The Rules of Tennis: A Complete Overview

Tennis is governed by the International Tennis Federation (ITF). Here is a full plain-English walkthrough of the rules you actually need on court.

The court

• Singles court: 23.77m long, 8.23m wide.
• Doubles court adds the 1.37m alley on each side.
• The net is 0.914m high at the centre.

Starting the match

Players spin a racquet or flip a coin. The winner chooses to serve, receive, pick an end, or defer.

Serving

• The server stands behind the baseline, between the centre mark and singles sideline.
• The first point of every game is served from the deuce (right) side, then alternates.
• Two attempts are allowed. A serve that clips the net and lands in is a *let* — replay it.
• A ball outside the correct service box is a fault.

Scoring

• Points: 0 (love), 15, 30, 40, game.
• 40–40 is deuce. Win two points in a row to take the game.
• First to six games wins the set (must lead by two, or play a tiebreak at 6–6).
• Best of three sets is standard; Grand Slam men's play best of five.

Changing ends

Change ends after every odd game (1, 3, 5…) and after every set.

In or out

• A ball landing on any part of a line is IN.
• If you are unsure, the point goes to your opponent — call your side of the court honestly.

Common violations

• Foot fault: touching the baseline before contacting the serve.
• Double bounce: ball bounces twice before you hit it.
• Reaching over the net to hit a ball is a fault (unless the ball spins back over on its own).

Tiebreak

• First to 7 points, must lead by 2.
• Serving order: A serves 1 point, B serves 2, A serves 2, etc. Change ends every 6 points.