Rules · Scoring
How many sets in tennis: everything about match formats
Most tennis matches are played over best of 3 sets: the first player to win 2 sets wins. Only men’s singles at the four Grand Slams are best of 5 sets. In doubles and in many amateur competitions, the third set is often replaced by a 10-point match tie-break.
Key takeaways
- General rule: best of 3 sets, so 2 or 3 sets are played.
- Grand Slams: best of 5 for men’s singles, best of 3 for women’s singles.
- Set: 6 games with a 2-game lead, tie-break at 6-6; at the Grand Slams, a 10-point tie-break at 6-6 in the deciding set.
- Doubles: usually best of 3, with a 10-point match tie-break instead of a third set at many events.
- Juniors and amateurs: shorter formats are common (short sets, no-ad scoring, match tie-break), set by each competition’s rules.
How many sets are there in a tennis match?
A tennis match is either best of 3 sets (first to 2 sets) or best of 5 sets (first to 3 sets). The first format is by far the most common: ATP and WTA tours, women’s singles at the Grand Slams, most junior and amateur events. The second is reserved for men’s singles at the four Grand Slams: the Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open.
| Competition | Format | Deciding set |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Slam men’s singles | Best of 5 sets | 10-point tie-break at 6-6 |
| Grand Slam women’s singles | Best of 3 sets | 10-point tie-break at 6-6 |
| ATP and WTA tour singles | Best of 3 sets | Standard tie-break at 6-6 |
| Tour doubles | Best of 3 sets, no-ad scoring | 10-point match tie-break at one set all |
| Davis Cup | Best of 3 sets | Tie-break at 6-6 |
| Juniors and amateurs | Varies with the rules | Often a match tie-break |
The Davis Cup was played over five sets for a long time; it switched to best of 3 when its format was overhauled in 2019. Rules change regularly: if in doubt, check the official regulations of the event.
What is a set in tennis?
A set is a series of games. To win it, you need 6 games with at least a 2-game lead: 6-4 wins the set, but at 6-5 one more game is needed (7-5). At 6-6, a 7-point tie-break decides the set, which ends 7-6.
To count points within a game (15, 30, 40, deuce, advantage) and understand how a tie-break works, read our guide on how to keep score in tennis.
What happens at 6-6 in the final set?
For a long time, several Grand Slams had no tie-break in the final set: you had to win by two games, with no limit. That produced endless matches, the most famous being the first round of Wimbledon 2010 between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut: 11 hours and 5 minutes of play over three days, and a fifth set that ended 70-68.
Today, all four Grand Slams apply the same rule: at 6-6 in the deciding set, a 10-point tie-break is played (with a 2-point lead). On the ATP and WTA tours, every set ends with a standard 7-point tie-break at 6-6.
How many sets in doubles, for juniors and for amateurs?
In doubles
Doubles are generally best of 3 sets. On the professional tours and at many events, matches are shortened with no-ad scoring at deuce and a 10-point match tie-break instead of a third set. The Grand Slams have their own rules for doubles.
Juniors and amateurs
National federations offer formats adapted to age and level: short sets (for example first to 4 games), no-ad scoring, a match tie-break instead of a third set. They keep matches shorter, allow several matches in one day and reduce the physical load on younger players. The format is always confirmed by the referee before the tournament.
How does the match format change your preparation?
A best-of-5 match demands very different endurance and effort management from a best-of-3 match with a match tie-break. In a long format you can afford a slower start; in a short format every service game matters, and a poor start is hard to recover from.
- Long format: energy management, hydration, the ability to change your game plan mid-match.
- Short format: a fast start, composure on deciding points and in the match tie-break.
- Surface: on clay, rallies are longer and matches generally last longer; on grass and fast hard courts, the serve carries more weight. See our guide to tennis court surfaces.
For young competitors, the Tournament Camp Junior combines training with tournament matches, with a coach analysing every match. And to cut the errors that cost you sets, read our guide to tennis faults.
For more on the rules, read how to keep score and our guide to forced errors. Managing a best-of-three match or a match tie-break is a skill you can train: it is one of the focuses of the Mouratoglou Method, practised in coached match play on our tennis camps on the French Riviera (Biot, near Nice).
Ages 9–172 weeksCoached tournamentsTournament Camp JuniorTwo weeks of training and tournaments, with a coach by your side during matches.DISCOVER Frequently asked questions
How many sets are played at the Grand Slams?
Men’s singles are best of 5 sets and women’s singles best of 3 sets. In the deciding set, a 10-point tie-break is played at 6-6.
How many sets are there in a women’s match?
Women’s matches are best of 3 sets, both on the WTA Tour and at the Grand Slams.
What is the longest tennis match in history?
The first round of Wimbledon 2010 between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut: 11 hours and 5 minutes of play spread over three days, with Isner winning the fifth set 70-68.
How many games do you need to win a set?
You need 6 games with at least a 2-game lead (6-4, 7-5). At 6-6, a tie-break decides the set, which ends 7-6. Some junior and amateur formats use shorter sets.
What is a match tie-break?
It is a 10-point tie-break (with a 2-point lead) that often replaces the third set in doubles and amateur competitions. At the Grand Slams, a 10-point tie-break is played at 6-6 in the deciding set.
How do I prepare physically for a best-of-five match?
A five-set match is won on endurance and recovery between points. Build your aerobic speed (VMA) and long sessions at varying intensity, hydrate from the first set and keep a routine between points. Juniors aiming for that level prepare on the Performance Camp Junior, with physical and mental follow-up.
