Tennis Products at INTERSPORT

Welcome to INTERSPORT Tennis. Please see some of our frequently asked questions about Tennis.

FAQ's

• Tennis is played on a rectangular court with either two or four players.
• The aim is to win enough games to gain a number of sets and then the match.
• Matches for women are usually the best of three sets and for men it is the best of five.

Singles Match

• A singles match is played within the narrower marking of the court (show in diagram below).
• During a singles match there is a server and a receiver, which is decided by a toss of a coin at the beginning.
• Players will swap for serve at the end of each game.

Doubles Match

• The rules within a doubles match are the same as a those for singles match except that the wider markings on the court are used.
• The serve continues to rotate, by every player, meaning that a player should serve every fourth game.
• The singles court is 78ft long (23.77m), 27ft wide (8.23m) and divided by a net which is 3ft high at its centre.
• In doubles, the allowance is moved to the 'out' lines so the width increases to 36ft (11m).
• The service area is marked by a line 21ft (6.4m) from the net and parallel to it; this is then further marked by a line in half, to form two service boxes.
• If any part of the ball hits the line during a match it is deemed to be 'in' or ‘good’.

Umpires

• In professional competitions, officials are present to judge whether the ball is 'in' or 'out' and interpret the rules.
• The senior umpire will sit at the centre of the court on the sideline, with further line judges who sit outside the court looking down on the court lines.
• Players who disagree with any of the tournament officials may be penalised by points or in extreme cases, disqualified.

Scoring

• The first point scored in a game is 15, followed by 30 and then 40.
• If a player has not scored any points the word ‘love’ will be used for this.
• The server’s score is always called first.
• The first player to reach 40, and gain the next point, will win the game.
• If players reach the score of 40 - 40, this is known as ‘duece’; once this point is reached, a player must score two consecutive points to win the game.
• If player A wins the next point, ‘advantage server/receiver’ will be called.  If they lose the following point it will return to ‘deuce’, but if they win, they win the game of that set.
• There are six games within a set.
• A player must have a lead of two games or more to win a set.
• Since 1979, rules have stated that if a game reaches six games all, a tie-break is played to decide who wins the set.
• The first player to reach seven points wins the tie-break and the set.
• The exception however, is if the score reaches six points all then the winner is the first player to win two points in a row.
• The players change ends after every six points, even if they are between service points.
• A tie-break is played in all sets except the last one, which allows the players to continue until one secures a two game lead.

Losing points in Tennis

• Throwing or letting go of the racket on purpose during play.
• Hitting the ball twice or catching the ball with a hand.
• Touching the net posts, umpire chairs or the judge, ball girls/boys, or opponents side of the court during play.
• Hitting the ball before it crosses the net.
• Returning a serve before it bounces on your side of the court.
• If the ball touches something before hitting the ground (umpire’s chair, line judge machine etc).

Serving

• The server will begin the game by serving from behind the baseline on the right hand side of the court.
• The ball served must make contact in the service box diagonally opposite.
• The server must swap sides after each point is played.
• The server has two attempts to get the ball to the opposite service box.
• If the first attempt fails, a ‘fault’ is called.  If the player fails again it is known as a ‘double fault’ and the opponent wins a point.
• If a ball clips the net and bounces inside the service box, this is a ‘let’ and the player can serve again.
• If the ball however, lands outside the service box, it is a ‘fault’.
• Players change ends of the court after the first, third and fifth game and so on until the end of a set.
• Players are allowed a 90 second rest between end changes and two minutes at the end of a set.

Basic Product Requirements

• Tennis Footwear
• Tennis Racket
• Tennis Balls