List of Tennis Rules

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) promulgates the official rules for tennis. These rules apply to any official matches and all tournaments throughout the world. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is a member of the ITF. Its rules apply to officiated matches, and its code applies to unofficiated matches in which players make their own calls.

  1. Court and Equipment

    • A tennis court marked according to the rules.

      The court is a rectangle measuring 78 feet long, divided in half by a 3-foot-high net. Painted lines indicate the width of the singles court, and lines 4.5 feet wider on each side represent the doubles court width. Painted lines halve the length and width of the singles court on each side of the net to mark the service boxes. Appendix I of the USTA Rules provides specifications for the ball, typically covered in yellow or white fabric with a circumference of around 2.5 inches. Appendix II lists the specifications for an approved racket. The frame must not exceed 29 inches in overall length, or 12.5 inches in width.

    Game Structure

    • In a singles match, one player stands on each side of the net. Doubles matches are played by two players on each side, and use the wider court. One player serves, putting the ball into play, while the other receive, attempting to return the ball served. These roles are exchanged at the end of each game. There are six games in a set, and either three or five sets in a match. A player must win a game by a margin of at least two points, a set by a margin of at least two games, and a match by a margin of at least two sets.

    Service

    • A tennis player preparing to serve the ball

      A player serves by standing outside the baseline, which marks the outer length of the court. The player tosses the ball up and hits it in mid-air with his racket. If he crosses or touches the baseline or center mark at any point during service, it is called a foot fault. Games start with serve on the right, and alternate with the completion of each point. A serve must land within the service box diagonally opposite, or it is a fault. The server must then re-serve the ball. If this follow-up serve is also a fault, the point is awarded to the receiver. If the ball touches the net or the receiver, or is served before the receiver is ready, it is called a "let," and the serve does not count.

    Play

    • If the server lands the ball within the correct service box, the receiver attempts to return the ball to the server’s side of the net. Subsequent hits of the ball must land within the court’s boundaries. A ball hit on the line is considered inside the boundaries. An interruption or a distraction that interrupts play is considered a “let,” and that point is replayed. Play continues until one player either misses the ball, fails to get the ball over the net or returns it out of bounds and loses the point.

    Scoring

    • In each game, a score of zero is called “love.” The first point is “15,” the second point is “30,” and the third point is “40.” The server’s score is stated first, so a score of “love-30” indicates the server has won zero points while the receiver has earned three. The fourth point in a game is called the “game point." If each player has three points, the score is “deuce.” The next point is “Advantage.” If the player with advantage scores again, that player wins the game. If the other player wins the next point, the score returns to deuce.