread over three days. Hereafter, the one who scores two points consecutively with a difference of two points, wins the game. The only way a game can end is when a player scores two consecutive points after the tie. If both players have won 6 games each and the set is tied, a tie-breaker game must be played. The scoring for this game is conventional and linear, starting from 0 to 1, 2, The first player to score 7 points wins the game and the set, provided he has a two point lead over his opponent. The tie-breaker game continues, till a player achieves the two point lead to win the game and set. During this game, the sides need to be changed after 6 point are scored. History Tennis owes its invention to many pioneers, prominent among whom, was the Englishman, Walter Clopton Wingfield, who patented it in Since then, tennis has come a long way to become the premier spectator sport world over, only rivaled by soccer. Millions of people all over the world follow tennis religiously. The power, speed and beauty of this game leaves everyone enthralled. Service A player must serve the ball from behind the baseline, standing between the center and side line. The serve execution in the first game of a set, should always be executed from the right side of the court, by a singles or doubles player. The service must land in the cross court or diagonally opposite service box area between the net and server line. If the serve happens to land outside the service box or hits the net, the player is allowed to serve again. The Page 10

11 service is alternated between opponents, in every game played. In case of a doubles game, the service is shared by the two players of each team alternately and changed between the opposing teams after every game. In a doubles game, two players of the serving team swap positions with each other, after every point. Point Scoring Here are conditions under which a point may be lost. Penalties There are certain penalties while playing tennis, these usually result in several points lost for various things. Officials Only professional tournaments are officiated. One official watches the lines to call whether the ball is in or not. The senior umpire sits on a high chair outside the sideline, near the net and calls the scores. The senior umpire has the power to overrule all other judges. There is also a match referee who sits in the stands and watches. He can be consulted, should there be any major conflicts. Arguing with the judges costs points and even disqualification from the game. This was just a brief overview of the most important tennis rules that contribute to make it one of the most popular games worldwide. And remember, you always start by lov e ing all! Page 11

12 Chapter 7 : Tennis Rules: Guide to Scoring and Tennis Basics Tennis 4 Beginners A Simple Introduction to Tennis Scoring for Beginners Learn the basic procedures for playing a tennis match. Table Tennis for Beginners: The Basic Rules of Ping. Basic Rules for Playing Tennis Rules of Tennis for Beginners Learn the basic rules for playing tennis and get ready to grab a racket and hit the court! Playing Area The court is rectangular in shape and can have a variety of surfaces: Wonder what a regulation-size tennis court looks like? Tennis court diagram Basic Rules for Playing Tennis Equipment You need a tennis court with a net, a tennis racket for each player, and a tennis ball. For women, the match concludes when someone wins 2 out of 3 sets. Basic Rules for Playing Tennis Starting Play Singles tennis is played with 2 players who line up on opposite sides of the net. One starts out as the Server while the other is the Receiver. Server Receiver A coin toss determines who serves first and which side of the net each player will start on. The winner of the toss may choose her preference of service or side. It takes 4 points to win a game, and the tennis scoring goes like this: Each player begins with a score of 0, known as "Love. If she wins a second point, she has If she wins a third point, her score is On the next point, she wins the game. There is an exception, though: A player must win by 2 points to win the game. If both players have earned 3 points, the score is which is called "Deuce. If she loses the next point, the game goes back to Deuce. Play continues in this fashion until someone wins 2 points in a row to gain a 2-point lead. For example, a score of "40-15" means the Server has 3 points, and the Receiver has 1 point. The first player to win 6 games wins the set, except in the following situation: If the players are tied at 5 games each, they must play until a player wins 2 games in a row to gain a 2-game lead. For men, a player has to win 3 out of 5 sets to win the match. For women, winning 2 out of 3 sets is required to win the match. Losing a Point A player loses a point if she: He serves first from behind his right court and then for the next point, he moves over to serve from his left court. Both feet must be behind the baseline and between the center mark and the singles side line the inside line. To serve, the ball is thrown into the air and struck with the racket before it hits the ground. The ball has to cross the net