When both sides have won the same number of points within a given game—i.e., when each side has won one, or two, points—the score is described as "15 – all" and "30 – all", respectively. However, if each player has won three points, the score is called as "deuce", not "40 – all". From that point on in the game, whenever the score is tied, it is described as "deuce" regardless of how many points have been played. However, if the score is called in French, for example at the French Open, the first occurrence of " 40-all " in a single game may be called as such ("40-A", "Quarante-A", or "Quarante partout"). Thereafter, "deuce" ("Égalité" in French) is used for all other occurrences when the score returns to " 40-all " within the same game. + Tiebreak scoring Score Correspondingcall 1–0 "One, zero" 4–3 "Four, three" 4–4, 5–5, 6–6, etc. " Four-all ", " five-all ", " six-all ", etc. 4–7, 10–8, etc. "set" Unlike games, set scores are counted in the ordinary manner (1, 2, 3 etc.), except that zero games is called "love". The score is called at the end of each game, with the leading player's score first (e.g. "A leads 3–2"), or as "x – all". When a player wins a set, it is called as "game and first set", "game and second set" etc. The tiebreak is sometimes not employed for the final set of a match and an advantage set is used instead. Therefore, the deciding set must be played until one player or team has won two more games than the opponent. Of the major tennis championships, this only applies in the French Open. In the US Open, a tiebreak is played in the deciding set (fifth set for the men, third set for the women) at 6 – all. Since 2019, in Wimbledon, a tiebreak is played if the score reaches 12 – all in the final set. In the Australian Open, a "first to 10" tiebreak is played in the deciding set if it reaches 6 – all. (When the tiebreak was first introduced at Wimbledon in 1971, it was invoked at 8–8 rather than 6–6.) The US Open formerly held "Super Saturday" where the two men's semi-finals were played along with the women's final on the second Saturday of the event; therefore a tie-break was more prudent where player rest and scheduling is more important. Scoring a tiebreak game At a score of 6 – all, a set is often determined by one more game called a "twelve point tiebreaker" (or just "tiebreak"). Only one more game is played to determine the winner of the set; the score of the resulting completed set is 7–6 or 6–7 (though it can be 6 – all if a player retires before completion).e.g., Verdasco v. Mathieu in the 2007 Australian Open, where Mathieu retired in the 3rd set tiebreak due to injury (despite being up 2 sets to none and 3 points to 1 in the tiebreak) Points are counted using ordinary numbering. The set is won by the player who has scored at least seven points in the tiebreak and at least two points more than their opponent. For example, if the score is 6 points to 5 and the player with 6 points wins the next point, they win the tiebreak (7 points to 5), as well as the set (7 games to 6). If the player with 5 points wins the point instead (for a score of 6 – all), the tiebreak continues and cannot be won on the next point (7–6 or 6–7), since no player will be two points ahead. In the scoring of the set, sometimes the tiebreak points are shown as well as the game count, e.g., 7–610–8. Another way of listing the score of the tiebreak is to list only the loser's points. For example, if the set score is listed as 7–6(8), the tiebreak score was 10–8 (since the 8 is the loser's score, and the winner must win by two points). Similarly, 7–6(3) means the tiebreak score was 7–3. At Wimbledon, a tie-break is not played in the final set until the score reaches 12 – all. At the Australian Open, a tie-break is played at 6 – all, but continues until one player has ten points and is leading by two. The US Open uses a conventional, first to seven tie-break at 6 – all in the final set. The French open is the only Grand Slam or professional tournament where a final-set tie-break is not played and it is played as an advantage set. Variations and slang During informal play of tennis, especially at tennis clubs in the U.S. (also in other English speaking countries), score announcements are frequently shortened with the use of abbreviations. For example, a score 15 is replaced with "five", or in some cases "fif". "Love" is often substituted to indicate "zero". Similarly, the scores of 30 and 40 may sometimes be spoken as "three" or "four" respectively. A score of 15-all may sometimes be announced as "fives." To further confuse score announcements, a score of 30-all (30–30) may often be called "deuce", and the following point referred to as "ad in" or "ad out" (or "my ad" or "your ad"), depending on which player (or team) won the point. The logic for this is that a 30-all score is effectively the same as deuce (40–40), in that one must win the next two points to win the game.
