In tennis, does anybody know why the scoring goes 15 to 30 to 40 etc? | Notes and Queries (2024)

In tennis, does anybody know why the scoring goes 15 to 30 to 40 etc?

Rhys, London UK

• The usual explanation is that it is based on the quarter-hours of a clock-face, with 45 amended to 40. Seems a bit far-fetched though: 15 is still in there, unchanged to 10 (or 20).

  Gareth, Llangwyllog Wales

  See Also

  Tennis Scoring: Points, Sets & Games | Tennis Rules | USTARules of Tennis | Wanless Park TennisMeaning of Love in Tennis | Love in Tennis | Love Scoring | Tennis Love | Play Tennis | CT | Connecticut | Stamford | New Haven | Hartford | Covid Tennis | Tennis Blog | Tennis LessonsTennis scoring explained

• Tennis scores were shown in the middle ages on two clock faces which went from 0 to 60. On each score the pointer moved round a quarter from 0 to 15, 30, 45 and a win on 60. Somehow the forty five got truncated to forty when the clock faces dropped out of use. Zero was shown as an oval - an egg shape - 'l'oeuf' in French, giving us 'love' for no points. 'Tennis' probably derives from French 'Tenez!'

  doug gowan, hornsey uk

• It follows the clock, I suppose it used to be 45 instead of 40 but it took too long to say

  Guy, Madrid

• The scoring was originally done using a clock face - hence 0, 15, 30, 45. But 45 was too long to say so it was changed to 40.

  Benjy Arnold, London UK

  See Also

  Tennis Explained: Learn The Game | ATP Tour | Tennis

• It comes from the four quarters of a clock face. "40" was originally "45", but the "5" was dropped over time; presumably three syllables spoilt the rhythm.

  Joe Myall, Kurume Japan

• Although the answers given are remarkably similar from differing portions of the globe - I find it difficult to accept.Why would anyone keep score of a sport by looking at a clock face? -and how does "love" applyfor a zero score?

  Bill Spicer, Montreal Canada

• Bill, since you posted it as a matter of interest, here is the answer to your query. The reason the word love is used to represent zero, is that the circle of the 0 is compared to an egg, hence the french oeuf, corrupted eventually into love.

  M. Burgess, Shrewsbury England

• The illogicality of tennis scoring would be alleviated considerably if deuce was declared at 30-30 rather than 40-40. Both scores require one player to win two successive points to win the game. If deuce was declared at 30-30, and the scorelines we now know as 30-40 and 40-30 were called, respectively, advantage out and advantage in, it would make most matches look more closely fought yet make no difference to their duration or outcome. I think I deserve life membership of the All-England club for pointing this out, or at least a couple of Wimbledon centre court tickets.

  simon collins, New York City USA