LAWN TENNIS

RULES OF THE GAME

 A coin toss will initiate the game, it will also determine who shall serve first and side will
he be serving.

 Sever should then serve each point from different sides on the baseline. Server must not
move his feet in front of the baseline on the court while taking a serve.

 Failing to make the serve in will make them an advantage of a second serve, failing the
second serve will cost them a point and will be called as “fault”

 If the ball hits the net but falls in the receiving area, then “let” is called and they can
make another serve without penalty. If the ball hits the net and fails to go in the service
area then “out” is called and they lose that serve.

 The receiver can stand wherever he wants prior to the receiving point. Striking the ball
before it touches or without hitting the receiving area, the server will have the point.

 If the serve is successfully received then the shots will be unlimited. Fail to return the ball
to the opponent will give a point to the opponent.

 Points are awarded in scores of 15, 30 and 40. 15 represent 1 point, 30 = 2 and 40 = 3.

 A player needs 4 points to win a game. Points 40-40 it’s known as deuce. Win 2
consecutive points to win the game. If a player wins a point and losses on the second,
then it will go back as a deuce or a tie.

 To win the set a player must win 6 games by 2 or more. The opening sets will go to a tie
break if its ends up 6-6 where players play first to 7 points. The final set will not have a
tie break and requires players to win by two games with no limits.

 Touching the net, distracting the opponent or making trouble against the opponent will
cost a point.
  The ball can hit any part of the line for the point to be called in, outside the line and the
ball is out.

 The balls in a tennis match are changed for new balls every 6 games

 A player loses a point if they fail to return the ball in either the correct areas on the court,
hits the net and doesn’t go into opponent’s area or fails to return the ball before it
bounces twice in their half.

Play Sets in Lawn tennis:

1. Singles: There are only 2 players that will compete at each other. It can be a man against
another man or a woman against another woman. Occasionally, there can be a match where a
man is against a woman, but mostly for a certain cause only or a non-league match- charity.

2. Doubles: Doubles cross lines are played on the wide court using technical juggling, trail
mines, all male and female opponents of the two pairs. Post at every level, players get closer to
the base line as they get closer to the net, even as they prepare to return to the service
of opponents.
3. Is played on a more extensive court utilizing doubles’ side-lines, specialized language for
which is the tramlines, by either, two sets of all-men or all-female hopefuls. Post each point,
players switch positions, from being closer to the net to approach the pattern, indeed as
they plan to return an opponents’ serve.
3. Mixed Doubles: Even though men’s and women’s tours are segregated and organised by
their respective bodies – ATP for men and WTP for women, during the four Grand Slam
tournaments, a mixed doubles competition is arranged, wherein, men and women play together
as team pairs. The rules however remain the same as per the doubles format. Apart from the
four ‘majors’, a tournament especially for mixed competition is annually held, called the
Hopman Cup, where players represent their nations.

OFFICIALS OF THE GAME OF LAWN TENNIS:

These officials play great role in the game of Tennis or Lawn Tennis.

LINE UMPIRES

Line Umpires get to call the shots, they will be the ones to call if the ball is out or in the line which
determines if it’s a score or a turnover of service. A line umpire must possess great eyesight in order to
fully deliver a fair and extreme match.
CHAIR UMPIRES

Aside from the players, the Chair Umpire is the most important person on court during a match.

The Chair Umpire has enormous responsibility during a match, and are responsible for everything from
calling the score to enforcing the rules and managing the players. A successful Chair Umpire needs great
communication skills, the ability to stay calm under pressure, and 20:20 vision.

COMMUNITY OFFICIAL

They are responsible for monitoring a number of courts at a tournament or competition. They assist and
educate players, parents and coaches; and assist in the smooth running of an event.

REFEREES

Referees supervise all aspects of a tournament, from taking charge of the draws and schedules, to
enforcing the rules and making sure everything runs smoothly and in the spirit of fairness.

Referee requires exceptional knowledge of the rules of tennis, the ability to multi-task in a pressured
environment, and to listen and communicate well with everyone involved with the tournament.

