The umpire calls “deuce,” and a first-time tennis viewer may wonder what the score means. Deuce in tennis occurs when both players reach 40–40 in a game and one player must win two consecutive points to win the game.
The rule is simple once you understand how points and advantages work and in this guide you will learn the meaning of deuce, how the scoring rules work, why the term is used and which tennis formats have removed deuce.
You will also discover how deuce connects to the basic rules of tennis, and in just three minutes you can understand this important part of tennis scoring.
What Does Deuce Mean in Tennis?
Deuce in tennis is the score when both players have won three points each and making the score 40–40. At this stage, a player must win two consecutive points to win the game.
The first point gives the player an advantage, and the second point secures the game so if the opponent wins the next point, the score returns to deuce.
Tennis uses the special term “deuce” instead of simply calling the score 40–40 because it marks an important stage in the game and before deuce, a player can win the game by reaching 40 and winning the next point.
After deuce the player needs two points in a row to finish the game and this rule keeps the game competitive and gives both players a fair chance to win.
The word ‘deuce’ is commonly pronounced “doos” or “dyoos.” and both pronunciations are accepted in English. In short, Deuce = 40–40. The win-by-two rule kicks in and the next two points decide the game.
Where Does the Word ‘Deuce’ Come From?
The word ‘ deuce ‘ is commonly linked to the French word ‘deux,’ which means ‘two’ and this connection makes sense because in standard tennis scoring, a player must win two consecutive points after reaching deuce to win the game.
Tennis has strong historical connections to France also many tennis terms reflect its French roots. An interesting fact is that at the French Open, also known as Roland-Garros and the umpire uses the French word ‘égalité’ instead of “deuce.”
The word ‘égalité’ means ‘equality’ and describes the tied score of 40–40 and this gives the game a local touch while keeping the scoring rules familiar to international players.
Another proposed connection is the Latin word ‘duos’ meaning ‘two’, Although the exact historical development of the term is not entirely certain and its association with the number two fits the scoring concept.
To understand how this term fits into the game, explore the basic tennis rules and learn how players move from deuce to advantage.
What Happens After Deuce in Tennis?
When the score reaches 40–40 the game enters deuce and a player must win two consecutive points to win the game. Here is how the process works.
Step 1: The Score Reaches Deuce
Both players have won three points, making the score 40–40 and the umpire calls ‘Deuce’ in a formal match or the server announces it during recreational play.
Step 2: A Player Gains Advantage
The next point determines who gets the advantage and If the server wins the score is called ‘Advantage server’ or ‘Ad-in’. If the receiver wins the call is ‘Advantage receiver’ or ‘Ad-out’. The player with the advantage is one point away from winning the game.
Step 3: The Player Wins the Game
If the player with the advantage wins the next point they win the game. For example if the server wins the point at deuce and then wins the following point and the server takes the game.
Step 4: The Score Returns to Deuce
If the player with the advantage loses the next point the score returns to ‘Deuce’ and this cycle can repeat without a limit until one player wins two consecutive points.
Understanding this process makes the tennis scoring rules much easier to follow and once you know how advantage works you can track even a long game with repeated deuces.
Ad-In and Ad-Out — What Do They Mean?
Many tennis beginners confuse ad-in and ad-out because both terms describe the score after deuce and the difference is simple also it depends on who wins the point after the score reaches 40–40.
Ad-in means ‘advantage server ‘: when the server wins the point after deuce and they gain the advantage. If the server wins the next point they win the game and If they lose it the score returns to deuce.
Ad-out means ‘advantage receiver ‘. When the receiver wins the point after deuce and they gain the advantage. If the receiver wins the next point they win the game. If they lose it the score returns to deuce.
|
Who Won the Point After Deuce |
Score Called |
What It Means |
|
Server |
Ad-in (Advantage server) |
The server is one point away from winning the game. |
|
Receiver |
Ad-out (Advantage receiver) |
The receiver is one point away from winning the game. |
Memory trick: Think of ‘in’ as the server staying in control and ‘out’ as the advantage moving away from the server to the receiver.
The Deuce Court — Why Is It Called That?
In tennis the ‘deuce court’ is the right half of the court when viewed from the server’s perspective, standing at the baseline and the left half is called the ‘ad court’. These names are connected to the tennis scoring system and help players understand where to serve during a game.
