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Rules

Tennis: rules

Two players, or two pairs, hit the ball over a net and try to make it land in the opposite court so the other side cannot return it before a second bounce. Points build into games, games into sets, and a match is the best of three or five sets.

Importance 5 out of 5Importance rating
RacketWiki EditorsVerified 24 October 20261 source

Serve

  • The server starts at rest with both feet behind the baseline, between the imaginary extensions of the centre mark and the sideline, releases the ball by hand and hits it before it landsSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 16 · tier 1
  • The serve must clear the net and land in the service court diagonally oppositeSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 17 · tier 1
  • In a standard game the server alternates halves of the court, beginning from the right half in every gameSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 17 · tier 1
  • After a fault on the first serve the server serves again, without delay, from the same halfSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 20 · tier 1
  • A serve that clips the net and still lands in the correct service court is a let and is taken again; it does not count as a faultSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 22(a) · tier 1

Scoring

  • Points in a standard game run love, 15, 30, 40, game; at 40-40 (deuce) a player must win two points in a row, the first being advantageSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 5(a) · tier 1
  • In a tie-break set the first to six games with a two-game lead wins; at six games all a tie-break game is playedSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 6(b) · tier 1
  • In an advantage set play continues until one side leads by two gamesSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 6(a) · tier 1
  • A tie-break game is scored 0, 1, 2, 3 and so on; the first to seven points with a two-point lead takes the game and the setSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 5(b) · tier 1
  • A match is the best of three sets or the best of fiveSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 7 · tier 1
  • The rules also allow alternative methods such as no-advantage games, short sets and a match tie-break in place of a final setSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Appendix VI · tier 1

Rally

  • A ball that touches any part of a line counts as landing in the court that line boundsSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 12 · tier 1
  • A player loses the point if the ball bounces twice on their side before they return it, or if their return lands outside the correct courtSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 24(b) and (c) · tier 1
  • A return that touches the net, posts, cord, strap or band and then lands in the correct court is goodSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 25(a) · tier 1
  • A player loses the point if they, their racket or anything they wear or carry touches the net or the opponent's court while the ball is in playSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 24(g) · tier 1

Faults

  • It is a foot fault if the server, during the service motion, moves position by walking or running, or touches the baseline, the court, or the imaginary extension of the sideline or centre mark with either footSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 18 · tier 1
  • A serve is a fault if the server breaks the position or foot-fault rules, misses the ball when trying to hit it, or the served ball hits a net post, a singles stick or any other fixed object before landingSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 19 · tier 1
  • Two faults in a row (a double fault) lose the pointSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 24(a) · tier 1
  • A player hindered by a deliberate act of the opponent wins the point; an unintentional hindrance or one outside the player's control means the point is replayedSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 26 · tier 1

Doubles

  • The pair serving first decides which partner serves the first game; the opposing pair then decides who serves the second game, and service rotates through all four players in that order for the rest of the setSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 14 · tier 1
  • The receiving pair decides which partner receives the first point, and partners then receive alternately; the order stays the same for the whole setSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 15 · tier 1
  • Doubles is played on the wider court, 10.97 m across instead of 8.23 m for singlesSource: ITF Rules of Tennis, Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 1 · tier 1

Sources

  1. ITF Rules of Tennis, World Tennis (formerly the International Tennis Federation), 2026itftennis.comOfficial rulebook or governing body (tier 1 of 5)