What are the rules of tennis? Understanding the basics of the game

For starters, tennis is a sport that originated in England around the 19th century and is now played in a host of countries globally. Played on a rectangular court with a net running across the centre, the sport might seem easy. However, the rules of tennis defy that.

Like several other sports, soccer, American football, basketball, netball, rugby, chess, and so forth, the set rules are meant to govern the entire sport. That said, you will realise that some of these rules vary from one sport to another. But rules are rules, and they ought to be adhered to. What are some of these regulations of tennis?

History of tennis

The sport initially was known as lawn tennis, and formally still is in Britain, because it was played on grass courts by Victorian gentlemen and ladies. Today, it is played on various surfaces, including enclosed areas.

Although there has been much dispute over the invention of modern tennis, the officially recognised centennial of the game in 1973 commemorated its introduction by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield in 1873. The sport took root in Australia by 1880, and the first Australian Championships were played in 1905.

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Rules of tennis explained

Rules are meant to ensure the smooth running of any given organisation, and sports are no exception. And while fans might assume it is all about serving the ball across the nets back and forth, some of these basic rules of tennis are extraordinarily interesting. How does an athlete make a serve? What is considered a serve? How is a win evaluated? These are some of the questions answered.

10 rules of tennis for beginners

After an in-depth analysis, Sports Brief has compiled a list displaying rules of tennis games that might have you playing this with your family and friends.

1. Coin toss

Before any tennis match begins, players from both teams gather at the centre court to determine who will serve first and from which side of the court they will be. Afterward, the chair umpire comes out to the centre court and greets both players before asking the lower-ranked players to call heads or tails.

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The umpire then tosses the coin, and the winners are allowed to serve first and decide the side of the court they want to play on.

2. Rules of a tennis serve

For starters, the one serving starts the point in the match. However, the good news is that the player gets two chances to put the ball in play. Below is a list of some of the rules when making that serve.

• A player must stand behind the baseline and between the right sideline and the center mark.
• On the first serve, the ball should hit over the net and into the opponent's service region. If it is not so, then the service is called a fault. It is a double fault if it happens in the second serve again. Hence, the opponent wins the score.

• It is called a let when you serve a ball, and it hits the net along the court before it bounces and lands in the correct court.
• After serving in one match of a set, you receive your competitor's serve. You have to switch the serving on every 3rd, 5th, and 7th in short on every odd-numbered play.

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3. Player challenges

In the sport, there are line judges who often call any ball out of bounds by screaming out in the middle of the point. Although they are more often correct than not, at times, the play is so swift that players make mistakes.

In this case, players can challenge the line judges by raising their fingers or hands and yelling out a challenge. Every player has three challenges per set. When a player challenges a call, the chair umpire uses video technology to determine whether the ball is in or not.

If the player gets the challenge correct, they retain the same number of challenges they had initially, but if it's wrong, they lose the challenge.

4. Sets and games

In most tournaments, matches are played to whoever earned the best two out of three sets. For starters, a standard game consists of a minimum of 4 points, and the server's score is called first. It goes as follows;

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• No point = Love | First point = 15 | Second Point = 30 | Third Point = 40 | Fourth Point = Game

The game is won when an athlete wins 4 points with at least two clear points. If each athlete wins three points, the score will be 40-40. Regarding the set consists of 6 games and is won by the first player to reach six games, with at least a 2-game lead.

At the start of a set, player A will serve for the duration of the first game. The athletes will then switch ends of the court, and player B will then commence serving.

5. Ranking system

Each player receives a ranking based on how many points they acquire across tournaments throughout the year. The champion of any game gets the most points, while the athlete who lost in the first round receives the least points. Different tournaments have different point systems, with the four majors handing out points.

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• Grand Slams
• Masters 1000
• ATP 500
• ATP 250

The Grand Slam champions receive 2000 points, while the other three levels have the number of points the winner gets in the title.

6. Tiebreakers

If a game score of 6-6 is reached and tie-break set rules are used, athletes must play a tie-break game to decide who wins the set. In a tie-break match, an athlete or team must reach 7 points with a two-point advantage to win.

In the case of the serving format of a tie-break game, player 1 serves for the first point; player 2 serves for the following two points. Then player 1 serves for the next two points after that, and so on.

7. Deuce

A deuce occurs if a score of 40-40 is reached. Therefore, to win the game, an athlete or team must win two consecutive points to take the game or match. If an athlete wins one point, they automatically have an advantage, but if they lose the next point, the score returns to a deuce.

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8. Rules of tennis doubles and singles

The sport's rules for singles and doubles matches vary, mainly regarding serving order and the court size. Doubles rules are slightly adapted to make room for an extra athlete on either side of the court, but for the most part, doubles rules are very much the same as singles matches.

Doubles

• A doubles court uses the outermost sideline and measures a total of 36 feet wide by 78 feet long.
• The team that wins the toss chooses which team serves first, and that team will determine which of them will serve first. Whoever is serving first serves for the entire duration of the first game.
• It is often played to the best of 5 sets.

Singles

• A singles court uses the innermost sideline and measures a total of 27 feet wide by 78 feet long.
• The athlete who wins the toss chooses who serves first. Whoever serves first serves for the entire duration of the first game. After the match, the next server will be the athlete who received the last, serving for the duration of the second game.

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• A singles game is often played to the best of 3 sets, although some men's singles tournaments play to the best of 5.

9. Ball boys/girls

If you are one tennis diehard, you will realise that there are non-athletes often running up and down the court after the conclusion of a point, picking up the ball. They are known as ball boys or girls. They have few responsibilities around the court;

• Picking the ball up promptly
• Handing balls to the serving side.
• Giving towels to enquiring athletes

10. Chair umpire

If there is one vital person in any tennis match, it sure is the chair umpire, as they are the only ones with the final authority when making a call or fixing an issue during a game. Below are some of the leading roles the umpire has in such a sport;

• Ensuring fair play and maintaining order during a match.
• Overseeing the game and ensuring it is conducted fairly, efficiently, and safely.
• Enforcing the rules and regulations of the game and ensuring that all athletes adhere to them.
• Providing all equipment, including the nets, balls, and rackets, are in good working condition.
• Making all the necessary calls and decisions and ensuring that matches are conducted fairly and efficiently.

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• Providing all the required paperwork is completed and submitted, including match reports and other relevant documents.

Understanding the rules of tennis comes with a lot of effort, considering how simple the game can seem, especially on screens or as a spectator. Players are excepted to follow the set rules and regulations to the core to ensure smooth running.

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Sports Brief also featured Leah Williamson, a professional soccer star with Arsenal Women in the Women's Super League (WSL). Leah has established herself as a top player in Europe.

Williamson started as a midfielder but moved to defence. She has been playing senior-level in her own country since 2014. Follow the above link to learn more about her.