Tennis scoring explained: love, deuce and advantage

The quick answer

In standard tennis scoring, points inside a game are called love (zero), 15, 30 and 40, and the player who wins four points with a lead of at least two wins the game. If both players reach 40, the score is deuce, and someone must win two points in a row to finish the game. It sounds odd, but it is simple once you see it laid out.

Points inside a game

Each point won moves a player up one step. The server's score is always called first, no matter who is ahead.

If the server has won two points and the receiver has won one, the server says "30-15". If the receiver is ahead, the server still says their own number first, for example "15-30".

Deuce and advantage

A game must be won by two points. So when both players have won three points (40-40), the score is called deuce. From deuce:

1. The next point winner gets advantage, often shortened to "ad in" if it is the server or "ad out" if it is the receiver.
2. If the player with advantage wins the next point, they win the game.
3. If the other player wins it, the score goes back to deuce.

A game can go back and forth through deuce many times. That is normal, and it is one reason a single game can be long even when the players are evenly matched.

From games to sets to matches

Games add up to sets, and sets add up to a match.

• In standard rules, a player wins a set by winning six games with a lead of at least two games, so 6-4 wins a set but 6-5 does not.
• If a set reaches 6-6, many formats play a tiebreak to decide it. See tiebreaks and match formats explained.
• A match is commonly the best of three sets, so the first player to win two sets wins the match. Some formats use one set only, and youth events often shorten things, so check the format with your league.

Who serves, and from which side

One player serves for an entire game, then the serve passes to the opponent for the next game, and so on. Within a game the server alternates sides of the court after every point.

• The server starts each game from the right side of the court (when facing the net), serving diagonally into the opposite service box.
• After that point, the server moves to the left side, then back to the right, and continues alternating.
• Players also switch ends of the court after the first, third, fifth game and so on, which are the odd-numbered games of a set.

When everyone loses track, the simple trick is this: an even total of points played means serve from the right, and an odd total means serve from the left. Court layout is covered in singles vs doubles court lines and roles.

A worked example

Imagine Maya serves to Jordan. Maya wins the first point (15-love), Jordan wins the next two (15-30), Maya wins two in a row (40-30), and then Jordan wins a point (deuce). Maya wins the next point, so it is "advantage Maya". Jordan wins the following point, so it goes back to deuce. Finally Maya wins two straight points and the game. The score of the set is now 1-0 for Maya, and Jordan will serve the next game.

Variations you may see in youth play

Many youth programs shorten or simplify scoring to keep games moving and to help beginners succeed. These are all common but vary by league, so check with yours.

• No-ad scoring: at deuce, one deciding point is played to settle the game.
• Short sets: a set may end at fewer than six games.
• Points-only play: very young beginners may simply count points up to a target, with no love or deuce at all.
• Match tiebreaks: a longer tiebreak may replace a third set.

Beginners also use smaller courts, softer balls and shorter racquets in many programs, which makes rallies longer and scoring easier to follow.

Common scoring mistakes

• Saying the receiver's score first. The server's score always comes first.
• Thinking 40 wins the game. A player on 40 still needs to win the next point, and must lead by two.
• Not calling the score aloud. Before each point the server should announce the score clearly so both players agree.
• Arguing in silence. If players disagree on the score, calmly replay from the last point both agree on. See tennis etiquette and sportsmanship.

If a word or phrase still sounds like another language, the tennis terms for new parents guide covers the rest of the lingo.

Keeping score as a spectator

Watching a match is easier once you know the pattern. Listen for the server calling the score before each point, and remember that a game ends the moment someone reaches four points with a two-point lead. A scoreboard or an app is not always available at youth matches, so many parents simply keep a note of games won in each set on paper. You will soon notice which player is serving: it alternates every game, so if you lose track, count the games played so far. An even number of games means the player who served first is serving again.

Why the scoring feels odd to beginners

Unlike many sports, tennis does not add one point at a time on the scoreboard, and the winner of a game is not simply the first to a fixed number. The two-point rule means a comeback is always possible, which is part of what makes tennis exciting. A child who falls behind 0-40 can still win the game. That is a useful lesson to share with a young player who feels discouraged: the score only tells you where things stand right now. The next point is a fresh start, and every point can be played with the same focus and calm.

For a plain-English list of other tennis words you will hear on court, try tennis terms for new parents.

Sources and further reading

1. Tennis Scoring: Points, Sets & Games USTA
2. How Is Tennis Scored? Encyclopaedia Britannica
3. Friend at Court: Handbook of Rules and Regulations USTA

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Frequently asked questions

Why is tennis scored 15, 30, 40?

It is a long-standing tradition. Nobody is certain of the exact origin, and what matters is that the first point is 15, the second is 30 and the third is 40.

What does love mean in tennis?

Love means zero. A score of 30-love means the server has two points and the opponent has none.

What is deuce in tennis?

Deuce means both players have won three points in a game (40-40). A player must then win two points in a row to win the game.

Who says the score first in tennis?

The server says their own score first, no matter who is ahead.

What is no-ad scoring?

In no-ad scoring, one deciding point is played when the score reaches deuce. Some youth leagues use it, so ask yours.