Specific number of sets are played in tennis. See the number of sets for females and males tennis players.
How many sets in Tennis is either 3 sets or 5 sets. Mostly, for women how many sets in a tennis game is 3 sets while for men how many sets in a tennis match is 5 sets. A tennis match of best-of-three sets implies that a winner is the one who wins the first 2 sets out of a possible 3 sets. Similarly, in the best-of-five sets, a winner is the one who wins the first 3 sets out of a possible 5 sets of the match.
Generally, how long is a tennis match can vary until one player gets a 2-point advantage over the other for a win to be realized. A winner of a set emerges after winning a minimum of 6 games and also has won 2 extra games compared to the opponent tennis player, so the score is 8-6.
That is why in a tennis scoring system a win game emerges when you see 7-5, 9-7, 8-6, or just any other as long as the winner has 2 extra points. Thus, depending with the type of the set being played a winner wins 2 extra points even if a tiebreak match has been played.
For example, in the instance of ties, a set of best-five-of-nine-points tiebreaker or best-seven-of-12-points tiebreaker can be used to declare a winner. A 12-point tiebreaker game can continue well beyond the 12 points until a winner emerges.
How Many Types of Sets In Tennis Game
Generally, in a tennis game a set can either be an
- Advantage set
- A tiebreak set
- Coman tiebreak set
- Super tiebreak set
Advantage Set
In an advantage set, a winner is declared if a tennis player wins 2 extra games over the opponent in addition to having won a minimum of 6 games.
The popularity of advantage sets in the U.S and Australia has reduced and is not commonly played but the advantage set is more common in tennis games in Fed Cup and French Open.
Normally, your score is read first before the score of your opponent. Example, when a 6-6 tie is obtained, players have to continue playing until one player gets 2 extra points. In some instances, an advantage game may continue without the winner emerging.
In such a case when a total of 12-12 point is obtained, a tiebreaker of 7 point game is played to be used to determine the winner. Often, the duration of an advantage set is much extended than the duration of a tiebreak set in tennis game.
Tie-break Tennis Set
A tie-break tennis is set when there is no explicit winner and both players have ties in their score points. A 6-6 score is a tie. So, a 7-point breaker is then played to break the tie for a winner of a match to be declared. Thus, after a tie of 6-6 score, the game continues and a player who wins the next 2 points wins the game.
However, sometimes it can be decided that a tiebreak should not to be used. So, the players have to continue playing the advantage set until one tennis player wins 2 extra games to qualify for 2 points extra to be declared a winner of the set.
Coman Tiebreak Set
A coman tie-break tennis set is an alternative to the tie break system and is commonly used in United States Tennis Association to break a tie. In a coman tie break game, end changes only occur as soon as a player gets the first point extra and after the following 4 points extra.
In a coman tiebreak match, the tennis server serves from same end of a court without swapping with an opponent. In that manner, possible scenarios of a competitor player having extra advantage of natural phenomenon such as the sun or the wind is significantly reduced.
Super Tiebreak Set
A super tie occurs when the players tie points up to 10 points each. At this time, to realize a super tiebreak the match has to continue until the winner gets 2 points extra to their advantage.
In some cases the game can continue even up to 20-18 when the winner of 20 points is declared the winner. Although a super tie is rare but when it happens the game has to continue until an extra 2 point is obtained by a winner to break the tie.
The longest tennis match was a 2010 Wimbledon tournament that took more than 11 years before ending.
Note
If the game set had not yet come to an end and a tie break has declared a set winner, the players switch their courts. The one who started the previous game by serving now becomes the receiver of the new set of the game.
Besides, normally tie-break tennis is used to determine the winner of a set. For example in a best-of-three tiebreak set, if no winner emerges after the first two sets then the one who wins the third set is automatically the winner of the game.
How Does Scoring In Sets In Tennis Game Realized
If uncertain of tennis rules of scoring, this is how to read tennis scores on TV:
Scores in a tennis game can either be as a set or in terms of love. Often, the score can be 0, 15, 30, or 40. 0 score is commonly referred to as love.
The next 1 point to be won is normally indicated as 15, the next 2 points won is indicated as 30, and the next 3 points is indicated as 40.
Tie score is written as All, and when a 40-40 score is obtained it is referred to as a deuce in tennis.
United States Tennis Association summary of the tennis scoring system commonly used in a tennis game is as follows
| Score Points | Written/Referred to as |
| 0 | Love |
| 1 | 15 |
| 2 | 30 |
| 3 | 40 |
| Tied score | All |
| Tied score at 1 point | 15-all |
| Tied score at 2 point | 30-all |
| Tied score at 3 point | deuce |
| 40-40 | Deuce |
| Server wins deuce point | Ad-In |
| Receiver wins deuce point | Ad-Out |
In the case of 0, 15, 30, and 40 scoring system a winner of a game is declared if the winner gets extra points compared to the opponent and wins extra point. Example, a winner gets one extra point and has 40-30, or 40-love, or 40-15.
A tied score is announced by the term “All”. For instance, if both players won 3 point each meaning there is a tie, then the score is announced as 40-all. When a tie is obtained, a tiebreaker set can be played to have a winner.
