Rules

How does tennis scoring work? Explained simply for parents and kids

Updated 22 October 2026 · By Will, founder and tennis dad

In tennis scoring, points go love (zero), 15, 30, 40, then game. At 40 all the score is deuce, and a player must win two points in a row to take the game. Six games with a two game lead win a set, with a tiebreak at 6 all. Red and orange ball players mostly play shorter formats: tiebreaks to 7 or 10, or short sets to 4 games.

How do points work in tennis?

The ITF's Rules of Tennis give each point score in a game a name. Win four points and you win the game, unless it reaches deuce:

Points won	What you say
0	Love
1	15
2	30
3	40
4	Game

When both players have the same score, the USTA explains that you say "all", so 15-15 is "15 all" and 30-30 is "30 all". The one exception is 40-40, which has its own name:

Deuce. Both players have won three points. Now someone must win two points in a row.
Advantage. Whoever wins the point after deuce has the advantage. Win the next point and they win the game; lose it and it is back to deuce.
Ad in and ad out. The USTA calls it "ad in" when the server has the advantage and "ad out" when the receiver has it.

Some matches skip advantage altogether. With no-ad scoring, the ITF rules say one deciding point is played at deuce, and whoever wins it wins the game. The ITF lists it among the shorter formats for young players.

How do games and sets work?

Under the ITF rules:

A set is first to 6 games, with a lead of two. So 6-4 wins, but 6-5 plays on.
At 6 games all, most sets use a tiebreak, so the set ends 7-6. An advantage set has no tiebreak and goes on until someone leads by two.
A match is usually best of 3 sets, so the first to win two sets wins.
A match tiebreak can replace a deciding third set. It is played to 10 points, with a lead of two, and the winner takes the match.

How does a tiebreak work?

A tiebreak is a special game that finishes a set or match quickly. It is also the format young players see most.

Normal numbers. The ITF rules count tiebreak points as zero, 1, 2, 3 and so on.
First to 7, by two. The first player to 7 points wins, as long as they lead by two. So 7-5 wins and 7-6 plays on, to 8-6, 9-7 or beyond.
Serving takes turns. The player whose turn it is serves the first point. The opponent then serves the next two, and after that each player serves two points in a row.

For a picture of this, see your child's first tennis tournament.

Who serves when?

At the start, the ITF rules say a toss decides who serves first and which end each player starts.
One player serves a whole game, then the receiver serves the next.
Right side first. The server starts every game from the right half of the court, then swaps sides after each point.
Two tries. The server gets a second serve after a fault. Two faults in a row lose the point.
Changing ends. Players swap ends after every odd game (1, 3, 5 and so on), and every six points in a tiebreak.

How do you call the score out loud?

The ITF rules say the server's score is always called first. So if the server has won one point and the receiver two, the score is "15-30". If the receiver had won one point and the server two, it would be "30-15".

In matches without an umpire, the server calls the score. Tennis Canada's code for these matches says the server announces the game score before the first point of each game, and the point score before every point after that. A game might sound like this, with each call followed by who wins the point:

"Love all." Server wins.
"15 love." Receiver wins.
"15 all." Server wins.
"30-15." Server wins.
"40-15." Receiver wins.
"40-30." Receiver wins.
"Deuce." Server wins.
"Ad in." Server wins, and takes the game.

The ITF's Tennis10s manual asks children to call the score clearly so both players agree.

How are red and orange ball matches scored?

Young players rarely play full sets. The ITF's Tennis10s manual recommends shorter formats, all within the Rules of Tennis, by stage (see red, orange and green ball tennis explained for the stages themselves):

Red (about 5 to 8). Tiebreaks to 7 or 10 points are the main format, and lower numbers can be used. More experienced players may play best of 3 tiebreaks to 7. Timed matches of up to 15 minutes are also suitable.
Orange (about 8 to 10). Best of 3 tiebreaks, or one short set to 4 games.

A short set is first to 4 games, with a lead of two. Under the ITF rules, a tiebreak is played at 4 games all, or at 3 games all if the organiser chooses. Tennis Australia lists the same options, plus no-ad scoring.

The ITF manual expects children to need help: at red, adults or helpers usually keep score, and at orange, children are encouraged to keep their own with an adult supervising. It also asks parents not to step in when children lose track, since mistakes are part of learning. Formats vary, so check with the organiser.

How can I teach my child scoring at home?

The ITF manual says learning scoring is as important as learning strokes. Most of these ideas come from it, and they work in a garden as well as on court:

Start with simple numbers. Play a tiebreak to 7 together, counting 1, 2, 3, with a serve or a fed ball to start each point.
Make the score visible. The ITF suggests clothes pegs on the net or a shirt, balls dropped in a hoop, or a stack of cones. The winner of each point adds one. Children focused on the ball often forget the score, and this fixes it.
Then say it out loud. Once the pegs are no longer needed, your child calls the score before each point, server's score first.
Play best of three. The ITF suggests best of three mini tiebreaks, or best of three games to 3 points, so children learn that losing the first one does not end the match.
Add 15, 30, 40 last. When numbers are easy, play proper games, with the table above to hand.
Use cones for where to stand. In a tiebreak, give each player a cone: right way up means serve from the right, upside down from the left.
Watch some tennis. On a rainy day, watch part of a match and see if your child can keep score.

For games to fill the points, see red ball tennis drills or orange ball tennis drills.

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Sources

This guide is general information for parents, not medical advice. Check with your child's coach or doctor about their own situation.