Racket & Paddle Sports 🇬🇧United Kingdom Olympic19th century

Tennis

Officially Lawn Tennis

One-on-one (or doubles) racket sport played over a low net — win points by making the ball bounce untouchable in the opponent's court.

📐tennis court⏱~120 min🌤both

Photo · Wikipedia

What is Tennis?

Tennis is a racket sport played by two players (singles) or four (doubles) on a rectangular court divided by a low net. Players use strung rackets to strike a felt-covered ball back and forth. The game descends from the medieval French jeu de paume ('game of the palm', later real tennis) and was codified in its modern form by Major Walter Wingfield in 1874. The four Grand Slam events — the Australian Open (Melbourne, January), French Open (Paris, May-June), Wimbledon (London, June-July) and US Open (New York, August-September) — form the sport's biggest prizes. Tennis has been on the Olympic programme since 1896 (with a 64-year gap from 1924 to 1988). The men's and women's professional tours are governed by the ATP and WTA respectively; the ITF governs Grand Slams, Davis Cup, Billie Jean King Cup, and Olympic tennis.

Quick facts

How it works

Objective

Win more sets than the opponent by winning individual points, games and sets according to tennis's hierarchical scoring system.

Match structure

One player serves the entire game; the serve alternates games. To win a game: 4 points ahead by 2. To win a set: 6 games ahead by 2, or win a 7-point tiebreak at 6-6. To win a match: 2 sets (best of 3) or 3 sets (best of 5). Sides are swapped every odd game total. Points scored 15, 30, 40, game (with deuce/advantage from 40-40). Grand Slam finals have varied tiebreak rules — Wimbledon uses 10-point tiebreaks in the final set at 6-6.

Rules

Basic rules

The serve
Must land diagonally in the opposite service box. First serve fault → second serve; both faults = double fault, opponent scores point.
Bounce rule
The ball must bounce once (in your own court) before you may return it, except when volleying (hitting before the bounce). The ball may bounce only once.
In or out
Ball is 'in' if it lands on or inside the court lines. Line touching = in. Modern events use Hawk-Eye (electronic line-calling) at review level or fully automated.
Foot fault
Server's foot must not touch or cross the baseline before contact with the ball.
Let
Serve touches the net and lands in the service box → replay. Called by an electronic net cord sensor or umpire.
Scoring
0 → 15 → 30 → 40 → game. Tied at 40-40 = 'deuce'; win 2 consecutive points from deuce to take the game.
Changeover
Players switch ends after every odd game and at the end of each set. 90 seconds allowed for rest at changeovers, 2 minutes at set breaks.

Advanced rules

Tiebreak
At 6-6 in a set, play a 7-point tiebreak. First to 7 points, 2-point margin. Serving alternates every 2 points, sides changed every 6 points.
Deciding-set tiebreak
10-point tiebreak at 6-6 in the final set (all four Grand Slams unified in 2022).
Challenge system / Hawk-Eye
Players get 3 unsuccessful challenges per set (plus 1 more in tiebreaks) on Hawk-Eye-equipped courts. Some events now use fully-electronic line calling.
Time violation
25 seconds between points (ATP/WTA). Violation = warning, then point penalty.
Medical timeout
3 minutes for treatment; only during changeovers unless an emergency.
Doubles specifics
Only one player of the receiving side must strike the return. Poaching (net player intercepting) is a doubles strategy — legal, expected.

Scoring

Points 15/30/40/game → Games (6 with 2-margin or tiebreak) → Sets (best of 3 or 5) → Match.

Action	Points
Point	15 → 30 → 40 → game
Game	First to win 6 games (with 2-game margin) wins the set.
Set	First to win 2 sets (women, most men) or 3 sets (men's Slams) wins the match.
Tiebreak point	1

Win condition · Win the required number of sets. Best-of-3 typically for tour events and women's Slams; best-of-5 for men's Slams.

Playing area

Called

tennis court

Dimensions

Singles: 23.77 m × 8.23 m. Doubles: 23.77 m × 10.97 m. Net height: 0.914 m at centre, 1.07 m at posts.

Rectangular court divided by a net into two halves. Surfaces: grass (Wimbledon), clay (French Open), hard court (Australian/US Open, most ATP events), carpet/synthetic.

Equipment

Tennis racket
Head 500-700 cm² frame area, strung with polyester/gut hybrid. Max weight ~370 g.
Tennis ball
Yellow (or white) felt-covered rubber, 6.54-6.86 cm diameter, 56-59.4 g.
Tennis shoes
Court-specific outsoles: herringbone for clay, non-marking hard-court soles, grass-friendly nubbed patterns.
Grip and overgrip
Absorbent tape wrap on the handle for feel and moisture management.

Officiating

The chair umpire calls the score, enforces rules, and reviews challenges. Line judges call in/out (increasingly replaced by electronic systems).

Chair umpire
Line judges (5-9 per court, being phased out for electronic line calling)
Hawk-Eye / Live ELC operator
Tournament referee

Penalties & fouls

Penalties

Warning
First offence — verbal or code violation.
Point penalty
Second violation — point awarded to the opponent.
Game penalty
Third violation — game awarded to the opponent.
Default
Fourth violation or gross misconduct — match forfeit.

