Tennis is one of the most exciting sports in the world because it blends skill, speed, strategy, and endurance into every point. Whether you are a complete beginner, a parent teaching a child, or someone returning to the game after years away, understanding how tennis works makes the sport much easier to enjoy.

In this 2026 guide, you will learn how to play tennis, how points and sets are scored, what the key court lines mean, and the most important rules every player should know. The official ITF Rules of Tennis 2026 still define the court, scoring structure, service rules, lets, continuous play standards, and other core rules used across the sport.

What Is Tennis?

Tennis is a racket sport played either as singles, with one player on each side, or doubles, with two players on each side. The aim is simple: hit the ball over the net and into the opponent’s court in a way that prevents a legal return.

A standard tennis court is 78 feet long. For singles, the court is 27 feet wide, and for doubles it is 36 feet wide. The net is 3 feet high at the center. These dimensions are set out in the ITF’s 2026 rules.

How to Play Tennis: The Basics

To start a point, one player serves from behind the baseline into the correct service box diagonally across the net. Once the serve lands in, the point begins and both players rally until one player wins the point.

A player wins a point when the opponent:

• hits the ball out
• hits the ball into the net
• lets the ball bounce twice
• commits a fault or rule violation
• fails to return the ball correctly

At beginner level, the game is about consistency first. Learning to rally, move your feet, recover to the middle, and keep the ball in play matters more than hitting hard.

Tennis Court Layout Explained

Knowing the court helps you understand the rules faster.

The main parts of a tennis court are:

• Baseline: the back line where most serves and groundstrokes begin
• Sidelines: the side boundaries
• Service line: creates the front edge of each service box
• Center service line: divides the two service boxes
• Net: separates both sides of the court

In singles, only the inner sidelines count. In doubles, the wider outer sidelines are included. The ITF 2026 rules also specify that a ball touching any line counts as good.

Tennis Scoring Rules in 2026

Tennis scoring can seem strange at first, but it becomes natural quickly.

How points are counted

A standard game is scored:

• Love
• 15
• 30
• 40
• Game

If both players reach 40, that is called deuce. From deuce, one player must win two straight points:

• first point after deuce = advantage
• next point won by the same player = game
• if the other player wins the next point, the score returns to deuce

That scoring system remains the standard under the 2026 ITF rules.

How sets work

A set is usually won by the first player to reach six games with at least a two-game lead. If the score reaches 6-6 in a tie-break set, a tie-break is played. The ITF rules state that events must announce in advance whether they will use an advantage set or a tie-break set.

How matches work

A tennis match is usually played as:

• best of 3 sets for most matches
• best of 5 sets in some men’s elite events

The ITF rules also allow approved alternative scoring methods, such as short sets and match tie-breaks, depending on the competition format.

How Serving Works in Tennis

The serve begins every point and follows strict placement rules.

Here is the basic serving sequence:

1. Stand behind the baseline.
2. Serve diagonally into the opponent’s correct service box.
3. Start from the right side of the court when the score is even.
4. Serve from the left side when the score is odd.
5. If the first serve misses, take a second serve.
6. If both serves miss, it is a double fault and the point is lost.

Players and teams also have a defined order of service and receiving, which must be followed throughout the set.

What Is a Let in Tennis?

A service let happens when the serve touches the net, strap, or band and still lands correctly in the service box, or when the receiver is not ready. In that case, the serve does not count and the server serves again. A service let does not erase an earlier fault.

For general lets during a rally, the whole point is replayed in many cases, except where the service let rule on second serve applies.

Faults, Foot Faults, and Double Faults

A player commits a fault when the serve does not land in the correct box. A double fault happens when both first and second serves are faults, which loses the point.

A foot fault occurs when the server breaks the serving rules with foot placement, such as stepping on or over the baseline before striking the ball. These serving rules remain part of the 2026 ITF framework.

When a Player Loses the Point

A player loses the point if they:

• fail to return the ball before it bounces twice
• hit the ball out
• hit the net with the racket or body while the ball is in play
• touch the net or opponent’s court while the point is live
• deliberately carry or catch the ball on the racket
• are hindered by a rule breach of their own making

These principles are covered in the ITF’s point-loss and hindrance rules.

Continuous Play and Time Rules

Tennis has timing rules to keep matches moving.

Under the 2026 ITF rules:

• players get up to 25 seconds between points
• they get up to 90 seconds on changeovers
• they get up to 120 seconds between sets
• the warm-up is normally limited to 5 minutes

The rules also allow limited extra time for equipment problems and certain medical or toilet breaks under event rules.

Coaching and Technology in Tennis in 2026

The ITF defines coaching as advice or instruction of any kind. Off-court coaching may be allowed if the sanctioning body permits it. On-court coaching is generally limited to certain team-event situations. Coaching is not allowed during the playing of a point.

