A few people have asked the great question recently, “What’s going on when they are playing a tiebreak? It doesn’t make sense to me.” Here’s what happens: when two players are tied at 6-6, the set is usually determined by one more game called a “seven point tiebreak.” You count the points using ordinary numbering.
The set is won by the player who scores at least seven points during the tiebreak but also has two points more than the opponent. For example, if the score is 6-5 and the player with 6 points wins the following point, that player wins the tiebreak as well as the set. If the player with 5 points wins the next point, the tiebreak continues. It cannot be won on the next point because no player will be two points ahead. Since only one more game is played to win the set, the score is always 7-6 (or 6-7). Sometimes tiebreak points are also included, for example 7-6 (7-4). Another way to list the score of the tiebreak is to list only the loser’s points.
The player that would normally serve after 6-6 serves first in the tiebreak which is considered a service game for this player. The server begins service from the deuce court and serves one point. After the first point, the serve goes to the opponent. Each player then serves two consecutive points throughout the rest of the tiebreak.