Strategies

Aggressive baseline
Dominate from the back of the court with heavy topspin groundstrokes — the modern staple (Nadal, Djokovic, Świątek).
Serve-and-volley
Rush the net after the serve — dominant on grass in the 1990s, still used on fast courts.
Counterpuncher / defender
Retrieve everything and let the opponent make errors — Chang, Ivanišević, Medvedev at his best.
All-court player
Blend baseline and net play seamlessly — Federer, McEnroe, Sampras, Alcaraz.
Doubles poaching
Net player crosses to intercept — surprise creates errors.

Terminology

Ace: A serve untouched by the opponent — instant point.
Deuce: Score tied at 40-40; win 2 consecutive points to win the game.
Advantage: The point won after deuce; win again for the game, lose for deuce.
Break: Winning a game while opponent is serving — game hangs on the receiver's edge.
Grand Slam: Winning all 4 majors in a calendar year — done only 5 times in singles history.
Bagel: Winning a set 6-0.
Breadstick: Winning a set 6-1.
Fault / double fault: Missing the service box on a serve; two missed serves = point for opponent.
Volley: Hitting the ball before it bounces — usually from the net.
Let: Serve touches the net and lands in — replay.
Tiebreak: 7-point mini-set at 6-6 to decide a set.
Hawk-Eye / ELC: Electronic line-calling; players challenge disputed calls (or fully automated at some events).
Slam Cup: Trophy given to the year-end #1 by the ATP/WTA.

Major competitions

Australian Open
annual · worldwide · since 1905
First Grand Slam of the year — Melbourne, January (hard court).
French Open (Roland-Garros)
annual · worldwide · since 1891
Paris, May-June (clay).
Wimbledon
annual · worldwide · since 1877
The oldest tennis tournament — London, June-July (grass).
US Open
annual · worldwide · since 1881
New York, August-September (hard court).
ATP Finals / WTA Finals
annual · worldwide · since 1970
Davis Cup / Billie Jean King Cup
annual · worldwide · since 0.9679062659195109
National team competitions.
Summer Olympic Games
quadrennial · worldwide · since 1896
Continuous from 1988.

Where it is played

Governing bodies

International Tennis FederationITF
Founded 1913 · London, UK
Official site ↗
Association of Tennis ProfessionalsATP
Founded 1972 · London/Ponte Vedra Beach, USA
Official site ↗
Women's Tennis AssociationWTA
Founded 1973 · St. Petersburg, USA
Official site ↗

Famous names & records

Famous athletes

Roger Federer
Rafael Nadal
Novak Djokovic
Serena Williams
Steffi Graf
Martina Navratilova
Björn Borg
Pete Sampras
Chris Evert
Billie Jean King
Andre Agassi
Iga Świątek
Carlos Alcaraz

Records

Most men's Grand Slam titles
Novak Djokovic — 24 (2023)
Most women's Grand Slam titles (Open Era)
Serena Williams — 23 (2017)
Longest match ever
John Isner def. Nicolas Mahut, Wimbledon — 11h 5m — 70-68 in 5th set (2010)
Fastest serve
Sam Groth (AUS) — 263 km/h (163.4 mph) (2012)

Learn this sport

beginner

1
Continental grip
The one-size-fits-all grip — used for serves, volleys, slices, and returns.
2
Forehand and backhand
Semi-western forehand grip; two-handed backhand for beginners.
3
Serve motion
Start with abbreviated serve (waiter's tray); progress to full trophy pose over weeks.
4
Ready position
Split step as opponent hits; recover to centre baseline between shots.

intermediate

1
Topspin generation
Low-to-high swing path; brush the outside of the ball for kick.
2
Volley technique
Punch through the ball; short backswing, follow-through low to high.
3
Approach shots
Slice down the line to come in behind; cut off angles at the net.
4
Match play
Understand percentages: rally patterns, second-serve returns, break-point strategy.

advanced

1
Kick serve
The high-bouncing serve that stays in front and jumps up at the opponent.
2
Drop shot and lob
Change of pace and heights — takes the opponent off-balance.
3
Court positioning
Read opponent's stance and racket path before contact for anticipation.
4
Mental game
Serving out matches, closing sets, and playing tiebreaks under pressure.

Frequently asked

What are the four Grand Slams?+

Australian Open (Melbourne, January), French Open / Roland-Garros (Paris, May-June), Wimbledon (London, June-July), US Open (New York, August-September).

Why is the scoring 15, 30, 40 instead of 1, 2, 3?+

Origin debated — most likely from the medieval French clock face (60 min divided into quarters: 15, 30, 45 → shortened to 40 for easy calling). Predates modern scoring by centuries.

What's a tiebreak?+

A 7-point mini-set played at 6 games all — first to 7 (with 2-point margin). It decides the set without endless games. Some formats use a 10-point deciding-set tiebreak.

Why did Federer, Nadal and Djokovic dominate tennis so long?+

The 'Big Three' era (~2003-2023) was defined by exceptional longevity and rivalry — 66 combined Grand Slams among them. Modern coaching, sports science, and their generational overlap created an unprecedented duopoly then triopoly.

How does the ranking system work?+

ATP/WTA points are earned by tournament results in a rolling 52-week window. Grand Slam wins are worth 2000 points; ATP 1000 events 1000; ATP 500 events 500; and so on. The world #1 is whoever has the most points at any given moment.

Sources & provenance

Wikipedia — Tennis— Wikipedia
ITF — Rules of Tennis— International Tennis Federation
ATP Tour — Rulebook— ATP

Last verified 2026-08-24.community