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The Complete Handbook of Tennis
The essential reference for professionals, coaches, club operators, and serious players who need to understand the sport, select equipment, and build a sustainable business or practice around it.
by Alumigogo Books
Chapter 1: Understanding Tennis
What Tennis Is
Tennis is a sport played on a rectangular court, between two players (singles) or four players in two teams (doubles), using rackets and a ball. One player (the server) puts the ball in play by striking it into a diagonally opposite service box. The opposing player or players return the ball across a net that divides the court. The ball must land within the court boundaries; if it does not, if a player fails to return it before a second bounce, or if a player touches the net or the ball with their body, the server wins the point. Players alternate serving every two games. The first player to win at least four points, with a margin of at least two points, wins a game. The first player to win at least six games, with a margin of at least two games, wins a set. Most matches are best-of-three sets (first to win two sets) or best-of-five sets (first to win three), depending on the level of play and tournament format.
The sport is governed by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), which publishes the official rules and enforces equipment standards. These rules and standards are not arbitrary—they exist because tennis has a 150-year competitive history, and every element of the game, from court dimensions to racket specifications, has been refined through play, dispute, and deliberate regulation to maintain fairness and consistency across courts, regions, and generations of players.
Why Equipment and Court Standards