Basic Rules for Beginner's Tennis

The rules for game of tennis have been established by the International Tennis Federation, which is the governing body of the game founded in 1913. This global sport can be challenging for beginners, but learning the basics is the first step to mastering the game.

  1. Equipment

    • Tennis is played with a racquet and standard-issue tennis balls.

    Court

    • The game is played on a rectangular court 78 feet long and 27 feet wide, which is divided across the middle by a net. The court surface may be hard, grass, clay or turf. The rectangular space is then divided by several lines: the baseline at the far end of the court, sidelines and a service line closer to the net. These lines determine the validity of the play.

    Singles

    • When playing a game of tennis against one opponent, the singles game must remain in first set of sidelines. The server must play the ball inside the service line in the service box diagonally across from him. The receiver can return the ball over the net to any position within the singles sidelines.

      The hits which each opponent can use are called forehands, backhands, volleys and slams. A forehand is the most basic stroke, a play hit with person's predominant hand. Accordingly, the backhand is hit across the body from the other side and is usually a two-handed stroke. A volley is a short hit, generally used when a player is close to the net. A slam, also known as an overhead hit, is
      a very powerful shot and similar to a service hit, but often hit closer to the net.

    Doubles

    • Doubles is played by a two-person team versus another two-person team. The court for doubles play is 9 feet wider than singles play. This allows the two-player team more room and opportunity for more strategic play than in singles. The serve rules are the same in both singles and doubles, as the serve must be hit within the same boundaries. The major difference is the availability of the two alleys for shots other than the serve.

    Score

    • A game of tennis consists of four points: "love," "15," "30," "40" and "game." Essentially, "love" is zero, "15" is equal to the first point, "30" is the second point, "40" is the third, and "game" is the fourth
      and final point. The serving player announces the score at the beginning of each point with his score first. A player must win the game by two points. If the players reach a tie score at "40-40"
      or "40-all," the next person to score will have the "advantage." Any ties after this point are referred to as "deuce." A tennis set includes several games, with the winner being the player to win six games first.