Tennis is a symphony of points, games, sets, and matches. To clinch a game, a player must amass four points. These points bear names that add a touch of whimsy to the sport: love (representing zero), 15, 30, 40, and game. When the game is deadlocked at 40-40, known as “deuce,” the contest persists until one player forges ahead by two points. A set comprises six games, and a match necessitates the conquest of two sets. To understand the intricacies of this scoring system, let’s dive deeper.
In tennis, “love” isn’t a symbol of affection; it signifies a score of zero. Players aim to steer clear of love as they strive for victory. Love often sparks tennis jokes and puns and embodies the concept of loss rather than love. Love might be profound in poetry, but it’s anything but lovely on the tennis court. Venus Williams, the #TeamWilson Player, breaks down the essence of love in under thirty seconds.
In a typical scenario, if a player’s score reads “40” (e.g., 40-15, 0-40, 40-30) and they secure the next point, victory is theirs. However, when the score hits 40-all, also called “deuce,” a player must string together two consecutive points to emerge victorious. If the server claims a point, it’s termed “Advantage In” (or “add-in” for short). Conversely, if the receiver emerges victorious, it’s “Advantage Out” (or “add-out”).
If the score shows Ad-In (signifying the server won the point at deuce) and the server prevails in the next point, the game goes to the server.
In the case of Ad-Out (meaning the returner won the point at deuce), and the server secures the point, the score returns to deuce. This seesaw battle persists until one player manages to string together two consecutive points when the score is deuce, and yes, some games have stretched on for over ten minutes due to these back-and-forth deuce points.