When both sides have won the same number of points within a given game—i.e., when each side has won one, or two, points—the score is described as "15 all" and "30 all", respectively. However, if each player has won three points, the score is called as "deuce", not "40 all". From that point on in the game, whenever the score is tied, it is described as "deuce" regardless of how many points have been played. However, if the score is called in French, for example at the French Open, the first occurrence of " 40 all " in a single game may be called as such ("40-A", "Quarante-A", or "Quarante partout"). Thereafter, "deuce" ("Égalité" in French) is used for all other occurrences when the score returns to " 40 all " within the same game. + Tiebreak scoring Score Correspondingcall 1–0 "One, zero" 4–3 "Four, three" 4–4, 5–5, 6–6, etc. " Four all ", " five all ", " six all ", etc. 4–7, 10–8, etc. "set" Unlike games, set scores are counted in the ordinary manner (1, 2, 3 etc.), except that zero games is called "love". The score is called at the end of each game, with the leading player's score first (e.g. "A leads 3–2"), or as "x all". When a player wins a set, it is called as "game and first set", "game and second set" etc. The tiebreak is sometimes not employed for the final set of a match and an advantage set is used instead. Therefore, the deciding set must be played until one player or team has won two more games than the opponent. Of the major tennis championships, this only applies in the French Open. In the US Open, a tiebreak is played in the deciding set (fifth set for the men, third set for the women) at 6 all. Since 2019, in Wimbledon, a tiebreak is played if the score reaches 12 all in the final set. In the Australian Open, a "first to 10" tiebreak is played in the deciding set if it reaches 6 all. (When the tiebreak was first introduced at Wimbledon in 1971, it was invoked at 8–8 rather than 6–6.) The US Open formerly held "Super Saturday" where the two men's semi-finals were played along with the women's final on the second Saturday of the event; therefore a tie-break was more prudent where player rest and scheduling is more important. Scoring a tiebreak game At a score of 6 all, a set is often determined by one more game called a "twelve point tiebreaker" (or just "tiebreak"). Only one more game is played to determine the winner of the set; the score of the resulting completed set is 7–6 or 6–7 (though it can be 6 all if a player retires before completion).e.g., Verdasco v. Mathieu in the 2007 Australian Open, where Mathieu retired in the 3rd set tiebreak due to injury (despite being up 2 sets to none and 3 points to 1 in the tiebreak) Points are counted using ordinary numbering. The set is won by the player who has scored at least seven points in the tiebreak and at least two points more than their opponent. For example, if the score is 6 points to 5 and the player with 6 points wins the next point, they win the tiebreak (7 points to 5), as well as the set (7 games to 6). If the player with 5 points wins the point instead (for a score of 6 all), the tiebreak continues and cannot be won on the next point (7–6 or 6–7), since no player will be two points ahead. In the scoring of the set, sometimes the tiebreak points are shown as well as the game count, e.g., 7–610–8. Another way of listing the score of the tiebreak is to list only the loser's points. For example, if the set score is listed as 7–6(8), the tiebreak score was 10–8 (since the 8 is the loser's score, and the winner must win by two points). Similarly, 7–6(3) means the tiebreak score was 7–3. At Wimbledon, a tie-break is not played in the final set until the score reaches 12 all. At the Australian Open, a tie-break is played at 6 all, but continues until one player has ten points and is leading by two. The US Open uses a conventional, first to seven tie-break at 6 all in the final set. The French open is the only Grand Slam or professional tournament where a final-set tie-break is not played and it is played as an advantage set. Variations and slang During informal play of tennis, especially at tennis clubs in the U.S. (also in other English speaking countries), score announcements are frequently shortened with the use of abbreviations. For example, a score 15 is replaced with "five", or in some cases "fif". "Love" is often substituted to indicate "zero". Similarly, the scores of 30 and 40 may sometimes be spoken as "three" or "four" respectively. A score of 15 all may sometimes be announced as "fives." To further confuse score announcements, a score of 30 all (30–30) may often be called "deuce", and the following point referred to as "ad in" or "ad out" (or "my ad" or "your ad"), depending on which player (or team) won the point. The logic for this is that a 30 all score is effectively the same as deuce (40–40), in that one must win the next two points to win the game.
D
–
D
–
D
–
R
40-all
40 all
R
40-all
40 all
R
Four-all
Four all
R
five-all
five all
R
six-all
six all
D
–
D
–
D
–
D
–
D
–
D
–
D
–
D
–
D
–
D
–
R
15-all
15 all
R
30-all
30 all
R
30-all
30 all