Guides / Choosing a match format
Explainer
Choosing a match format
Most matches are best of 3 sets, but school, league and junior events often play shorter formats to fit a day of matches.
Pick the format before the first point, and RallyTap keeps score by its rules.
The formats
Best of 3
First to win two sets. Sets go to 6 games, with a tiebreak at 6-6.
Most adult league and tournament matches.
Match TB
Two sets as usual. At one set all, a 10-point tiebreak decides the match in place of a third set.
Common in league and school matches.
Pro set
One set to 8 games, with a tiebreak at 8-8.
One longer set when time is short.
Short sets
Sets to 4 games, with a tiebreak at 4-4. At one set all, a 10-point tiebreak decides it.
Junior events, and days with few courts.
One set
One set to 6 games, with a tiebreak at 6-6.
Round robins and practice matches.
Best of 5
First to win three sets.
Grand Slam men’s singles.
Orange ball
One set to 4 games. At 3-3, one deciding game, played no-ad.
Young players on the orange-ball court. Events vary, so check the draw sheet.
Tiebreaks
A set tiebreak goes to 7 points and a match tiebreak to 10, or to 7 if you set it that way under Customize. Either way it’s won by two. The player due to serve next serves the first point, then each player serves two points in turn.
A tiebreak counts as one game, so a set to 6 won in a tiebreak ends 7-6. RallyTap writes it 7-6(4), where (4) is the loser’s tiebreak points, and writes a match tiebreak in brackets, like [10-7].
No-ad
At 40-40 there’s no advantage: the next point wins the game, and the receiver picks which side to receive on. RallyTap shows Decide on the scoreboard.
In the stats, that point is a game point for both players, and it’s counted apart from the deuce and ad courts.
When no preset fits
Open Customize in the format sheet and set:
- Sets: 1, 3 or 5.
- Games per set: 4, 6 or 8.
- TB at: at games all, a game earlier for sets to 4 or 8, or never, for advantage sets.
- Final set: played in full, or replaced by a 10- or 7-point tiebreak.
Not sure which one?
Ask the coach or the tournament desk before the first point. The draw sheet usually says.
Try it at your next match.
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