Tennis Rules

To play a game of tennis, it is always better to be aware of all the rules of tennis. It is the International Tennis Federation that had laid down the official tennis rules that are followed by all tennis governing bodies and tournaments.

Though the game of tennis is considered to be complex, there are simple rules of tennis that have to be followed. The basic rules for playing tennis implicate that opponents have to stand on the opposite sides of the court. The server is the player delivering the ball while the receiver is the player standing on the opposite and cross court.

According to tennis rules, it is the toss of a coin or racquet that decides the right to serve, receive and the choice of the side. Once the side of receiver or server is decided, the opposition has the right to choose the side to start. In the rules for tennis, the server stands behind the baseline on the deuce court and within the boundaries of single court and within the doubles sideline when playing doubles.

The tennis game rules say that all even points are played from the deuce court and odd numbers, from the advantage court. It is only when the receiver is ready that the server should serve. On missing the target twice, the server loses the point. In case the ball hits the net and falls in the right service box, the server gets another chance. However if the server steps on the baseline before establishing contact, then the serve is considered faulty.

According to the rules of professional tennis, the server is the person who calls his score first. The rules for keeping score in tennis states that scoring is done like a clock. In tennis, love means zero and the second point, 30 while the third point is called 40. In tennis rules and scoring system, the game is won when the score returns to love. If a score of 40-40, known as deuce, is reached, then the side must play again to win by two points. With advantage in, the server wins the game by winning the next point and with advantage out, the receiver has a chance of winning the game next.

The rules for playing tennis say if the ball falls into the net or outside the court boundaries, the player hitting the ball loses the point. The ball hitting the net during the point, and falling into the opponent’s court means that the ball is in play. However according to tennis rules regulations, the player loses the point if he drops his racquet when hitting the ball, touches his net, hits the surroundings or if the ball touches him or his partner as it is considered that he is deliberately distracting the opponent.

In tennis doubles rules, the pair serving first has to decide the partner who will start serving while the opposing pair decides similarly for the second game. The order of receiving the serve too is decided on the first game. As you can see, tennis and rules tend to go hand in hand in a game of tennis. If you are a beginner, you can learn more about tennis rules by getting your hand on some tennis rules for beginners.