In this piece, we take a look at the different factors that players consider while picking which ATP tournaments to participate in.

#1 Prize Money

One of the biggest concerns while entering into an ATP tournament has to be the prize money on offer. Players take note of the different prize money offered by different tournaments and then decide to participate accordingly.

Since all players are professionals, winning tournaments is one of their major sources of income. Hence, they have to take a call on which tournaments provide the most prize money so that they can maximise their participation.

If they win these tournaments, the players get to pocket a significant sum of money, and therefore, they consider the prize money on offer. The players also work hard and give their best to win the prize money of a particular tournament.

#2 Entry Fee

While most professional players do not have to pay an entry fee to participate in tournaments across the world, some whose rankings do not give them an entry have to do so.

Generally, higher-ranked players get entry into ATP tournaments quite comfortably but the same may not be the case for lower-ranked players. This holds true in ITF World Tennis tournaments in which some players have to pay the entry fee to participate.

#3 Playing Surfaces

Another major factor that players consider while choosing tournaments is the playing surfaces. Players generally have preferences regarding the surfaces they want to compete on based on where they are in their training and what phase of the season they are going through.

If a certain player is preparing only for, say, the French Open, then he will most probably pick a lot of clay court ATP tournaments ahead of going to Roland Garros. Playing in clay court tournaments will give him the exposure and preparation he needs to do well in the French Open. 

Similarly, those preparing for hard-court tournaments will only pick the ATP tournaments that are played on that surface. Those players who are preparing for grass tournaments ahead of Wimbledon will also likely pick and choose those tournaments.

Playing surfaces play a major role in the decision-making of the players when they sit and choose which tournament to play in the ATP Tour. If a certain tournament matches their preference, they pick it and decide to participate.

#4 Rankings

The ATP rankings of players also play a major role in their decision-making regarding choosing which tournaments to participate in. Since most tournaments give entry only to players over a certain ranking, it leaves out a considerable chunk of participants seething outside. (Check out how ATP rankings are calculated in this piece.)

Hence, where a player is ranked in the ATP standings plays a big role in them choosing which tournaments to go to. While some may feel that they are missing out, in the bigger picture, this is done by the ATP to ensure that the standard of the tournaments in question remains high and that the level does not flag.

If a certain player’s rankings are high enough to enter into any ATP tournament across the world, then the other factors mentioned above come into consideration. Playing surface and rankings are quite important in the decision-making process of a professional tennis player.

Read Next | How are the Draws Made in Tennis Tournaments?

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A few other tournaments, such as the ATP Challenger Tour and ATP Champions Tour, are also conducted by the organisation. The best players in the world mostly compete in the ATP Masters 1000 since the winner is awarded 1000 points.

Similarly, the winners of the ATP 500 and ATP 250 are rewarded with 500 and 250 points, respectively. The ATP Challenger Tour comes a step below the ATP 250, while the Champions Tour is conducted for senior players.

ATP Finals 

The ATP Finals is the season-ending tournament in men’s tennis in which the top eight singles players in the world and the top eight doubles players in the world participate. In many ways, it is considered to be the biggest men’s tennis event of the year after the four Grand Slams. 

The format of the ATP Finals is distinctive from those seen in other tournaments. The players are divided into two groups of four each, who then play three round-robin matches against each other. 

The winners then move onto the knockout stages, with a semifinal and final. The winners of the final match are awarded 1500 points in the ATP Rankings if they go through the round-robin phase unbeaten.

ATP Masters 1000

The ATP Masters 1000 is a series of nine tournaments held over the year in which all top-ranked players in the world are eligible to contest. These tournaments come a level below the majors and ATP Finals. 

The biggest draw in these tournaments is the points on offer. The winners of an ATP Masters 1000 tournament get 1000 points, which helps them rise through the rankings.

ATP Masters 500

The ATP 500 consists of 13 tournaments held across the year that come fourth in the pyramid of men’s tennis, under the Grand Slams, ATP Finals, and ATP Masters 1000. The winners of the ATP 500 are awarded with 500 points. 

It is interesting to note here that it is mandatory for leading players to participate in at least four ATP 500 events. Also, they have to mandatorily play in one after the US Open every year, failing which they can register a ‘zero score’ towards their world ranking.

