Points build games, games build sets, and sets decide the match. Keeping those layers separate makes the scoreboard much easier to read.
Read a game one point at a time
In standard advantage scoring, the progression is love, 15, 30, and 40. Win the next point with the required margin and you win the game. At 40–40, the score is deuce: one player must win a point for advantage and then the next point to close the game. Lose that next point and it returns to deuce.
Games are not sets
Winning a game moves you one step along the set score. A standard tiebreak set is normally won by reaching six games with a two-game lead. At six games each, the competition’s tiebreak procedure matters. Do not assume the point display and the set display are measuring the same thing.
Why a tiebreak looks different
A tiebreak uses ordinary numbers—one, two, three—instead of 15, 30, and 40. A standard seven-point tiebreak still requires a two-point margin. Some formats use ten-point tiebreaks, match tiebreaks, or no-ad scoring. Those variations are why you should check the event format before predicting when a match will end.
A quick way to follow any scoreboard
Identify the current point score, the games in the current set, and the sets already won. Then check the tournament’s format. This introduction follows ITF scoring guidance reviewed in October 2026; it is not a promise that every professional, school, or junior event uses identical scoring.