Scoring a Game:

- Tennis has a different point system than most sports. These are the guides in scoring a
game:

 0 points= Love

1 point = 15

 2 points= 30

 3 points= 40

 Tied score= All

 40-40 = Deuce

 Server wins deuce point = Ad-In

  Receiver wins deuce point = Ad-Out

A player must win four points to win the game. If you are up 40-30, 40-15 or 40-love, and win one more
point, you win the game. Announcing “All” is used If the score is tied in a game or set. For example, if
you and your opponent have both won two points in the game, the score would be 30-all.

Rules and Regulations in Junior Lawn Tennis league

Some rules from official rules and regulations of Lawn Tennis does not differ from juniors’ Lawn
tennis.

1. The Tournament Rule:

A player cannot register for more than one Eastern “ranked”/sanctioned tournament where the
scheduled dates overlap, unless the officially announced tournament starting dates are at least three
days apart. Players must be on the right age to be eligible for both divisions. 

No junior player is allowed to play two age divisions in the same tournament not unless one of the age
divisions is singles and the other one is doubles.

2. The Lateness Rule:

The Point Penalty System is in place for lateness and is to be enforced at all USTA Eastern sanctioned
tournaments. The lateness clock begins when the match is called to go out on court, as oppose to the
scheduled match time. The PPS is as follows:

 5 minutes or less late = 1 Game + loss of toss

 5:01 - 10 minutes = 2 Games + loss of toss

 10:01 - 15 minutes = 3 Games + loss of toss

 More than 15 minutes = Default

 While the loss of game formula must stay in place for lateness by the tournament director, at his/her
discretion may hold the default up to 45 minutes for extenuating circumstances. According to USTA
regulations, an extension is never allowed beyond 45 minutes.

4. Coaching:
a best two of three set match format is being used. The 2 minute set break between a 2nd set and a 10
point match tiebreak is not an authorized intermission during which coaching is allowed. (The same
rules apply to team competition unless they have been modified in advance by an agreement between
the teams.) Violation of this regulation renders the player and coach or advisor liable to disciplinary
action, which may include disqualification of the player and/or removal of the coach or advisor from the
premises.

Rest Periods & the Recovery Rule

Rest Periods are dependent on the match formats being used, as well as match duration (Recovery
Rule).  If two different match formats are being used, the rest period is determined by the format of the
1st match scheduled.  If a singles match lasts longer than 120 minutes or 2 hours, the Recovery Rule
applies.  Please below to determine how much rest time a player is entitled to:

Best of 3 or 5 tiebreak sets - 60 Minutes

Tiebreak in lieu of a 3rd set - 60 Minutes

Pro-Sets or Short Sets (L2O/R’s) - 30 Minutes

Doubles - 30 Minutes

Recovery Rule – If a singles match utilizing the two out of three full sets format lasts longer than 120
minutes (2 hours) the “Recovery Rule” {Hyperlinks to Recovery Rule} entitles a player to 120 minutes of
rest before their next match. 

Set Breaks – Between the 2nd and 3rd sets players are entitled to a set break.  If a full 2 of 3 tiebreak
sets are being played, a player is entitled to a 10 minute set break that begins as soon as the final point
of the 2nd set is completed.  If a 10 point tiebreak is being played in lieu of a 3rd set, players are only
entitled to a 2 minute set break that begins as soon as the final point of the 2nd set is completed. 

Tennis: Definition of Terms:

 Ace –When a serve is made and the opponent fails to return the ball.

 Ad court – The left part of the court on the left view of the player.

 Advantage –refers to when a player needs to win a point after being in a deuce.

 Alley –An area for the doubles.

 ATP - stands for the Association of Tennis Professionals

 Backhand - a way to swing the tennis racquet where the player hits the ball with a swing that comes
across the body.

 Backspin - spin of a tennis ball that causes the ball to slow down and/or bounce low.

 Backswing - the motion of a swing that moves the racquet into position to swing forward and strike
the ball.

 Baseline – refers to the back of the court.

