How to Play a Tiebreaker

During a tennis match, when a set is tied at 6 games apiece, it is decided by at least a 12-point tiebreaker. The first player to win seven points by a margin of at least two is awarded the set. If the score reaches 6-6, the tiebreaker continues until a player has won by a margin of two points. In three professional tennis events, Wimbledon, the French Open and the Australian Open, tiebreakers are used to decide all but final set.

Instructions

    • 1

      Determine who serves the first point in the tiebreaker. The player who served the previous game is the one who receives the first point of the tiebreaker. The opposing player serves the ball from the deuce (right) side of the court. The score is counted 1, 2, 3 and so on, instead of 15, 30, 40, game.

    • 2

      After the first point has been decided, the player that received then serves for two points. The first serve should come from the ad (left) side of the court.

    • 3

      Keep the two-serve rotation going until the tiebreaker has been decided. After the second and third points have been played, the player that served the first point of the tiebreaker serves for two consecutive points. Once again, the player starts on the ad side of the court.

    • 4

      When the score reaches a total or multiple of 6 points, switch sides.

    • 5

      When the tiebreaker has been decided, record the score properly. The set and tiebreaker score are written together. The set score goes first, and the number of points the loser of the tiebreaker recorded is written in parenthesis. For example, if a player wins a tiebreaker 7-3, the set score is recorded 7-6(3).