without bouncing and land in the service court diagonally opposite from the Server. If the first serve is not good, the Server gets a second serve. If that serve fails to go over properly, the Server loses a point. The Server continues serving in the same court until he either makes a good serve or gets 2 faults. After the first fault, the Server shall serve again from behind the same half of the court. After the second fault, the Server loses a point, and he moves to the other side for his next serve. The Receiver may stand wherever he wants to on his side of the net, but the ball must hit the ground on the serve before he may return it. They continue to alternate like this after every game until the match is completed. Basic Rules for Playing Tennis Changing Sides Players change sides at the end of the first and third games and every other game after that until the set ends. At the end of a set, players only change sides if the total number of games in the set is an odd number. If the number is even, they wait to change sides until after the first game of the new set. Basic rules for playing tennis Modifications Sometimes tennis can be frustrating for young people and those just learning how to play the game. See some great ideas to modify the basic rules for playing tennis to help beginners. Reduce the size of the court by playing side-to-side on one half. Great for anyone who physically has trouble covering the entire court or lacks the skills to keep from chasing the ball all over the place. Training tennis balls are awesome for players with limited mobility and skills. The USTA has some fun ideas to introduce kids to the sport. Page 12

13 Chapter 8 : Officiating Rules and Regulations Basic Rules of Tennis If we are to talk about the tennis rules and regulations, we have to go for the basic ones first, that is, what is tennis and basic rules of tennis. If you are ready to play Tennis in court and suited-up, but you do not know how to play tennis or what are the rules of tennis, this information of the necessary regulation of Tennis play is for your easy start. Contact Tennis Rules Tennis is a sport that originated in England around the 19th century and is now played in a host of countries around the world. Object of the Game The game of tennis played on a rectangular court with a net running across the centre. The aim is to hit the ball over the net landing the ball within the margins of the court and in a way that results in your opponent being unable to return the ball. You win a point every time your opponent is unable to return the ball within the court. The rectangular shaped court has a base line at the back, service areas two spaces just over the net in which a successful serve must land in and two tram lines down either side. A singles match will mean you use the inner side tram line and a doubles match will mean you use the outer tram line. A court can be played on four main surfaces including grass, clay, hard surface and carpet. Each tournament will choose one surface type and stick without throughout. All that is required in terms of equipment is a stringed racket each and a tennis ball. Scoring You need to score four points to win a game of tennis. The points are known as 15 1 point, 30 two points, 40 three points and the fourth would result in the winning point and the end of that game. If the scores went to this would be known as deuce. When a game reaches deuce the player must then win by two clear points. Winning a set is simply the first player to reach 6 games but have to be clear by at least 2 games. If your opponent wins 5 games you must win the set Rules of Tennis The game starts with a coin toss to determine which player must serve first and which side they want to serve from. The server must then serve each point from alternative sides on the base line. If the server fails to get their first serve in they may take advantage of a second serve. If they again fail to get their second serve in then a double fault will be called and the point lost. If the server clips the net but the ball goes in the service area still then let is called and they get to take that serve again without penalty. If the ball hits the net and fails to go in the service area then out is called and they lose that serve. The receiver may stand where they wish upon receipt of the serve. If the ball is struck without the serve bouncing then the server will receive the point. Once a serve has been made the amount of shots between the players can be unlimited. The point is won by hitting the ball so the opponent fails to return it in the scoring areas. Points are awarded in scores of 15, 30 and You need 4 points to win a game. From deuce a player needs to win 2 consecutive points to win the game. After winning one point from deuce they player is on advantage. If the player wins the next point they win the game, if they lose it goes back to deuce. To win the set a player must win 6 games by 2 or more. The opening sets will go to a tie break if its ends up where players play first to 7 points. The final set will not have a tie break and requires players to win by two games with no limits. If a player touches the net, distracts his opponent or impedes in anyway then they automatically lose the point. The ball can hit any part of the line for the point to be called in, outside the line and the ball is out. Page 13

