What is a Deuce in Tennis?

Last updated on July 19th, 2022 at 01:49 pm

Basketball and football have overtime, soccer has extra time, and tennis has a deuce. On an ATP tennis court, a deuce is another form of a tiebreaker. But, instead of the tiebreaker seen at the end of a set, this tiebreaker occurs during a single game.

For a player to win a singles match, they need to win multiple sets. For a player to win a set, they need to win six individual games within that set. The goal of a deuce is to help determine the outcome of a single game in the case of two equally competitive players.

Below, we will go into more detail about the dynamics of a deuce in tennis and more.

Table of Contents

What is the Origin of the Phrase Deuce?

The origin story for the term “deuce” dates back to the old French word Deux de Jeux which means two. This origin holds validity, as, within the tennis scoring rules, deuce implies that a player will need to score two consecutive points to win. Also, historians believe that tennis evolved from a French game called Jeu de Paume. A game that started in France almost 250 years ago and began without any racquets. Providing more emphasis on the words’ French roots.

The unique thing is that even though the game of tennis and the word deuce have French origins, the term “deuce” in the French Open, a tournament played in France, is not used. Instead, in the case of what commonly would be called a deuce, an umpire will call “égalité, “which means equality during the French Open.

What is an example of a Deuce in Tennis?

The scoring system in tennis works accordingly; one point is 15, then 30, then 40. When a player reaches three points (40), the following point they score will win them the game. Where a deuce comes into play is, for example, when both players have 40 points.

If Player A were to score three times, they reach 40, and if Player B were to score one point, they have 15. If Player B continues to fight back to where it’s now a tied score (40-40), the umpire would now call a deuce. A deuce essentially means a tie, and thus a new rule occurs to determine a winner.

In a deuce, the objective for either side is to score two consecutive points, giving either player a chance to win. If Player B scores the first point during the deuce, they would be in the lead and only need one more point to win, but if Player A scores the next point after that, then the deuce starts all over again. Therefore, the deuce will continue until one player scores two successive points.

What is an Advantage Score in Tennis?

Additionally, with the first point scored during a deuce, that player has an advantage score. As per tennis rules, the player with the advantage who is serving has the “ad in” on that play. However, if their opponent is serving against their opponent who has the lead, it is an “ad out” play.

If the opponent can stop their opponent who has the ad advantage from scoring again, the match goes back to a deuce. The deuce process can continue multiple times during a game until there is a winner.

How Many Deuces Are Allowed in a Tennis Game?

There is an unlimited number of deuces within a tennis game. The deuce will continue until the first player reaches two consecutive points. It can often lead to a game of tennis lasting longer.

Doubles matches are currently the only tennis matches that do not have deuces. They operate under a no-ad scoring system, which means they strictly play until one side scores four points. A tied score during a doubles match is a sudden death round as the next point will determine the victor.

Is there a Strategy When Playing Deuce?

The primary strategy in deuce changes depending on who has the ad advantage. For example, if you are playing with the ad advantage, you can play a bit more aggressively on shots since the worst is if you go back to deuce. Playing aggressively on a shot can help you win the game.

However, if you are playing with the ad against, you should play a bit more conservative with your approach. You don’t have any wiggle room to mess up on a shot, so you should play more on defense instead of on offense. When you have the opportunity to take a shot on offense to set the score to deuce, you should, but otherwise, you should play a bit more conservatively because mess-up will cost you the game.

What is the Longest Deuce in a Tennis Match?

On May 26, 1975, the longest deuce took place at the Surrey Grass Court Championship between the players Keith Glass and Anthony Fawcett. Unfortunately, there were no time records on how long the game lasted, but it consisted of 37 deuces.

Conclusion: What is a Deuce in Tennis?

In summary, a deuce in tennis occurs when both players have 40 points. The two tennis players will go into a tie, which means that one of them needs to score two times in a row to break the deuce and win that set. If they cannot win back-to-back times, the deuce goes back to the start, which means that one player must win twice in a row.

Playing a deuce can lead to longer games, thus exhausting players further, but it can show endurance. In addition, it’s one way of differentiating top players from lower-level players. The best tennis players have trained themselves to the point that even if they go through ten deuces, they can still spring into action for the next game, but at the same time, everyone has their limits.

Finally, a deuce competition provides entertainment for the fans as they watch and wait for the player to pull out the final point. It offers exhilarating engagement and can make a championship round exciting to watch. It also adds more time to the match so that you will get your money’s worth!