Editorial guide
How to read a tennis score
A match score is a compact record of sets. The winner’s games are usually shown first in each set: 6–4, 6–2 means the winner took two sets, by six games to four and six games to two. It does not tell you who served first, how long the rallies lasted or which games were close.
From points to games
In a standard game, the first points are called love, 15, 30 and 40. At 40–40, or deuce, a player must take two consecutive points to win that game. A tiebreak uses numbered points: the usual target is seven points with a two-point margin. These are the standard rules; alternative scoring formats exist. See the ITF’s 2026 Rules of Tennis, Rules 5 and Appendix VI.
From games to sets
A standard set goes to the first player to reach six games with a two-game lead. At 6–6, a tiebreak set uses a tiebreak. A match is normally best of three or best of five sets under the format chosen for that event. The ITF rules, Rules 6–7 describe these formats.
A scoreline of 7–6 tells you that a tiebreak decided that set, but the set score alone does not reveal the tiebreak points. Likewise, 6–0 is a set won without losing a game; it does not mean the opponent won no points. When a report mentions a run of games, compare the starting and ending game scores before deciding whether that run closed the set.