 Baseliner - a tennis player whose strategy is to play from the baseline. See Tennis Strategies for more.

 Break – refers to when a server loses the game.

 Break point – a point away from breaking a serve.

 Chip - blocking a shot with backspin

 Chip and charge - an aggressive strategy to return the opponent's serve with backspin and move
forward to the net for a volley

 Chop - a tennis shot with extreme backspin. Meant to stop the ball where it lands.

 Counterpuncher – refers to a defensive baseliner.

 Court - the area where a tennis game is played

 Crosscourt - hitting the tennis ball diagonally into the opponent's court

 Deep - refers to a shot that bounces near the baseline verses near the net

 Deuce - when the score in a game is tied or 40 to 40.

 Deuce court - the right side of the court

 Double Fault - two missed serves in a row. The server will lose the point.

 Doubles - a tennis game played by four players, two per side of the court.

 Down the line - hitting a tennis shot straight down the baseline

 Drop shot - a strategy where the tennis player hits the ball just go over the net. It is used when the
opponent is far from the net.

 Drop volley - a drop shot from a volley

 Fault - a service that is not in play.

 First Service - the first of the two serves of a tennis ball a player is allowed. Generally the server will
try a more difficult serve on the first service.

 Flat - a shot with little to no spin

 Follow through - the part of the swing after the ball is hit. A good follow through is important for
accuracy and power.

 Foot fault - when the server steps over the baseline while making a serve.

 Forehand - a tennis swing where the player hits the tennis ball from behind their body. Often the
forehand is the players best stroke.

 Game point - one point away to win the tennis game.

 Grand Slam - any one of the four most prestigious tennis tournaments including the Australian Open,
the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

 Groundstroke - a forehand or backhand shot made after the tennis ball bounces once on the court

 Head - the top part of the racket that has the strings and is meant to hit the ball.

 Hold - when the server wins the tennis game.

 I-formation - a formation in doubled where the both players stand on the same side of the court prior
to starting the point.

 Jamming - to hit the tennis ball straight to the opponent's body not allowing them to extend the
racquet to hit the ball well.

 Kick serve - a serve with a lot of spin causing the ball to bounce high

 Let - when the tennis ball from a service touches the net but still lands within the service box. The
server gets another try as this does not count as a fault.

 Lob - a tennis shot where the ball is lifted high above the net. Can be a defensive shot in some cases,
but also may cause a winner when the ball is just out of reach of the opponent, but still lands in play.

 Love - zero points in a tennis game.

 Match point - when one tennis player only needs one more point to win the entire match

 Out - any tennis ball that lands outside the area of play.

 Passing shot - when the tennis ball is hit such that it passes by the opponent at the net without them
being able to hit the ball.

 Poaching - an aggressive strategy in doubles where the tennis player at net attempts to volley a shot
hit to their partner on the baseline.

 Tennis Racquet - the main piece of equipment in tennis. It has a long handle and a oval shaped head
with a string mesh stretched across it. It is used by the tennis player to hit the ball.

 Rally - when players hit the ball back and forth to each other while the ball is landing in play.

 Set point - when a tennis player needs one point to win the set

 Singles - a tennis game played by two players

 Second Service - the second serve that the server is allowed after missing the first serve. This serve
must be successful or the server will lose the point (called a double fault).

 Serve - starts the point by the server hitting the tennis ball into the opponents half of the court

 Serve and volley - a tennis strategy where the player serves and then charges forward to the net for a
volley off of the return.

 Spin - rotation of the tennis ball as it moves through the air. Skilled tennis players can control the spin
and, therefore, the ball's trajectory and bounce

 Straight sets - when one player wins every set in a match.

 Topspin - when the tennis ball spins forward. This can cause it to bounce higher as well as dip down
quickly.

 Unforced error - a missed shot by a player that was not caused by any excellent play by their
opponent.

 Volley - a shot where the ball is hit by the player's racquet before the ball hits the ground.

 Winner - an outstanding tennis shot that cannot be returned by the opponent.

 WTA - stands for Women's Tennis Association