ATP Masters 250

The ATP 250 is the last tier in men’s tennis tournaments across the world. The winners of these tournaments are awarded with 250 points to help in their standings. 

Up till 2024, there were 38 tournaments all across the world, but with the retirement of five crucial venues and the upgrading of three others, 2025 will see only 30 ATP 250 tournaments.

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The biggest tournaments organised by the ATP are the four Grand Slams – Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. Apart from these four major tournaments, the ATP also organises several other tournaments that players participate in on a regular basis.

Some of these tournaments are the ATP Finals, ATP Masters 1000, ATP 500, ATP 250, and ATP Challengers. These tournaments form the tiers of professional tennis and segregate lower-ranked players from their higher-ranked peers. It goes without saying that only those who are ranked high can participate in big tournaments.

The ATP Finals, for example, feature the top eight singles and top eight doubles players in the world. The ATP Masters 1000, meanwhile, is open only to top-ranked players. 

The winners of the ATP Masters 1000 are allotted 1000 points. Similarly, the winners of the ATP 500 and 250 are rewarded with 500 and 250 points, respectively.

In this piece, we take a look at the few ways in which a player can climb the ladder of ATP rankings.

#1 Gaining More Points

One of the biggest ways in which players can climb the ladder is by gaining more points. This can be done if they keep participating and doing well in tournaments on a regular basis.

If the players manage to win more games, they are bound to accrue more points. This will help their standing in the ATP rankings and, in turn, allow them to climb the ladder.

Getting more points on a consistent basis helps players enter into higher-ranked tournaments, which, in turn, helps them take a shot at more prize money as well.

#2 Winning Consistently

Similar to the point mentioned above, another major way in which players can climb the ATP rankings is by winning games consistently. Since most tournaments feature a knockout format, players have to win all the games they play to make it to the final.

Winning the final is bound to give them a shot at the prize money they have aimed for as well as points. The players have to maintain their form and consistency over a period of time to climb the rankings.

Also Read | How are ATP Rankings Calculated?

#3 Performing Well in Grand Slams

A big way in which lower-ranked players can climb the rankings is by doing well in the four major tournaments, that is, the Grand Slams.

Those who are not very highly ranked and do not get seeded can try to create upsets by beating more established and highly ranked players. This is bound to improve their standing in the ATP Rankings and also give them a shot in the arm when it comes to climbing the ladder.

The Grand Slams are the biggest tournaments in the tennis calendar, and quite naturally, a lot of emphasis is put upon players doing well there. Those who can upset the cart and beat more established players will gain more points, and in turn, help their case in the rankings.

#4 Preparing Well Off the Court

Players have to prepare well off the court to ensure that they are fit and ready for the challenges that they have to face.

Recovering from the strain they go through on an everyday basis is crucial, and players have to make sure that they sleep well and eat well to be fully recharged for the challenges coming their way.

If they have recovered well, they are bound to perform better. This will, in turn, help them increase their chances of gaining more points and improving their rankings.

Read Next | What is a Surface Slam? – Explained

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While most major tournaments, including the Grand Slams, give players their draws based on what their rankings are, some also allow wildcard entries to those who are not ranked very high on the ladder. These rankings and wildcard entries allow players of all hues and colours to participate.

One of the biggest decisions that the organisers of a tournament have to make is whether they want it to feature only high-ranked players or those with low ranks too. If they want to feature only the former, then they can use the seeding system, and if they want to feature the latter, they can use random draws.

The draws system is made good use of by the organisers as it allows them to feature big-name players. The presence of these big-name players attracts a lot of people to the venue, who buy tickets to watch the matches and, in turn, help in generating revenue, which the organisers so desperately need.

However, organisers also understand that only the presence of big-name players cannot help their tournament grow. They have to bring on board some young stars too who will use the platform to showcase their skills and grow in their careers. These tournaments are often seen as the stepping stones for a lot of players.

Wildcard entries are often given to players who have been doing well in recent tournaments but are not ranked highly enough to get a direct chance into the draw. This allows promising players to showcase their potential and rub shoulders with big names in major tennis tournaments.

Seeding and Random Draws in Tennis Tournaments

What you must understand at the outset is that the draws for any tennis tournament are made randomly. The use of a computer with software specific to the purpose makes sure that players do not lose out on the experience and get opponents based on their standard or level.

