Tennis rules

Tennis is a sport that can be played in singles matches ( 2 players) or doubles ( 4 players). The players all use a racket to hit the tennis ball across the net to the opposing side.

The original game of tennis started in the late 19th century and was known as lawn tennis. The rules have not changed much since that time.

The tennis court is a flat, rectangular surface usually made of clay or grass with a net that is 3 ft 6 in. at the poles and 3 ft high in the center stretched across the entire court. In singles matches it is 78 ft. long by 27 ft. wide and in doubles matches the court is 36 ft. wide.

The rules of the game are very simple although the game itself is not.

The players stand on opposite sides of the court. One is the server the other is the receiver. A coin toss is generally used to decide who will be the server and who will be the receiver. The server begins with the ball while the receiver is prepared to hit the ball. the server must stand behind the baseline on the deuce court and can not serve the ball until there opponent is ready. If the server misses their hit twice the rules state that he or she loses a point. If the ball hits the net when served but falls into the correct service box then the server is allowed another chance.

The receiver can stand anywhere they choose. They are considered ready when an attempt is made to return the ball. IF the ball hits anywhere except the service box then a second chance is allowed. If either opponent hits the ball before it bounces then the point goes to the server.

The server always calls their score first. Scoring is a little more complicated and goes as follows: Love = zero, 1st point is called a 15, 2nd point is called a 30, 3rd point is called a 40. A deuce is a score of 40-40 . A player must two more points than their opponent to win.

The term “Advantage in” means that the server could win the next game if they score the next point. An “Advantage out” means that the receiver could win if they score the next point.

Equipment used is simple. You have to have a racket made of a handle, neck and a circular frame strung with tightly pulled strings. Tennis balls are hollow rubber balls covered in felt.

Knowing the basic of the game is a great place to start but as you go along it is necessary to learn the complexities of the game. The better you understand the rules the better player you will become.