Starting the game In singles play there is 1 player on each side of the net, and they use the area of the tennis court within the baseline and the singles sideline. In doubles, a team of 2 players on either side of the net uses the full court between the baselines and the doubles sidelines.
When starting to play a match, players should:
*Introduce themselves to their opponent or opponents (doubles)
*Limit the warm-up before a match to approximately (5) minutes. Players should hit the ball back and forth with their opponent or opponents. Then each player(s) should take practice serves before play begins.
*To see who or what team serves first, one player spins a racquet or tosses a coin. The player or team that wins the coin toss or racquet spin may: (1) choose to serve or receive first, (2) choose which end of the court they want to start playing on, or (3) require the opponent(s) to choose first.
To put the ball in play for each point, one player serves the ball from behind the baseline. That player is called the server; the player who receives the serve is called the receiver
When playing doubles, the Server’s partner will start at the net and the receiver’s partner will start at the service line.
In doubles, either player on the team that serves first may begin the match by serving the ball. Either person on the opposing team may receive the first ball in the right (or deuce) court. When it is time for the team that served first to receive the ball, either partner may receive the first ball. After this, players must keep the same order of serving and the same sides for receiving for the whole set.
SCORING: Game, Set, Match
SCORING: Game, Set, Match Tennis players play a match, which consists of sets, which consist of games.
Games:
Two terms players need to know up front are Love and All. In tennis, Love means zero and All means the score is tied. An example of how the scoring works is as follows: the first player to win a point has a score of 15; the other player who has no points has a score of Love (or zero). The server’s score is always said first. So 15-Love means the server’s score is 15 and the receiver’s score is 0.
If the server also wins the next point, the score is 30-Love. If the server wins the third and forth points, the score is 40-Love and finally Game. To win a game when using the traditional scoring method, a player must win by at least 2 points.
If the receiver wins any of the points, the scoring changes. It may go Love-15 (server, 0; receiver 15), 15-All (server, 15; receiver, 15), 15-30, 15-40, Game.
Remember that to win a game by traditional scoring method, a player must win by at least 2 points. Here’s where “deuce” comes in. If each player wins three points, the score is tied at 40-40. This score is called Deuce. The player who wins the next point after deuce has the Advantage, called Ad in for the server or Ad out for the receiver. If this same player wins the following point, she wins the game; if not, the score goes back to Deuce. The first player to score 2 points in a row after a deuce score wins the game.
Set and Match
Set and Match The first player or team to win six games and to be ahead by at least 2 games wins a Set. If the score reaches 6 games all, you may play a tie-break. In a tie-break, the first player or team to reach 7 points with a margin of 2 points wins the game. Whoever wins the tie-break wins the set. The first player or team to win 2 sets in the best of 3 wins the match.
Set tie-break
Set tie-break The set tie-break shall operate when the score reaches 6-all in a set (i.e., each player or team has won six games).
Singles: In a set tie-break, the player who first wins 7 points shall win the game and set, provided he leads by a margin of 2 points. If the score reaches 6 points-all, the game shall be extended until this margin has been achieved. Consecutive numerical scoring (i.e., 1,2,3,4,etc.) shall be used throughout the tie-break game.
The player whose turn it is to serve shall be the server for the first point. His opponent shall be the server for the second and third points. Thereafter, each player shall serve alternately for two consecutive points until the winner of the game and set has been decided.
From the first point, each service shall be delivered alternately from the right and left service courts, beginning with the right court. Players change ends of the court after every 6 points and at the conclusion of the tie break game.
Doubles The same procedures for the singles shall apply to doubles play. The player whose turn it is to serve shall be the server for the first point. Thereafter, each player shall serve in rotation for two points, in the same order followed previously in that set.
Change of ends
Change of ends Players change ends at the start of the tie-break only if an odd-game changeover is due. During the tie-break, players change ends after 6 points.
Skills
Skills Forehand: Swing is low to high with the racquet face perpendicular to the court at contact with the ball. Contact point is even with the front foot, waist-level high, with the arm away from the body and with a slight bend in the elbow.
Backhand: Grip rotates thumb down. Contact point is in front of the front hip.
Serve: First serve has a bit of power or spin; second serve should be a slower higher percentage success serve. Both serves should be overhead.
Volley: Ball is hit before it touches the ground. There is no backswing.
Lob: The lob is a groundstroke that is hit high over the net. It is used when a player (who is hitting the lob), is out of position as a way of giving that player more time to get back into position before the opponent can play the next shot. It is also used when the opponent is at the net. The objective is to lob the ball over the player at the net so they have to retreat to the backcourt to play the next shot. Hitting the lob is like the other groundstrokes except that the face of the racquet is more open.
Overhead smash: This shot is played to return a lob. Players must move into the correct position so they can contact the ball at the same contact point as the serve. They must time their swing so they can hit the descending ball full reach and racquet extension.