Only players who are seeded, that is, the top-ranked players, are not a part of this draw. The organisers make sure that the top seeds are drawn in such a way that they do not face their immediate rivals until the quarterfinal or semifinal stage. This ensures that the tournament gets interesting towards the end.

However, not every player can enjoy the luxury of being a seeded one. It is only those who have been consistently ranked highly on their respective rankings over the last year or so who can afford the luxury. These players, who are typically big names, are drawn in such a way that they face lesser opponents at first.

These seeded players are expected to pick off their weaker opponents in the initial rounds of the tournament and then meet with their top-ranked rivals in the latter stages. This happens usually in the quarterfinal or semifinal stages, as mentioned earlier.

Players are seeded according to their performances in recent tournaments as well as their rankings in their respective categories. While the men are judged based on their standing in the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) rankings, the women are seeded according to their WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) standings.

While the current rankings of the players are crucial, so is their performance in the tournaments leading up to the Grand Slams, in which they are keen on getting seeded. All four Grand Slams – the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open – follow this process to make the draws.

It has to be understood that all draws in tennis tournaments are random, and even seeded players are asked to play with random opponents. It is only towards the latter phase of the tournaments that seeding becomes more helpful, as the higher-ranked players usually defeat their lower-ranked opponents and move upwards.

As mentioned earlier, the higher-ranked or seeded players are kept on one side of the probability draw as organisers do not want them to face their immediate rivals in the opening rounds. This allows them to make the tournament exciting towards the end and have big names play against each other.

Read Next | ATP Tours – Explained

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Merely participating in a Grand Slam is bound to enhance the career of a tennis player, let alone winning them. It has the potential to increase their ranking as well as prize money prospects.

Winning a Grand Slam is not easy by any means. These four major tournaments — the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open — are all played on different surfaces and thus require different physical and mental skill sets. Only the players who are able to weed out inconsistency from their games can flourish.

The players who are also able to adapt and adjust to different surfaces on a regular basis are able to compete at the highest level consistently. Only those who have the mental fortitude and strength to fight till the last ounce of their breath — figuratively speaking — can count themselves among the legends.

The players who have managed to keep themselves physically and mentally fit over a period of time have been able to aim for these titles. They have also managed to play against their opponents at a high level and not let their intensity drop no matter what happens. This is the hallmark of any great player.

The Australian Open and US Open are played on hard surfaces that allow the ball to bounce evenly and come onto the racquet. The pace of the game is quick here, and those players who have strong forehands can flourish if they keep faith in themselves and their preparation.

The French Open is played on a clay court in Roland Garros in Paris. The mud in the surface ensures that the bounce is uneven and the ball is slow to come onto the players. The ones who can use their feet well and go up to the net regularly can create angles for themselves on this surface and succeed.

Wimbledon, which is the most historic Grand Slam tournament, is played on grass. This was also the surface where tennis was originally played (hence the name lawn tennis). On this natural surface, the pace of the game is quick since the ball comes on fast. Players who defend well from the baseline can get a lot of points.

The bounce of the ball is predictable to some extent on grass, and this allows players who have good technique to trust it and play their shots. This surface aids a lot of rallies but sometimes the skiddy nature of the grass makes for good points while serving first time, also known as aces.

Novak Djokovic and Margaret Court have Won the Most Grand Slams

As for the records, Novak Djokovic (men) and Margaret Court (women) are tied on the pole position for winning the most number of Grand Slams in men’s and women’s singles categories, respectively, in tennis history. 

Both have won 24 Grand Slams, with Djokovic being primed to go for more. He looks far from being finished and still has a lot of tennis left inside his hungry body.

The recently retired Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer come second on the men’s singles list for having won 22 and 20 Grand Slams, respectively. 

In the women’s singles category, Serena Williams of the USA comes in second after having won 23 Grand Slams. Several fans of tennis consider Williams to be the greatest player ever and not Court.

Let us explain this. Court played at a time when professionals were not allowed to participate in major tennis tournaments. She won 13 of her singles Grand Slams when only amateurs were allowed to participate in Grand Slams.

Many contest that since she won just 11 of her titles in the Open Era (when professionals started being allowed to participate), Williams is the true holder of this record since all her titles came during the latter era.