The 2026 rules also recognize approved player analysis technology, but that equipment must comply with ITF specifications.

Beginner Tips for Learning Tennis Faster

If you are new to tennis, focus on these fundamentals:

• use a ready position before every shot
• keep your eye on the ball
• recover to the middle after each hit
• swing smoothly instead of trying to overpower shots
• practice serves and returns early
• learn scoring until it feels automatic

The fastest way to improve is to combine basic technique, footwork, and repetition.

Singles vs Doubles Tennis

Singles is more physical because you cover more court alone. Doubles adds teamwork, faster reactions at the net, and wider court dimensions.

The biggest rules difference is court width. Singles uses the narrower inner sidelines, while doubles uses the full doubles alleys. The ITF court dimensions make that distinction clear.

2026 Tennis Rules Quick Summary

If you want the short version, here are the essential tennis rules for 2026:

• the court is 78 feet long
• singles width is 27 feet, doubles width is 36 feet
• a ball touching the line is in
• standard point scoring is love, 15, 30, 40, game
• at deuce, a player must win two straight points
• most sets are first to 6 games with a two-game margin
• a tie-break is usually played at 6-6 in tie-break sets
• players get two serves
• a missed first and second serve is a double fault
• lets on serve are replayed
• players must keep play continuous with official time limits between points and games

All of that aligns with the current ITF Rules of Tennis 2026.

In a nutshell...

Tennis is easy to start and rewarding to keep learning. Once you understand the court, the serve, the scoring, and the most common faults, the game feels much more approachable. The core rules for 2026 remain consistent with the official ITF structure, which is why beginners can confidently learn the sport from these foundations.

FAQ: How to Play Tennis and Tennis Rules for 2026

What are the basic rules of tennis?

Players hit the ball over the net and into the opponent’s court. The ball must land inside the lines, and a player loses the point if they hit out, hit the net, miss both serves, or fail to return before the second bounce.

How do you score in tennis?

Points go love, 15, 30, 40, and game. At 40-40, the score is deuce, and one player must win two consecutive points to win the game.

What is a let in tennis?

A let on serve happens when the serve touches the net and still lands in the correct box, or when the receiver is not ready. The server serves again.

How many sets are in a tennis match?

Most matches are best of 3 sets, while some elite men’s matches are best of 5 sets.

What changed in tennis rules for 2026?

The official 2026 ITF rulebook is the current governing source for court, scoring, serving, lets, coaching, and continuous play. Specific event formats can still vary by sanctioning body or competition.

Starter Tennis Racket Recommendations:

For those looking to get started in tennis we have the perfect beginner tennis racket with the Tecnifibre Tempo 270 V2.

This racket is a great price for the player looking to improve their game. The light frame weight offers incredible manoeuvrability whilst the reinforced frame design increases power.

Shop the Tecnifibre Tempo 270 V2

We have a selection of 10 beginner tennis rackets from all tennis manufacturers for you to review.

Here are 10 solid beginner tennis rackets for 2026, leaning toward lighter, more forgiving frames with larger heads or easy-swing designs:

Best all-around beginner choices
The Wilson Tour Slam Lite, Babolat Boost Drive, and Yonex VCORE Play 08 2026 stand out as the safest all-round starting points because they pair manageable weight with beginner-friendly positioning in the market. The Wilson Tour Slam Lite is listed at about £35 with strong user ratings, the Boost Drive comes in around £71.99, and the 2026 VCORE Play 08 is listed around £57.60.

Best for forgiveness and easy power
If you want a bigger sweet spot, look first at the Wilson Allure 105 and HEAD Ti S6. The “105” naming on the Wilson and the long-running beginner-friendly reputation of the Ti S6 make them attractive for newer players who miss the center of the strings sometimes. The Allure 105 is listed around £46.80 and the Ti S6 around £84.95.

Best budget-friendly options
For lower-cost entry points, the HEAD MX Attitude Elite, Tecnifibre Tempo 255, and Decathlon TR500 are worth a look. Those listings came in around £42.15, £44.00, and £59.99 respectively, giving a decent spread from budget to mid-range.

Good choices if you want to “grow into” the racket
The Babolat Boost Aero, Yonex VCORE Ace, and Babolat Boost Drive are better if you want something beginner-usable now but not overly basic. Their listings suggest they sit a little above entry-level price while still being accessible, at about £95, £72, and £71.99.

Our top 3 from this list:

1. Wilson Tour Slam Lite
2. Babolat Boost Drive
3. Yonex VCORE Play 08 2026

For a true beginner, I’d usually aim for something light and forgiving rather than a heavier “players” frame. A head size around 100–105 sq in and a lighter weight are usually the easiest place to start. That’s an inference based on common racket-fitting principles, and the product names/listings here support that by surfacing Lite, 105, Boost, and entry-level models.

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