How does a game work in tennis?
The scoring ladder is love (0), 15, 30, 40, then game. The server's score is called first. At 40–40 the score is deuce, and a player must then win two points in a row: the first gives advantage, the second the game.
Some formats, including most professional doubles, use no-ad scoring instead: at deuce, one deciding point wins the game, and the receiving side chooses which court to receive in.
In a match
40–30 to the server. The receiver wins the point: deuce. The server wins the next two: advantage, then game.
Questions
Why does tennis go 15, 30, 40?
The origin is disputed. The clock-face explanation is widely repeated but probably a myth.
How many points are in a game?
At least four. A game can't end until one player leads by two points, so it can run much longer.
Sources
- ITF Rules of Tennis