Court’s achievements are looked down upon by a certain section of tennis followers since competition was not very high when only amateurs were allowed to participate in Grand Slams. It was only during the Open Era that competition increased and players had to innovate to either remain or perish. Of course, it is not Court’s fault that she was born at a time when only amateurs participated in major tournaments.

In the men’s doubles category, the American Mike Bryan holds the record for most number of Grand Slams (18). Bryan was highly renowned for his on-field partnership with his brother Bob. The latter comes second on this list with 16 titles of his own.

In the women’s doubles category, the legendary Martina Navratilova comes first with a whopping 31 titles to her name. What’s more, Navratilova also has 18 Grand Slam titles as a singles player! The Czech-American is considered to be among the best players to have ever graced a tennis court.

In the mixed doubles category (where men and women play together), Margaret Court comes on top of the list with 21 titles. Out of these, only seven titles, however, came in the Open Era. 

The record-holders in the Open Era are Martina Navratilova (again!) and India’s Leander Paes, with ten titles each. The latter has made our country proud on the world stage on many occasions, and it is high time that we celebrate and honour him and his achievements.

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It may be a tad challenging at first to get a grasp on the rules and regulations of the sport, but once understood, it is quite simple.

The sport is played across different conditions, and no two surfaces are the same. While traditionally, tennis was played on the lawns of the aristocrats of England (which is why it is called lawn tennis), it has now moved beyond grass to also be played on clay and hard surface courts.

Wimbledon is the only major tournament that is still played on grass. The other majors, including the US Open and Australian Open, are played on hard courts, while perhaps the most challenging of them all — the French Open — is played on a clay court at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris.

The different courts have distinctive surfaces, which force players to adapt and adjust their games accordingly. While clay surfaces take a toll on the body due to their slow and unpredictable nature, playing on hard courts is not that challenging since the bounce and carry can be predicted to a large extent.

However, playing on grass, which is the conventional surface for tennis, is quite distinctive from playing on either clay or hard courts. The ball comes on much quicker on grass, which results in a fast-paced game. The bounce is also unpredictable due to the skid that the ball generates.

Despite the nature of the surfaces changing across the world, the dimensions of the tennis court remain the same, as do the lines and boxes marked inside them. 

According to the International Tennis Federation (ITF), a tennis court has to measure 23.77 metres in length in any part of the world. However, the width of the court changes based on whether a singles game is being played or doubles. 

The width, quite naturally, differs for doubles (10.97 metres) and singles (8.23 metres). This is because of the presence of four players on the court in the former and two in the latter.

Similarly, several lines and boxes are marked inside a court that allow participants to know where to aim for. It also helps the chair umpires to make their decisions unreservedly and without any bias. These lines and boxes are explained in detail as under:

Baseline

If you view a tennis court from above, you will see a couple of horizontal lines running parallel to the end of the court on either side. These lines are called the baselines, and this is where the extent of the game begins and ends, at least from an umpiring point of view.

Players must serve from outside the baseline for it to be legal and attempt to hit the ball into the opponent’s half. They cannot serve from inside the baseline.

At the same time, during a rally, if they hit the ball outside the baseline, it is considered as out, and a point is awarded to their opponent.

Sideline

When a tennis court is viewed from above, four vertical lines are visible running alongside its length. Both these lines are called the sidelines and are marked for the singles and doubles games, respectively. The sideline on the inside is the final point in a singles game, while the one on the outside is the same for doubles.

While the length of the sidelines remains the same as that of the court, the lane created by the two is 1.37 metres wide. The lane takes prominence only in singles matches. In doubles matches, even if the ball falls into the lane, it is considered to be in play, whereas it is not considered so in singles.

Service Line

In each half of the tennis court, a serve line or service line is drawn 6.40 metres away from the net. This is the line till which a player is allowed to serve. 

If their serve falls outside of this area, it is marked as a fault on the first occasion and a double fault on the second consecutive occasion. The player concedes a point when they commit a double fault.

Service Area

The service area in a tennis court is the area which is guarded by the service lines in each half. The mid-points of the two service lines in each half are joined by another line, and this forms the area where the player must serve. However, the service area holds significance only during the service and not afterwards.

