Tennis is a racquet sport played between two (singles) or four (doubles) players. Here are some basic rules of tennis:

  1. Scoring:
    • Tennis is scored in points, games, and sets. A player wins a point when the opponent fails to return the ball within the prescribed dimensions of the court.
    • The basic scoring is 15, 30, 40, and then game. If both players or teams have 40 points, it’s called “deuce.” The next point after deuce is “advantage,” and winning that point wins the game.
  2. Game and Set:
    • A player or team must win at least four points to win a game.
    • To win a set, a player or team must win at least six games and be ahead by at least two games. If the set reaches a 6-6 tie, a tiebreaker may be played to determine the set winner.
  3. Serve:
    • The server must stand behind the baseline and hit the ball into the opponent’s service box diagonally across the net.
    • The server gets two chances (first serve and second serve). If they fail to get the ball into the service box on both attempts, it’s a double fault, and the point goes to the opponent.
  4. Change of Ends:
    • Players change ends after every odd game in a set (1-0, 2-1, 3-2, etc.) and at the end of each set.
  5. Lines and Boundaries:
    • The court is divided into two halves by a net. The area between the baselines and the service lines is the playing area.
    • The ball must land within the boundaries of the court for it to be in play. If the ball hits the line, it is considered in.
  6. Faults:
    • A fault occurs when a player fails to serve the ball into the opponent’s service box or violates other rules during the serve.
    • If a player hits the ball out of bounds, it is also considered a fault.
  7. Let:
    • If the server’s ball hits the net and lands in the service box, it’s called a “let,” and the server gets to retake that serve.
  8. Volley and Groundstroke:
    • A volley is when a player hits the ball before it bounces on their side of the court.
    • A groundstroke is when a player hits the ball after it has bounced once on their side.
  9. Tiebreaker:
    • In the event of a 6-6 tie in a set, a tiebreaker is usually played to determine the set winner. The first player or team to reach seven points (with at least a two-point advantage) wins the tiebreaker.