"Are they playing best of five in doubles here?"
"Wait, and is it a tiebreak in the final set?"
"But wasn't it different in qualifying?"
Those questions come up in every Grand Slam, and no wonder - the individual Slams are free to choose their own play format for every one of the events they're running (Men/Women, Singles/Doubles/Mixed, Main Draw/Qualifying). The only fixed rule is that Men's Singles must be best of five (5) sets. All other events can be best of five or best of three, can end in a tiebreak or an advantage set. Confusing? Maybe, but not for long. Here are all the common rules and formats, with a short glossary for all the tennis terms you're not sure about.
ATP/WTA tennis tournaments
Singles - best of 3 sets, all 3 are tiebreak sets, ad scoring.
Doubles - best of 3 sets - 2 tiebreak sets & 3rd supertiebreak, no-ad scoring.
ITF Grand Slams
(All matches are ad scoring unless noted otherwise)
| Australian Open/ Roland Garros | Wimbledon | US Open | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Singles | Best of 5 4 tiebreak sets, 5th advantage set | Best of 5 4 tiebreak sets, 5th advantage set | Best of 5 5 tiebreak sets |
| Women's Singles | Best of 3 2 tiebreak sets, 3rd advantage set | Best of 3 2 tiebreak sets, 3rd advantage set | Best of 3 3 tiebreak sets |
| Men's Doubles | Best of 3 3 tiebreak sets | Best of 5 4 tiebreak sets, 5th advantage set | Best of 3 3 tiebreak sets |
| Women's Doubles | Best of 3 3 tiebreak sets | Best of 3 2 tiebreak sets, 3rd advantage set | Best of 3 3 tiebreak sets |
| Mixed Doubles | Best of 3 2 tiebreak sets, 3rd supertiebreak No-ad scoring | Best of 3 2 tiebreak sets, 3rd advantage set | Best of 3 2 tiebreak sets, 3rd supertiebreak No-ad scoring |
| Men's Singles Qualifying | Best of 3 2 tiebreak sets, 3rd advantage set | First rounds-Best of 3 Final round-Best of 5 2/4 tiebreak sets, 3rd/5th advantage set | Best of 3 3 tiebreak sets |
| Women's Singles Qualifying | Best of 3 2 tiebreak sets, 3rd advantage set | Best of 3 2 tiebreak sets, 3rd advantage set | Best of 3 3 tiebreak sets |
| Men's Doubles Qualifying | -- | Best of 3 2 tiebreak sets, 3rd advantage set | -- |
| Women's Doubles Qualifying | -- | Best of 3 2 tiebreak sets, 3rd advantage set | -- |
Tennis Glossary
- Tiebreak set - The set is played until a player reaches 6 or 7 games, with a 2-game margin. A tiebreak is played when the score is 6-6. To win a tiebreak, a player needs to win at least 7 points, with a 2-point margin (7-5, 8-6, etc).
- Advantage set - no tiebreaks are played, and the set continues until one of the players has a 2-game margin (8-6, 9-7, etc). Today, only the last and deciding set of the match (the 5th or the 3rd) can be played as an advantage set, while all the other sets are tiebreak sets.
- Supertiebreak - A set that consists of a tiebreak, in which a player has to win at least 10 points with a 2-point advantage.
- No-ad scoring - A scoring method in which the 40-40 point is a deciding point - whoever wins it, wins the game. This scoring is employed in ATP/WTA doubles matches, and in Grand Slam Mixed Doubles (except in Wimbledon).
- Ad scoring - after getting to 40-40, the player/team must win two points to win the game (the first of those is the "advantage" point). This is the usual method of scoring in tennis tournaments.
tiebreak should be used everywhere
ReplyDeleteNo way, I love Wimbledon precisely for the long doubles matches. It is brilliant to watch them. I think a part of me would die if they changed it.
DeleteNo way! I love the Wimbledon precisely because of the beautiful 5 set doubles matches. These are brilliant, the pinnacle of tennis. I think a part of me would die inside if they changed it.
DeleteI think ATP should make the London Finals format the same for singles and doubles:
ReplyDeleteGroup Stage - best of 3, 3 tiebreak sets,
SF - best of 3, 2 tiebreak, 3rd advantage,
Final - best of 5, 4 tiebreak, 5th advantage.