Interestingly, players cannot serve directly straight into their opponents’ half; they have to do so in a diagonal manner. If their serve exceeds the service area in front of their opponent by landing out of the service lines, it is called a fault. If it happens two times in a row, it is called a double fault, and a point is conceded.

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Tennis is played on different surfaces across the world, with grass being the traditional platform on which it first originated. Over the years, however, clay courts and hard courts gained prominence.

Out of the four major Grand Slam tournaments, two are played on hard courts (Australian Open and US Open), while one is played on grass (Wimbledon) and one on clay courts (French Open).

Despite the sport being played on different surfaces across the world, the dimensions of the court remain the same. The dimensions only change when the category of the sport changes from singles to doubles.

As per the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the dimensions change only a tad when one alters from the singles game to the doubles one. 

In this article, we will take a look at the different types of dimensions of a tennis court, which predominantly remain the same no matter which surface it is played upon.

Tennis Court Dimensions for Singles Matches

The ITF decrees that a competitive tennis court must be rectangular in shape, measuring 23.77 metres long. This is the basic feature that remains the same across all surfaces and all countries. The width of the singles match court, however, is only 8.23 metres. 

This is done so that the players do not exhaust themselves by running helter-skelter. There is also only so much room that players can exploit while playing in a singles competition.

Tennis Court Dimensions for Doubles Matches

In doubles matches, the width of the tennis court increases just a tad, although the length remains the same. The width of the court expands to 10.97 metres in a doubles match.

If you were to view a tennis court from above, you would see a line marked horizontally and parallel to the court at both ends. This is called the baseline. On the other hand, you may see a vertical line tracing the length of the court. This is called the sideline.

Two sidelines are marked in a tennis court, separated by 1.37 metres. The area inside the sidelines is out of the playing area in singles matches but inside the playing area in doubles matches.

Different Surfaces in Tennis

As mentioned earlier, the dimensions of the court remain the same despite the surfaces on which it is being played changing. There are three major surfaces on which tennis is played: grass, clay, and hard courts. 

Grass is the conventional surface on which tennis was originally played. It assists in good pace and carry to the players, and one also sees unpredictable bounce owing to the length of the grass in different courts. This means that players with good hand-eye coordination and patience, as well as impeccable technique, can flourish on grass courts.

Clay courts, which are usually made of crushed shale stone or brick and other unbound mineral aggregate, see unpredictable bounce and carry. Players who are fit, agile, and extremely resilient tend to end up on the winning side in matches played on clay courts.

Those who are crafty can also be expected to end up on the winning side, as playing on clay takes a lot out of the human body. It is among the most challenging surfaces to play upon.

Hard courts, which are usually artificial courts made from resin, synthetic, or acrylic layers laid on top of a concrete or asphalt foundation, provide excellent carry and bounce. Players who have good technique can flourish on these courts and get good value for their shots.

These courts offer a balanced nature, and players who have good all-round capabilities tend to succeed often here. These courts also encourage a fast style of play, although the pace is slower than what is seen on grass courts.

Read Next | ATP Tours – Explained

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Mostly seen as an individual game, despite doubles and mixed doubles also playing a big part, this sport brings out the innate desire among spectators to see the most worthy player end up on the winning side at the end of the match.

This sport also generates a lot of revenue from broadcasters and advertisers alike, as it is followed by millions across the globe who are willing to spend a lot of money.

Players are usually sponsored by business magnates and industrialists who like to advertise their products. If the players they have sponsored end up doing well in the tennis circuit, their products get a lot of advertising.

Equipment used by the players in this sport is not rustic by any means, and for them to excel in every tournament, these have to be in pristine condition at all times.

They also need to be technologically adept and flexible to allow the players to execute the shots they wish to over the course of a match. In this article, we will take a look at the key equipment used by tennis players.

#1 Tennis Racquet

The racquet is the most important piece of equipment used in tennis. This is also the most basic one needed by players to even participate in the sport. The racquet is used by players to hit balls across the net to their opponents and partake in the joys of tennis.

The racquet is bat-like equipment that has strings on its face across both sides. It is this part of the racquet that is used to hit the ball with one’s opponents. Several big companies manufacture racquets, such as Babolat, Wilson, Head, and Slazenger, among others.

Professional players usually carry about five to six racquets with them to every match, as they are known to come unstrung regularly when facing a lot of impacts.

