by Cyn Lee

Created on: May 09, 2009   Last Updated: August 18, 2009

Tennis is a sport many people love to play, yet players never enjoy being loved in tennis. That's because in tennis, the word love means zero. Though tennis scoring is sort of confusing, the LOVE part of the score seems to be understood by everyone, no matter what language. Love is nada, nothing, no points. Love comes from the french word, louef, which means the egg, or goose-egg. Love says you have not scored yet and you better hurry up, because your opponent is 15. No, they did not score 15 times. In tennis, 15 means the other player has only scored once. If they scored once, and you have zero, the score is 15 - love.

For the most part, tennis is scored fifteen points for every one point. Like in American football, they score 6 points for every touchdown. In basketball they get 2 points for a basket. In tennis, 15 is awarded for the first point, and 30 for the second. Scoring in tennis goes, 15, 30, then 40 and a game is won at 60. Why 40 and not 45? Good Question. The scoring system was created based on minutes from a clock, 15, 30. 45, 60. Centuries ago, players said 45. Now, we say 40 as a shortened version. Laziness caused the much asked question, why do we say 40 and not 45.

Briefly, we'll go over the scoring. If you have hit two points, and your opponent has hit only one, the score would be 30-15. If you are the one scoring both points, then it would be 30-love. Just remember 15 for every point. Except for the lazy 40.

Now that the initial scoring lesson is finished, you should know, that when both players are at 40, this is called, deuce. At this point, the game is tied and now two points in a row are needed to break the tie. After the first point, it is called advantage point for the person getting the point. If the opponent scores next, it goes back to deuce and both players still need two points in a row to win. T hankfully this only happens if both players are at 40. When a player hits two points in a row, the game is won..

Tennis is a race to win 6 games. To win a game, you must go through the 15, 30, 40, point system. Six winning games is called a SET. First one to win six games, wins the set. Depending on how many sets you and your opponent have agreed to play, tells when the whole match is over.

Tennis is easy to play, confusing to score and as competitive as any sport. Just remember the clock, 15, 30, input the lazy 40, and the next point is a win. Unless it's deuce( 40-40) then you go for two in a row. Tennis is a game you are suppose TO love and not BE loved. Why? Because love means nothing in tennis.

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