Rules of Tennis Doubles Tiebreaker

In a doubles tennis match, there are some major differences in keeping score during a tiebreaker game and a regular game. It is important for all doubles players to familiarize themselves with these rules, as a doubles tiebreaker involves all four players rotating through the serve during the game.

  1. Points

    • Tiebreaker points are scored numerically, "0," "1," "2," "3" and so on, instead of "love," "15," "30" and "40."

    Service Rotation

    • During a doubles tiebreaker, all players take turns serving and continue serving in the same order throughout the game. The player whose turn it was to serve in the match begins the tiebreaker by serving the first point from the right (deuce) side of the court. Once this point is played out, the teams change sides and prepare for the next point. The next two points are served by one player of the opposing team, this time beginning on the left (ad) side of the court. Thereafter, the players alternate serving two consecutive points until the end of the tiebreaker. The players service rotation remains the same until the end of the game.

    Change of Sides

    • It is important to note that the change of sides rule was modified by the International Tennis Federation and accepted by the United States Tennis Association in 2008. In the past, doubles teams did not change sides until after the fifth point was played. The new rule now states that doubles teams change sides after the first point has been played and continue to change sides every four points. Doubles players will notice that this results in players always serving from the same side of the court throughout the duration of the tiebreaker.

    Two Point Margin

    • The first team to win seven points wins the game as long as there is a winning margin of two points. For example, a tiebreaker score reaches 5-5. The team that reaches 7-5 first wins the game and the tiebreaker is over. However, if the score becomes tied at 6-6, then the winning team is the one to reach 8-6 first. The tiebreaker game continues for as long as necessary until the winning team achieves this two-point margin. The record for the longest tiebreaker played was at a singles match at the 1993 U.S. Open. Goran Ivanisevic defeated Daniel Nestor, 20-18.

    Sample Game

    • In order to simplify what can sound like a confusing procedure, assume players A and B are playing a tiebreaker game against players Y and Z. It was A's turn to serve, so A begins the tiebreaker by serving the first point. Play would proceed as follows:

      A serves the first point from the deuce side of the court.
      The teams change sides.
      Y serves point #2 from the ad side.
      Y serves point #3 from the deuce side.
      B serves point #4 from the ad side.
      B serves point #5 from the deuce side.
      The teams change sides.
      Z serves point #6 from the ad side.
      Z serves point #7 from the deuce side.
      A serves point #8 from the ad side.
      A serves point #9 from the deuce side.
      The teams change sides again.

      Play continues in this manner until one team scores at least seven points by a two-point advantage.