What is a deuce in tennis? Deuce in tennis occurs when both the players have won 4 points each. In that manner the score becomes 40-40. In such a case a tiebreaker match will have to be played to break the tie. The winner is declared thereafter scoring 2 extra points
Depending with who wins after the deuce point, the score is termed as an Ad-in if it is the server who has won extra points from the deuce point. On the contrary, the score is termed as Ad-Out if it is the receiver who has won the extra points after the deuce point had been reached.
The table below shows the tennis scoring table example of a typical match.
| Set Score | Name |
| 3-6 | “Set” |
| 7-5 | “Set” |
| 0-0 | “”love-love |
Furthermore, assume two players are competing in a 3 set match. A complete set comprises of 6 games. The following is a tennis scoreboard of a 3-set match
| Players | Game Set 1 | Game Set 2 | Game Set 3 |
| You | 6 | 6(5) | 6 |
| Opponent | 4 | 7(7) | 1 |
From the above table of scoring in a 3-set match, the following can be deduced by simply looking at the table
- In the first set, you won 6 games while your opponent won 4 games
- In set 2, a tiebreak occurred. An extra game making it 7 was played in which your opponent worn 7 to 6
- In set 3 you won 6 to 1
- Final winner is you since you won 2 sets to 1 set in the three matches
How To Win In A Set In Tennis When Serving
At the start of the game, no point is recorded yet. In fact, since it is a 0-0 there is no score as “Love-all” when you start the game. The score applies after a game is completed successfully. So, here is how you as the server can be awarded in a tennis match
| Who Wins | How many points | Score |
| You | First one point | 15-love |
| You | Following one point | 30-love |
| Opponent | Wins following two points | 30-all |
| You | Win next one point | 40-30 |
| Opponent | Win next one point | Deuce |
| You | Win next one point | Ad-In |
| Opponent | Win next one point | Deuce |
| You | Win next one point | Ad-In |
| You | Win next one point | You are the winner. Game is over |
After How Many Sets In Tennis Game Is Court Alternated?
Tennis players changes their court ends after the first game is won. Thereafter, the players can switch the courts after every two games.
However, when a tiebreak is realized sometimes the issue of switching courts is debatable since wind and sun can act to an advantage or disadvantage of a player.
In some tiebreak the courts can be switched. However, such as a coman tiebreak match, the players do not switch their courts but maintain their positions.
How To Win Final Sets In Tennis
By factoring in a suitable tiebreak points, the following is how a winner can emerge in a Grand Slam tennis match in various places
| Final Set Tennis Match Name | Total Points | Tie Break |
| U.S Open | First to 7 points | 6-6 |
| Wimbledon | First to 7 points | 12-12 |
| Australian Open | First to 10 points | 6-6 |
| French Open | First to 7 points | No tiebreak |
Variations In Sets In Tennis Game
There are several tennis sets variation. Here is just a few ideas of how an actual set works
Full Sets of 2 Out Of 3 Sets
In each game set comprises of 6 games. A tie score of 6-6 for the first two sets can have a declared winner when one player breaks the tie and wins the third set of the game.
Match Tie Break Of 2 Out Of 3 Sets
A tiebreak match is played at a 10 score point. Often, the aim of the tiebreak is to shorten the game and preserves the players energy without having them to continue playing with no tie breaks
Pro Set Of 8 Games
Just as the 6 games in a set, an extra of 2 games are added to help the players break the ties. High chances of having a winner at the 8 set is high.
4 Games Set
When a tie is obtained in the first 3 games, a tiebreak point match is then played. Since the number of games are fewer than the normal sets containing 6 games, the time of playing is much reduced. However, the 4 set game is new and has been adopted by a few tennis tournaments.
FAQ
How many sets in tennis Wimbledon? Best of five sets and best of three sets. Females play best of three sets only. Men’s singles or doubles can be played as either best of three sets or best of five sets.
How many sets in tennis match US Open? Best of five sets and best of three sets. Females play best of three sets only. Men’s singles or doubles can be played as either best of three sets or best of five sets.
How many sets in tennis Australian Open? Best of five sets and best of three sets. Females play best of three sets only. Men’s singles or doubles can be played as either best of three sets or best of five sets.
How many sets in tennis final? Best of five sets and best of three sets. Females play best of three sets only. Men’s singles or doubles can be played as either best of three sets or best of five sets.
What comprises a match in tennis? A tennis match comprises of sets, games and points. A set comprises 6 games. A complete tennis match therefore consists of complete best of three sets or best of five sets. Tennis scoring points include love, 15, 30, 40, deuce, all, Ad-in, and Ad-out.
Conclusion
How many sets in tennis game or how many sets in tennis match can either be a 3 set or 5 set. Mostly, the number of tennis sets in females games is 3 while the number of tennis set in males game is 5. Tennis scoring for both males and females is similar. Common scoring terms include tennis love, 15,30, 40, deuce, ad-in or ad-out. Tiebreaks in tennis game are used to break a tie by allowing an extra games from which a winner may be declared whoever wins extra 2 points.
Related Articles
Who Has Won All 4 Grand Slams In The Same Year?
How Much Do Pro Tennis Players Make?