At the start of every game, the server plays the first point from the deuce court on the right. After that the server alternates sides with each point. The second point comes from the ad court on the left, the third from the deuce court and so on.
When the score reaches deuce at 40–40, the server serves from the right side again. This is because the players have won an equal number of points and the next point is played from the deuce court.
If the score moves to advantage, the next serve comes from the left side, known as the ad court. A simple way to remember it: ‘Standing at the baseline and facing the net the right half is the deuce court and the left half is the ad court.
How Many Times Can Deuce Happen in One Game?
There is no limit to how many times deuce can happen in a tennis game also if players keep winning and losing the advantage point the score can return to deuce again and again.
In theory this can continue indefinitely until one player wins two consecutive points.
One remarkable example occurred in 1975 when Keith Glass and Anthony Fawcett played a game that reached ’37 deuces’ during the Surrey Championships in Surbiton, England and Glass later recalled the record-setting game in ‘The Guardian’.
In recreational tennis, players sometimes agree to use ‘sudden-death scoring’, where one deciding point determines the winner at 40–40. This can save time but it should only be used when all players agree in informal play. For standard scoring, follow the usual tennis rules.
No-Ad Scoring — When Deuce Does Not Apply
Some tennis formats use no-ad scoring, also called no-advantage scoring, to make matches faster and under standard tennis rules a game can continue beyond 40–40 until one player wins two consecutive points.
With no-ad scoring, the rules change when the score reaches 40–40: the next point decides the game immediately. In this format, the receiver chooses which side of the court the server must serve from for the deciding point and this gives the receiver an important choice at a crucial moment in the game.
No-ad scoring is used in formats such as NCAA college tennis and some professional doubles competitions and it is also a feature of Fast4 tennis a shorter format designed to make matches quicker. Some recreational leagues use it to keep matches within a set time.
The main reason for no-ad scoring is to reduce long games and make match schedules easier to manage and this can be especially helpful in team competitions and tournaments with many matches.
However, standard scoring remains common in traditional tennis matches.
Deuce in Different Tennis Formats at a Glance
|
Format |
Deuce Rule |
What Happens at 40–40 |
|
Standard professional tennis |
Advantage scoring |
Players continue until one wins two consecutive points. |
|
Grand Slam finals |
Advantage scoring |
The game continues beyond 40–40 until a player wins two points in a row. |
|
Doubles (ATP/WTA) |
Depends on the event and format |
Some events use a deciding point instead of advantage scoring. |
|
NCAA college tennis |
No-ad scoring is standard |
One deciding point determines the game; the receiver chooses the side. |
|
Fast4 tennis |
No-ad scoring |
One deciding point determines the game. |
|
Recreational (no-ad agreement) |
Depends on players’ agreement |
One deciding point may be used to save time. |
Deuce Quick Reference
- Deuce: The score is 40–40, with both players having won three points.
- When it is called: When both players reach 40 points in a game.
- Advantage: The player wins the point immediately after deuce and moves one point away from winning the game.
- Ad-in: Advantage for the server.
- Ad-out: Advantage for the receiver.
- Deuce limit: There is no limit; it can happen repeatedly.
- No-ad scoring: One deciding point determines the game at 40–40.
- Égalité: The French word for equality used to describe a tied score in tennis.
Conclusion
Now that deuce makes sense, following a tennis match becomes much easier, and you can understand why players need two consecutive points to win a game and how a single point can change the score.
Want to understand what happens throughout an entire match? Explore our guide to the tennis scoring system to learn how points, games, and sets work together.
You can also check out our tennis court layout guide to discover how the deuce court connects to the scoring system.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if during a tennis match players forget the score?
All tennis players can discuss the points they remember and agree on the last confirmed score and in competitive matches, an umpire or official can help resolve disagreements.
What is no-ad scoring in tennis?
Tennis No-ad scoring means one deciding point determines the game at 40–40 and the receiver chooses which side the server serves from for that point.
What is a tiebreak in a tennis match?
A tennis match tiebreak replaces a deciding set in some formats and players usually play to 10 points also the winner must lead by at least two points.
What is tennis scoring different in singles and doubles?
The basic tennis scoring system is similar but some doubles competitions use no-ad scoring or a match tiebreak and rules depend on the tournament format.
Can a tennis set continue beyond 6–6?
Yes. Some formats use a tiebreak at 6–6, while others may require players to continue until one leads by two games.
