2. Table of Contents
The Court
Tennis Scoring
Tie Breaks
Starting a Match
Singles Gameplay
Doubles Gameplay
Doubles Gameplay Rotation
Simulation
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed
under CC BY-NC-ND
3. The Court
Singles – baseline to baseline; inside singles
sidelines
Doubles – add doubles alleys to singles court
Service Box – does not extend during doubles
play
4. Scoring
Tennis Scoring
No Point Love
First Point 15
Second Point 30
Third Point 40
Tied 40-40 Deuce
Fourth Point Game
No Ad Scoring – most junior high tennis is ”no
ad” scoring
- First to 4 wins
- Tied 40-40 (3-3) is deuce; returner
decides the side to receive serve
Ad Scoring – no used in junior high; only
change is player must win a game by 2 points
Set Scoring – first to 6 games, if winning by 2
- Occasionally may play to 8 games
- Set score of 6-6 leads to tie-breaker game
5. Tie-Breaker Games
When set scores are tied at 6-6
First player to reach 7 points wins
Must win by 2 points
Score counted 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Serve Rotation in tie-breaker
Next server serves first for 1 point
Opponent serves for next 2 points
Players rotate serve every 2 points
Switch ends after 6 points
Play continue until someone
reaches 7 points, with a 2 point
margin
6. Starting a Match
Choice of Ends/Serve
Coin flip/racket spin
Winner of the flip chooses:
Serve or receive, or
End of the court to start on, or
Forces opponent to make the
choice
Warm-up begins on appropriate
ends of the court
Warm-up
5 minute warm up
Not playing points, attempt to hit
the ball to your opponent
Serves should be warmed up within
this 5 minutes
7. Singles Gameplay
Serving (order)
Coin flip winner serves first game
(player A)
Serves behind the baseline on right
side of the center mark
Serve must land in diagonally
opposite service box
Server gets 2 chances to hit the
serve in play for each point
Point is played out in singles court
Game continues with same server
until one player reaches 4 points This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
Server
Returner
8. Singles Play – Serving, cont’d
Game Server
1 (switch ends after) Player A
2 Player B
3 (switch ends after) Player A
4 Player B
5 (switch ends after) Player A
6 Player B
7 (switch ends after) Player A
Continue in this pattern until set
ends…
Players alternate serves after each
game.
After the first game, then every
other game, players switch ends of
the court
In singles, players switch ends
after the first server (Player A)
serves a game
9. Singles Gameplay
Returning
Stands diagonal of server
Somewhere behind the service line
Stand closer for softer serves;
further back for harder serves
Responsible for out calls on serve
If unsure, play the return and point
Return, and all other shots, can
land anywhere in singles court
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Server
Returner
10. The match ends when one player wins the appropriate
amount of games (usually 6 or 8 in junior high)
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11. Doubles Gameplay
Gameplay is like singles
Pre-match flip/spin is the same; as is warm-up
In doubles, warm-up should include 2 balls
Opponents can partner up to warm up, or
Partners can choose to warm each other up
13. Doubles Gameplay – serve order
Serve Order
All players alternate service games
Teams decide who serves first
First team (Team A) to serve
chooses a partner to serve (A1)
Opposing team (Team B) chooses a
partner to serve 2nd game (B1)
Team A’s second player (A2) serves
the 3rd game
Team B’s second player (B2) serves
the 4th game
This serve order must stay the
same for the set/match
Game Server
1 (switch ends) A1
2 B1
3(switch ends) A2
4 B2
5 (switch ends) A1
6 B1
7 (switch ends) A2
8 B2
This order continues until
set/match is over
14. Doubles Gameplay – Return Order
Return Order
Partners decide return
order, but it has to
stay the same for the
set/match
Partner returning the
first point (on the
right, or deuce side)
must keep returning on
that side
Returning teams rotate
up and back; serving
teams rotate left and
right
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Server
Returner A
Returner B
Server’s
Partner
15. Doubles Gameplay – Return Order
Return Order
When teams change
ends, returners need
to return on the same
side of the court
The serving team will
switch roles, as well
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Serving
Team A
Returner A
Returner B
Serving
Team B
16. Serve and Return Rotation
Simulation
The following slides show how doubles partners should rotate after each
point. This rotation would continue until the end of the game.
17. Doubles Gameplay – Serve and Return
Order Example
After 1st
Point
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Server
Returner A
Returner B
Server’s
Partner
18. Doubles Gameplay – Serve and Return
Order Example
After 2nd
Point
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
Server
Returner A
Returner B Server’s
Partner
19. Doubles Gameplay – Serve and Return
Order Example
After 3rd
Point
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
Server
Returner A
Returner B
Server’s
Partner
20. Doubles Gameplay – Serve and Return
Order Example
After 4th
Point
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
Server
Returner A
Returner B Server’s
Partner
