Tennis, often known as “lawn tennis,” is widely recognized as one of the most physically demanding sports. It was first performed in 1873. Tennis has given a podium to many players to shine and achieve fame throughout the years, including Rod Laver and Martina Navratilova, as well as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Serena Williams. There are many rules in tennis; however, they are almost the same for singles and doubles, except for the boundaries. There are many rules of which you might be aware of, and many rules of which you came to know for the first time. Let’s discuss “The Top 10 Rules of Tennis Everyone Must Know.” This article is going to be very informative and add up to your knowledge of tennis for sure.
General Rules of Tennis Everyone Must Know.
- A ball must land within the restricted boundary for play to continue.
- Players/teams cannot carry the ball or catch it with the racquet.
- Players must wait until the ball passes the net before they can return it.
- A player that does not return a live ball before it bounces twice loses the point.
- If the ball hits or touches the players, that counts as a penalty.
- If the racquet leaves the hand or verbal abuse occurs, a penalty is given.
- A serve must bounce first before the receiving player can return it.
Serves
The age-old question in every sport as to who will begin first is usually settled by a simple coin toss. The person who wins the coin toss may choose to serve first or select a side of the court where his opponent will serve. The server will keep serving the ball to the receiver until the set is completed. When the set is over, the receiver becomes the server and serves the ball till the next set is over. Throughout the game, this process is repeated. Also Read: What is Deuce in Tennis? Definition, Origin & Example
Faults
A fault serve occurs when the server fails to get his first serve into the diagonally opposite service court. If the server fails to get his second serve into the diagonally opposite service court, a double fault is committed. If the ball hits the net and lands within the service court, this is known as a “net serve,” and the server is allowed to re-serve the ball into the service court.
Scoring System
A tennis match’s point system is as follows:
- No points are scored = Love
- 1 point scored = 15 points
- 2 points scored = 30 points
- 3 points scored = 40 points
- 4 points earned = set point (set over)
A tennis player must have at least a two-point advantage to win a game.
If the score is 40-40 (a “Deuce”), a player must gain two consecutive points (an “Advantage” point and a “Point”) to win the game. Also Read: Why Do Female Tennis Players Wear Skirt?
IN/OUT (Debate)
The big question underlying every stroke is whether it is “IN” or “OUT,” which is why tennis players like Agassi and McEnroe lash out at match officials. It happened not only in the past but in recent times many players vent their aggression due to this issue. Here’s a primer on the singles and doubles games. For a point to be scored in a singles game, the ball must be hit within both the “SERVICE COURTS,” the “BACK COURT,” and the “ALLEY LINE,” as shown in the diagram below. Balls hit between the “SIDE LINE” and the “ALLEY LINE” are regarded off of the court, giving your opponent a point. Also Read: What is a Walkover in Tennis? Meaning, Rules, Stats, Examples & Why It Happens?