14 Chapter 9 : Tennis - Wikipedia Basic Rules of How To Play Tennis. In order to know how to play tennis, a good understanding of the tennis rules and court dimensions of the game must be understood. Tennis is played between two players, this is called singles or two teams of two players, four in all, this is called doubles. The competition must play out until a tennis competitor or a tennis team is crowned with the championship for that tournament. Spectators unfamiliar with the game of tennis are typically fascinated and pleasantly entertained by the competitive nature of the sport. Without a doubt, tennis is a high-spirited inspiring sport to watch, but many these spectators eventually find themselves disconnected at various stages of the competition due to the lack of tennis scoring knowledge. Problem Solvedâ The solution is to gradually learn the tennis scoring system and eventually master the official rules and guidelines acknowledged by tennis communities and tennis organizations around the globe. The terminology in tennis scoring is easy to learn and understand. Breaking down the details of the Game-Set-Match concept simplifies the ability to grasp and interpret tennis scoring. Competitive tennis athletes are always striving to advance to the next round of competition in a tournament. To achieve this goal, a competitive tennis athlete must Prior to playing a match, competitors must decide who or which team will serve first and which sides of the court each competitor or team will initiate game play. A coin toss or racquet spin is the typical action performed to determine the privilege of picking first. The winner s of the coin toss or racquet spin determines either the serving options or which end of the court to initiate game play. The competitor s who lost the toss or spin determines the second option. Game A tennis serve initiates game play and the player serving serves the entire game. In order to win the game, a tennis competitor must win a number of points. Each game consists of a series of points and remember a competitor must accumulate at least four points to win the game. The servers score is always announced first the entire game with tennis terminology voiced in a manner unique to tennis. In other words, if the score is and the server wins the next point, the server wins the game. Consequently, if the server loses the next point the score is and the server must continue to serve and play out that game. Deuce is the terminology expressed when the score in the game is Remember, in order to win the game, a tennis competitor must gain a two point advantage over his or her opponent. To win the game when the score is deuce, a competitor must score two consecutive points one immediately after the other otherwise the score reverts back to deuce. If the server was the first player to score after the game score is deuce, then the score is announced "Advantage In or Ad In" by the server prior to serving the next point. If the receiver was the first player to score after the game score is deuce, then the score is announced "Advantage Out or Ad Out" by the server prior to serving the next point. This means this tennis competitor has one chance to close out and win the game. This means this tennis competitor has two consecutive chances to close out and win the game. This means this tennis competitor has three consecutive chances to close out and win the game. Set A tennis set is determined when a competitor has won a minimum of six games with at least a two game advantage over his or her opponent. The potential score outcome for a set could be,,,, or Did you notice I did not mention? Think about that for a second. Did you figure out why? Chances are, you did. Keep in mind that a tennis competitor can only close out a set when leading by two or more games. As a result, continues game play until a final score such as or is achieved by one of the tennis competitors. A competitive tennis set can last as long as an hour or even more unless tie-breaker scoring or no-ad scoring was predetermine as part of the rules for that match. Rotation of sides on the tennis court is continuous during a match when the total number of games in a set is an odd number. Match The structure of a tennis match is deliberately designed with an odd number of sets to ensure a winner emerges at the end of the match. Typically, tennis competitors play the best 2 out of 3 sets to determine a winner of a match. The potential outcome could end up in a final score of or for the winner of a match. The potential outcome could end up in a final score of, or for the winner in this type of match. The exhilarating sport of tennis is viewed on numerous household television screens as well as countless tennis arenas around the nation and throughout the world. Watching is one thing, understanding the battles and results is another. Knowing the tennis scoring system rules and guidelines detailed here is the key to maximizing your tennis experiences Page 14