This usually happens in high-intensity games when the players are facing balls at an extremely high pace. Racquets are designed to take the impact of these balls well and allow players to execute their shots without worrying too much about their longevity.

#2 Tennis Balls

Tennis balls, quite naturally, are another piece of equipment that is essential to the organising of a match. Balls are needed by players to hit in a match, and a racquet will be of no use if there are no balls to hit.

These balls are usually made by a lot of top companies, such as Slazenger and Wilson, and have to be the ideal weight for players to form good connections. If the balls are too light or too heavy, they will not provide the players with enough satisfaction, and there is also the danger of them going either out of the bounds of the court or into the net.

According to the International Tennis Federation (ITF), a tennis ball must weigh between 1.98 and 2.10 ounces (56.0–59.4 grams). The federation also sets guidelines for the diameter of a tennis ball, which should be between 2.57 and 2.70 inches (6.54–6.86 centimetres).

#3 Tennis Shoes

Shoes are another important piece of equipment for tennis players. As the sport is played on several different surfaces, they must wear different shoes for different conditions.

Matches played on grass courts need shoes that have more tread and do not slip, while those played on clay courts need shoes that are sturdy and have a lot of grip to stick in the mud. Matches played on hard courts need good indoor shoes that allow the players to balance and stabilise themselves.

Also Read | Game, Set, and Match – The Basic Guide to Understand Tennis Scoring

#4 Sweatbands

Sweatbands are needed by players to absorb all the sweat that they accumulate during a tennis match. These bands are worn by the players on their wrists, which makes them extremely handy and accessible to wipe away the sweat streaming down their forehead and blocking their eyesight.

#5 Caps

Caps are used by players to keep the sun away from their eyes. While men wear normal baseball-style caps, which also absorb the sweat formed on their hair, women wear caps that allow a special provision for their ponytails to go behind their heads.

Caps are essential for tennis players to shield themselves from the heat and sun and gain clarity of thought under relatively cooler climes.

#6 Tennis Kit Bag

A medium-to-big-sized kit bag is needed by players to store all their equipment. This bag has special provisions to carry the racquets as well as all the other gear we have discussed so far in this article. The bag needs to be clean, spacious and big enough for all this equipment to fit snugly.

Read Next | How are ATP Rankings Calculated?

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As its name suggests, unforced errors are those errors that a player makes on their own without quite being forced by their opponent to do so. 

A lot of these errors are due to the lapses in concentration that players often go through over long periods of playing a tennis match. These lapses in concentration also result in the players making decisions that they would go on to regret on most occasions.

This means that players who are fit both physically and mentally are best served to not make these errors and not allow their opponents a sniff back into the match. These unforced errors are usually made without any compulsion from the opponents.

Different Modes of Unforced Errors

There are several types of unforced errors that players make on a tennis court. These errors, as mentioned earlier, are not caused by the brilliance of their opponent and instead, happen solely out of their own mistakes.

These mistakes can be rectified if the player focuses more and decides to pay more attention to their fitness: physical and mental. There are several types of unforced errors in tennis, which are listed below.

#1 Hitting the Ball into the Net

One of the most common unforced errors in tennis is that of hitting the ball into the net. This usually takes place during a rally inside a game when the two players are going back and forth with a lot of conviction.

However, all of a sudden, one player hits the ball into the net instead of getting it to lob over it to their opponent. This is an unforced error since their opponent played virtually no part in them hitting it that way into the net. These errors are known to demoralise players a lot and force them to think deeply about their training techniques and methods.

This error of hitting the ball into the net usually happens when the player tries to hit it either too hard or without enough timing. This also happens when the player feels that they must hit it early or late. The difference in timing plays a big role.

#2 Hitting the Ball Out of the Court

Another major unforced error in tennis is hitting the ball out of bounds of the tennis courts. This too happens without any real provocation from their opponent. 

This takes place when the player, as mentioned in the point above, looks to hit the ball either a tad too early or a tad too late. Missing their timing is a big mistake in tennis, which usually leads to a lot of unforced errors. 

Players can reduce these unforced errors by watching the ball closely onto the racquet and not hitting it either too early or too late. Getting the right timing on these shots is of paramount importance to all tennis players.

