What Are the Rules of a Tennis Game? A Complete Beginner’s Guide

Watching tennis is fun until the score jumps from 15 to 30 and someone shouts “deuce.” If you’re new to the game, the rules can seem harder than hitting the ball. But tennis becomes much easier once you know where to serve, when a shot counts, and how points turn into games and sets.

Whether you’re playing with a friend or joining tennis classes in Gurugram, you only need a few basics to get started. This guide explains the rules of a tennis game in plain English, with simple examples and a practice drill you can try on court today confidently.

What Are the Basic Rules of a Tennis Game?

The main rule of tennis is simple: hit the ball over the net and into your opponent’s court so they cannot return it legally. You can play singles with two players or doubles with four players. A standard tennis court is 78 feet long. However, its playing width changes based on the match format.

The lines mark the playing area. If a ball touches a boundary line, it’s considered in. The service boxes sit closer to the net. Every serve must land in the correct diagonal service box. Once the serve is returned, players use the full court area allowed for singles or doubles.

How Do You Serve Correctly in Tennis?

Every tennis point begins with a serve. The server stands behind the baseline and hits the ball diagonally into the opposite service box.

Here’s how it works.

1. Start Behind the Baseline

• For the first point of a game, stand behind the baseline on the right side of the centre mark.
• Serve diagonally into your opponent’s service box.
• For the next point, switch to the left side. Keep alternating sides after each point.
• If you touch the baseline or step into the court too early during your service motion, the umpire may call a foot fault.

2. You Get Two Chances to Serve

• Your first serve must land inside the correct box.
• If it goes into the net or lands outside, it’s a fault.
• However, you get a second attempt.
• If both serves are faults, you lose the point. Tennis calls this a double fault.

3. Understand a Let and an Ace

• A let happens when a serve touches the net but still lands inside the correct service box.
• In standard tennis, you replay that serve without losing the attempt.
• An ace is a legal serve that wins the point without the receiver touching the ball.

Beginner tip: Focus on landing your serve correctly before trying to hit it harder. Choosing the right tennis racket for your playing style and skill level can also help you develop better control and confidence while practising your serves. 

What Are the Rules During a Tennis Rally?

A rally begins when the receiver returns a legal serve. Players then hit the ball back and forth until someone wins the point. During longer rallies, quick movement and proper positioning help players reach the ball on time. Learning how to improve footwork in tennis can also help beginners move around the court more effectively. 

• The ball can bounce only once. You must return it before the second bounce on your side.
• You can hit a volley. This means hitting the ball before it bounces. However, you cannot volley the serve itself.
• Your shot must land inside the correct court boundaries. A ball touching the line counts as in.
• You cannot touch the net during a live point. Contact with the net by your body or racket costs you the point.
• You cannot deliberately hit the ball twice. The ball must be returned with a legal stroke.

Also, don’t reach across the net to strike a ball before it reaches your side. There are limited exceptions, such as a ball that spins back over the net after landing.

How Do You Lose a Point?

Common reasons include hitting outside the court, putting the ball into the net, allowing two bounces, or committing a double fault.

For example, suppose your opponent hits a deep shot. You reach it, but your return lands beyond the baseline. Your opponent wins the point. That’s why control matters just as much as power in tennis.

How Does Scoring Work in Tennis?

Tennis scoring follows three levels: points make games, games make sets, and sets decide matches. It sounds confusing at first, but the pattern becomes familiar after a few games.

How Are Points Counted?

Unlike most sports, tennis doesn’t count points as one, two, three, and four.

The server’s score is always announced first. Suppose you’re serving and have won two points while your opponent has won one. The score is 30-15. Win the next point, and it becomes 40-15.

What Happens at Deuce?

When both players reach 40, the score becomes deuce. From here, one player must win two consecutive points to win the game. The first point after deuce gives that player an advantage. If the same player wins again, the game ends. If the opponent wins, the score returns to deuce.

How Do You Win a Set?

In a standard tie-break set, you need at least six games and a lead of two games.

For example, 6-4 wins the set. However, at 6-6, players usually contest a tie-break. A standard tie-break goes to at least seven points, with a two-point lead required.  Most matches use a best-of-three-sets format. Some events use best-of-five or other approved formats.

What Are the Rules for Singles and Doubles Tennis?

The biggest difference is the playing width and the number of players. In singles, two players use the narrower court. The outside doubles alleys don’t count during rallies. In doubles, two teams of two use the wider court, including the alleys.

However, the service boxes remain the same size in both formats. Doubles also has a serving order. Each player serves a complete game when their turn arrives.

For instance, if Players A and B face Players C and D, they can serve in the order A, C, B, D. That order continues through the set. The receiving team also decides which partner receives from each side and keeps that arrangement during the set.

The Four-Point Practice Tennis Rules for Beginners

Reading tennis rules helps. But playing a few points makes them much easier to remember. Try this simple exercise with a friend.

Point 1: Practise serving diagonally from the right side.

Point 2: Switch to the left side and practise the second serve if needed.

Point 3: Play a rally. Let the ball bounce once before returning it.

Point 4: Call the score correctly using love, 15, 30, and 40.

Then play a complete game, including deuce if the score reaches 40-40. This exercise helps beginners connect serving, movement, and scoring. As you become more comfortable, focus on developing essential tennis skills through regular practice. Once you’re comfortable playing singles, try a doubles game to understand the wider court and serving order.