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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/tennis-tiebreak-zero-one-two

How are points counted during a tie-break game?

Zero, 1, 2, 3 and so on, not 15, 30, 40.

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  1. Love, 15, 30, 40
  2. By games won
  3. Zero, 1, 2, 3 and so on ✔

Why: During a tie-break, points are scored as plain numbers: zero, 1, 2, 3 and up. It makes it easy to see who is closer to seven.

Huh, didn't know that: The tie-break is the one time the official rules use the word Zero instead of Love.

The dad joke
Why do tennis players count normally in a tie-break? Fifteen, thirty, forty was getting too confusing under pressure.
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References

Answer: Zero, 1, 2, 3 and so on. During a tie-break, points are scored as plain numbers: zero, 1, 2, 3 and up. It makes it easy to see who is closer to seven.

  1. ITF 2026 Rules of Tennis, Rule 5 Score in a Game www.itftennis.com/media/7221/2026-rules-of-tennis-english.pdf
    During a tie-break game, points are scored
    Checked 2026-10-12.

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Test yourself in the game

Sports & FitnessHow do you win a standard tennis tie-break game?Sports & FitnessIn a tie-break, the first player serves one point. Who serves the next two?Sports & FitnessIn tennis scoring, what does the word "love" mean?

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