Also Read | What is a Surface Slam? – Explained

#3 Missing a Shot Altogether

One of the most embarrassing modes of making an unforced error in tennis is missing the shot altogether. This usually happens when the player is far too eager for their own good and ends up going overboard with their technique.

The ideal way to prevent this from happening is to watch the ball closely after it bounces and see it all the way into the racquet before executing a shot. If the player does not watch the ball closely and tries to go hard for either a forehand or backhand, there is a possibility that they might end up missing the shot completely.

This can be extremely insulting in a tennis court filled with spectators to the rafters. Among all the unforced errors mentioned in this piece, this can be perhaps the most humiliating, as people are bound to laugh after the player misses the ball completely.

#4 Hitting the Ball with the Wrong Part of the Racquet

Another embarrassing unforced error to make is hitting the ball from the wrong part of the racquet. This usually takes place if the player is not gripping the racquet tightly and trying to go for a shot with all their might.

This too can be easily mitigated in training if the player works on watching the ball closely into the racquet and then makes choices accordingly. If players are too keen to hit the ball hard without getting any real timing on it, they are bound to hit the ball from the wrong part of the racquet and not where it was intended to be in the first place.

This can be extremely embarrassing, as the crowd that has gathered to watch tennis matches does not expect top-level players to make such silly mistakes. 

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While the numerous technical terms may infuriate the layman, it is not quite as complicated if one tries to look at it objectively. Plus, it is also one of the most interesting concepts to learn about the sport as well.

Tennis matches are usually played over three or five sets. In major tournaments – the Grand Slams such as the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open – men play matches in which the winner is decided over five sets whereas for women, the best of three sets concept is used.

Sets consist of games, which are individual matches inside a match that a player must win to tally up his/her numbers. The first player to get to four points in a game gets declared its winner, although the points are calculated as 15, 30, 40, and game and not 1, 2, 3 and 4.

If both players get tied on 40, they are said to be in a deuce, and another point is added to the game. The player who gets the next point gets what is called an ‘advantage.’ If they win the next point, they win the game, but if they lose, the score goes back to 40-40 or 40-all.

Three or Five Sets in Tennis Matches

The first player to win six games in a set gets declared the winner. Likewise, the winner of the first two sets (in a three-set match) or the winner of the first three sets (in a five-set match) is declared the winner of the match altogether. However, there is a caveat here.

Not at all times is the player to win the first six games declared the winner of that particular set. If the two players get tied on five games each inside a set, another game is added to the tally. 

If the two players get tied 6-6 even after the addition of the extra game, a tiebreaker is played, and whoever wins this, wins the set.

Men are usually expected to play matches that are decided on the best of five sets in all major competitions, while women usually play matches decided on the best of three sets in all major competitions. In most other non-major tournaments, however, both men and women play three-set matches.

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Sets are Decided by the Winner of the Odd Number

As explained earlier, the winner of the odd number of sets is declared the winner of the overall tennis match. If a three-set match is going on, the player who wins two sets is declared the winner. Similarly, if a five-set match is going on, the player who is the first to win three sets is declared the winner.

An interesting rule which will catch the fancy of our readers is the one regarding tiebreakers in the final set. As we have elucidated above, the winners of the first six games are declared the winners of the set. 

However, if both players are tied at five games each, the set gets extended to another game. Hence, the player who wins seven games now gets declared the winner.

It is getting to these seven games that our readers will find very amusing. If the scores get tied at 6-6, a tiebreaker is played, which decides the eventual winner of the set. 

However, this rule is not applied when the final set of a tennis match is going on. In a five-setter game, this applies to the fifth set, while in a three-setter one, this rule applies to the third set.

So what do the players do when the games are tied in the final set? 

The number of games keep on extending until it is clear that one player has an advantage of two games over his/her opponent. No tiebreaker is played, and the rules remain the same just as they had done until the final set. 

This rule has been presumably made to ensure that a fair result is decreed to the participants of the tennis match. Fans of the sport often complain that tiebreakers do not give their heroes and heroines enough time to adjust and adapt.

On the other hand, if the match goes on till the end without the event of a tiebreak, it is expected to lead to a fair result that both participants will like to agree on. 

While the rule is fair, it does test the fitness and longevity of the players involved. As is the case with all tennis matches, the singles event tests the players much more than the doubles given the amount of surface area required to be covered. These rules apply to both singles and doubles.

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