Set and Match Formats
Also known as: pro set, 8-game pro set, eight-game pro set, short sets, short set tennis, advantage set, best of three sets, best of five sets, tennis match format
Most matches are best of three sets: first to six games, winning by two, with a tiebreak at 6-6. Other approved formats include advantage sets with no tiebreak, short sets to four games, and a deciding match tiebreak instead of a third set. Many US events also use the 8-game pro set.
ITF Rule 6 names two main kinds of set. In an advantage set, the first to six games wins by two, and play goes on until someone leads by two. In the other kind, a tie-break game is played at six games all. An event must announce in advance which method it uses, including how the final set is decided. Under Rule 7, a match is best of three sets or best of five.
Appendix VI lists approved shorter formats. Short sets go to four games, winning by two, with a deciding game at four all. The sanctioning body may instead play it at three all. A match tie-break to seven or ten points, winning by two, can replace the deciding set. A 10-point deciding game can also be played at six all in the last set. All four Grand Slams began using that format in 2022.
The USTA defines a pro set as one set to eight games, winning by two. At eight all, a 7-point tie-break decides it, and the score is written 9-8. A tournament may use a 10-point decider instead if it says so on the entry form. A set decided this way is recorded as 7-6, with the loser's points from the deciding game in brackets, such as 7-6(4).
Tips by skill level
Before you start, agree how many sets you are playing and what happens at 6-6. Check the entry form in tournaments.
Short formats reward fast starts. In short sets and pro sets, an early break counts for more, so be sharp from the first game.
Example
A club ladder plays one 8-game pro set. The players reach 8-8, play a 7-point tie-break that ends 7-5, and record the match as 9-8(5).
Why it matters
League, club and tournament formats vary, and the format changes how you pace a match. Knowing them avoids arguments and tells you when a deciding game is coming.
Common mistakes
- Starting a tiebreak at 6-6 when the event agreed to an advantage set
- Writing a set won 7-6 without the deciding-game points
- Assuming every pro set uses a 7-point decider when the entry form says 10
- Not checking the final-set format before the match begins
Frequently asked questions
What is a pro set in tennis?
A one-set match to eight games, winning by two. Under USTA regulations, a 7-point tie-break is played at 8-8, and the match is recorded as 9-8 with the loser's points in brackets.
What is an advantage set in tennis?
A set with no tiebreak. Under ITF Rule 6, the first to six games must lead by two, and play continues until one side does, for example 8-6 or 10-8.
What are short sets in tennis?
Sets played to four games instead of six, winning by two. ITF Appendix VI plays the deciding game at four games all, or at three all if the sanctioning body chooses.
How do you write a tiebreak score in tennis?
Write the set as 7-6 or 6-7, then put the loser's points from the deciding game in brackets. 7-6(4) means it finished 7-4. A match tie-break in place of a final set is often written 1-0 with its score in brackets.
Sources
- ITF Rules of Tennis 2026 — Rule 6 Score in a Set, Rule 7 Score in a Match, Appendix VI (short sets, match tie-break, final set tie-break)
- USTA Friend at Court 2026 — USTA Regulation I.E (match formats: tiebreaks, recording scores, short sets, pro sets)
- Tennis.com — All Grand Slams to use 10-point tiebreaker in final set (2022)
Related terms
- Tennis ScoringPoints in a tennis game go love (zero), 15, 30, 40, then game, and the server's score is called first. At 40-40, called deuce, a player must win two points in a row to take the game. The first to six games wins the set by two, usually with a tiebreak at 6-6, and matches are best of three or five sets.
- Tiebreak (7-Point)A standard tiebreak decides a set at 6-6, and the first player to seven points wins, as long as they lead by two. The player due to serve takes the first point, then each side serves two points in a row. Players change ends after every six points, and the winner takes the set 7-6.
- Match Tiebreak (10-Point)A match tiebreak (or "super tiebreak") is a first-to-10-points breaker, won by two clear points. It is played instead of a full third set in many doubles and some singles formats.
- No-Ad Scoring (Deciding Point)No-ad scoring replaces deuce and advantage with a single deciding point at 40-40. So the next point played wins the game outright.
- Deuce and AdvantageDeuce is a tied score of 40-40 in a game. From there, a player must win two points in a row: the first for advantage, the second for the game.
Related guides & benchmarks
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