SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/tennis-tiebreak-serve-order
In a tie-break, the first player serves one point. Who serves the next two?
The opponent serves the next two points, then it alternates every two.
- The same player again
- The opponent ✔
- Whoever won the last point
Why: The player due to serve takes only the first point. The opponent then serves two points, and after that each side serves two points in a row until the tie-break ends.
Huh, didn't know that: The player who served first in the tie-break receives in the first game of the next set.
A tie-break is the only time tennis players take turns as nicely as kids sharing dessert. One, then two, then two.
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References
Answer: The opponent. The player due to serve takes only the first point. The opponent then serves two points, and after that each side serves two points in a row until the tie-break ends.
- ITF 2026 Rules of Tennis, Rule 5 Score in a Game www.itftennis.com/media/7221/2026-rules-of-tennis-english.pdf
The following two points shall be served by the opponent(s)
Checked 2026-10-12.
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