Tennis · Rules explained
Tennis tiebreak rules: how the 7-point tiebreak works
A tennis tiebreak is played when a set reaches 6-6. Points are counted 1, 2, 3, the first player to 7 points with a 2-point lead wins it, and the winner takes the set 7-6. There is no cap, so a tiebreak at 6-6 in points carries on until someone is 2 ahead.
When is a tiebreak played?
In a standard tiebreak set, the tiebreak is played when the games reach 6-6. It takes the place of a 13th game, and whoever wins it wins the set 7-6. Other tiebreaks follow the same idea at different moments: a 10-point match tiebreak can replace a whole deciding set, the Grand Slams play a 10-point tiebreak at 6-6 in the final set, and FAST4 plays a short tiebreak at 3-3.
How do you score a 7-point tiebreak?
- Points are counted 1, 2, 3, not 15, 30, 40.
- The first player to 7 points with a 2-point lead wins: 7-3 or 7-5 ends it.
- There is no cap. Once both players reach 6, play goes on until someone leads by 2: 8-6, 9-7, 12-10.
- Every point goes to whoever wins the rally, whoever served. A point won on the other player's serve is called a mini-break.
A tiebreak point by point
In this tiebreak the Us side is due to serve at 6-6 in games. It reaches 6-6 in points as well, so 7-6 is not enough: someone has to get 2 points ahead.
| Point | Won by | Game score | Games (sets) | Serving next | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Us | 1–0 | 6–6 | Them | Us serve point 1: they were due to serve the 13th game. |
| 2 | Them | 1–1 | 6–6 | Them | Them serve points 2 and 3. |
| 3 | Them | 1–2 | 6–6 | Us | |
| 4 | Us | 2–2 | 6–6 | Us | Us serve points 4 and 5. |
| 5 | Us | 3–2 | 6–6 | Them | |
| 6 | Them | 3–3 | 6–6 | Them | 3-3 after 6 points: change ends. |
| 7 | Them | 3–4 | 6–6 | Us | |
| 8 | Us | 4–4 | 6–6 | Us | |
| 9 | Them | 4–5 | 6–6 | Them | Them win a point on Our serve (a mini-break). |
| 10 | Us | 5–5 | 6–6 | Them | Us win one straight back on Their serve. |
| 11 | Us | 6–5 | 6–6 | Us | 6-5: set point for Us. |
| 12 | Them | 6–6 | 6–6 | Us | 6-6 after 12 points: change ends again. Now someone has to lead by 2. |
| 13 | Them | 6–7 | 6–6 | Them | 6-7: set point for Them. |
| 14 | Us | 7–7 | 6–6 | Them | Us save it with a point on Their serve. |
| 15 | Us | 8–7 | 6–6 | Us | 8-7: set point for Us. |
| 16 | Us | Set to Us | 0–0 · 7–6 | Them | 9-7: tiebreak and set to Us, recorded as 7-6. Them serve first in the next set. |
Scored point by point by the same scoring rules the app uses.
How is a tiebreak written in the score?
The tiebreak counts as one game, so the set goes down as 7-6 whatever the tiebreak score. Results often add the loser's tiebreak points in brackets: 7-6(5) means the tiebreak finished 7-5, and the example above, won 9-7, would be written 7-6(7). Any bracketed number of 6 or more means the tiebreak went past 6-6: 7-6(6) is a tiebreak won 8-6.
Who serves in a tiebreak, and when do you change ends?
In short: the player due to serve serves point 1, then each player serves 2 points in turn, and the players change ends after every 6 points. A 7-6 set has 13 games, an odd number, so the players change ends again before the next set, and the player who received first in the tiebreak serves the first game of that set. The tiebreak serve order helper goes through it point by point, including doubles and which court each point is served from.
The USTA's Coman procedure, used in USTA League play, moves the changes of ends: players switch after the first point and then every 4 points (after points 1, 5, 9, 13 and so on). The scoring and the serve order stay the same.
How the app handles it
By default, the app plays a 7-point tiebreak, win by 2, at 6-6 in every set, including the final set (4-4 with 4-game sets; a super tiebreak can replace the final set), and records the set as 7-6. A Tiebreak label shows while it is on, and the serve indicator follows 1 point, then 2 points each. After the tiebreak, the side that received first serves the first game of the next set.
It does not show which court to serve from, does not remind you to change ends (standard or Coman), and does not keep the tiebreak points in the set score, so a set reads 7-6 rather than 7-6(5).
Questions
Is a tiebreak first to 7 or 10?
A set tiebreak is first to 7, win by 2. First to 10 is the match tiebreak played instead of a deciding set, or the Grand Slam final-set tiebreak at 6-6.
Can a tiebreak end 7-6?
No. A tiebreak needs a 2-point lead, so 7-6 in points means play goes on, to 8-6 or 7-7. The 7-6 you see in results is the set score, in games, after a tiebreak.
Is a tiebreak counted as a game?
Yes, as one game. However many points it takes, it adds one game to the winner's total, which is why the set ends 7-6 and why the tiebreak counts as the 13th game when working out ends and who serves next.
Last reviewed September 25, 2026
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