Tennis

Tennis is a sport played on a rectangular court divided by a net between two sides. Players use a racket—a hand-held implement with a stringed head—to strike a small, lightweight ball toward the opponent's side of the court. The aim is to hit the ball into the opponent's side of the court in such a way that the opponent cannot return it properly.

The game is played in two formats: singles, with one player on each side, and doubles, with two players on each side. The doubles court is wider than the singles court because it includes the extended sidelines.

Scoring

The scoring system is distinctive. Points within a single game progress as follows: 15, 30, 40, and then game. When both sides reach 40, this is called deuce, and two consecutive points are required to win the game. Games are grouped into sets (set), typically won by the first player to six games with a lead of two games. Most matches are decided by the best of three sets, although some men's tournaments may be best of five sets.

The ball is put into play by a serve (serve) from behind the baseline. The serve must land in the service box on the opponent's side. If the first serve fails, the player receives a second serve; two consecutive faults are called a double fault (double fault) and award the point to the opponent.

Court surface types

Tennis courts have different playing surfaces, each affecting ball movement and the style of play. Grass (grass) makes the ball move faster and lower. Clay (clay) slows the ball and extends rallies. Hard courts (hard court) fall between these two.

Major tournaments

The four largest tournaments are known as the Grand Slam: the Australian Open, the French Open (Roland-Garros), Wimbledon, and the US Open. Each has its own court surface and schedule. There are also professional organizations that oversee annual tournaments, and national team competitions.