• Tennis is a popular sport with specific rules standard to the sport.tennis player image by Snezana Skundric from Fotolia.com
  
  Tennis is an old-fashioned game that is played recreational and professionally by many around the world. There are many rules that are standard to the game despite the level of play. Basic rules pertain to scoring of a match, equipment, serving and different penalties that can be issued during a match.
  
  

Equipment

• Tennis rackets can slightly vary in length depending on the height of the player. The regular sized racket measures 32 inches long and 11 1/2 inches wide. Standard tennis balls are of a yellow color and in some instances a white color. Players also have the option to use vibration dampening devices on their rackets.
  
  

The Court

• A standard tennis court should measure 78 feet long from end line to end line. The net in the middle of the court should measure 3 feet in height. A game can either be a singles or a doubles match. In a singles match, the court measures 27 feet wide. In a doubles match, the court measures 38 feet wide. Court material varies among asphalt, concrete, clay, grass and sometimes materials such as wood or other synthetic materials.
  
  

Scoring

• Tennis matches usually consist of either a best of three sets or a best of five sets. A standard set consists of the first player to reach six games. In the event of a tie at six games, players will play a tiebreaker, where players alternate services and sides until one wins seven points and by at least two points. A game follows the scoring system of 0 or "love," 15, 30, and 40 points. If a player has 40 points and wins the next point, he wins that game unless the players become tied at 40 points, called "deuce." When either player wins the next point following deuce, it becomes their "advantage." If they win the next point, they win that game. However, if they lose, then the score goes back to deuce and the same scoring procedure follows.
  
  

Serving

• Players alternate services. A player has two attempts to get his serve into the service box, diagonally across from where they are serving from. A serve that either does not make it over the net or into the box is a "fault." If this occurs two times in a row, it is known as a "double fault" and the receiver wins the point. If the ball clips the net and lands in the service box, it is known as a "let" and the serve attempt is retried. During a serve, the player may not hit the ball twice or step on the baseline during the serve, otherwise this is considered a fault.
  
  

Penalties

• Penalties in a tennis match include touching the net or the opponents' side of the court with the racket or body part; carrying the ball or catching it in the racket; hitting the ball two or more times before it crosses the net; and throwing the racket.