h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Does it go: 15, love, 40, win?

Why "love"? And how many sets are usually played?

'Love' is zero - supposedly named after the French l'oef, because a zero looks like an egg.

The points then (sort of) follow the quarter hours on a clock: 15, 30, 40, game (not 45, presumably as it took longer to say than 40).

If both players reach 40, it is called deuce. After that, the next player to win two consecutive points wins the game. When a player wins a point, they are said to have the 'advantage'. If the other player then scores, it goes back to deuce.

Hope that makes sense!

Missed the bit about sets...

Broadly speaking, first player to win 6 games wins a set. In women's tennis, first to two sets wins. In men's, it can be first to two or three sets, depending on the competition. Major tournaments are usually three, more minor ones are two.

Why is it that the points go up like that? Wouldn't it be easier to just say "1,2,3,4"?

What does "match point" or "game point" mean?

Well, yes, it would be easier, but that's history for you..!

A player has 'match point' when they need one more point to win the match. Same principle with 'set point' and 'game point'.

Ok, think I've got it

No problem!

Set score wise. One has to win by at least two clear games to win a set.

Hence sets are won 6-0, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5.

If the set goes to six games all then usually a Tie-Breaker game is played. This is ot avoid interminable matches that last several days.

A tie breaker is a special game where the first to seven point wins (they give up on the 15-30-40 stuff in this case). However, both players serve in this game - two serves each alternating with one player taking the first point only - and again two clear points at least to win the Tie-Breaker.
Tie breaks are sometimes not used in the final set (at Wimbledon for example).

The 15, 30, 40 malarchy dates back to the really old game of Real Tennis. Don't quote me but I think it's bastardised from a clock face somehow.

A663022 Lawn Tennis

What's an ace then?

BTW, I'm not going to play tennis, just watched a film and thought I'd find out what they were on about

All you wanted to know about tennis but were to afraid to ask!

http://www.answerbag.com/c_view.php/1413

So an ace is a serve that the opponent fails to get anywhere near to!

Donald