Tennis Scoring Formats: No-Ad, Fast4, Short Sets and Pro Sets
Standard tennis is best of three six-game sets with a tiebreak at 6–6, but most club, league and doubles matches use a shorter format. No-Ad replaces deuce with one deciding point. Short sets go to four games with a tiebreak at 4–4. Fast4 combines four-game sets, a tiebreak at 3–3 and a deciding point. A pro set is one long set to eight or nine games. A match tiebreak to 10 points replaces the third set. No-Ad, short sets and the match tiebreak are official alternatives in Appendix VI of the ITF Rules of Tennis.
Last reviewed: October 28, 2026.
All formats at a glance
| Format | Games | At deuce | Tiebreak | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Best of 3 sets to 6 | Advantage | At 6–6, to 7 | Tournaments, tour events |
| 2 sets + match tiebreak | Two sets to 6 | Advantage or No-Ad | At 6–6; 10-point match tiebreak at one set all | Leagues, doubles, seniors |
| No-Ad | Any set length | One deciding point | As the set format says | College, leagues, doubles |
| Short sets | Sets to 4 | Advantage or No-Ad | At 4–4 (or 3–3 if the organizer says so) | Juniors, club events, quick matches |
| Fast4 | Sets to 4 | Deciding point | At 3–3 | Social and exhibition play |
| Pro set | One set to 8 (or 9) | Advantage or No-Ad | Usually at 8–8 (or 9–9) | Round robins, ladders, US leagues |
| Match tiebreak only | None | — | One tiebreak to 10, win by 2 | Play-offs when time runs out |
No-Ad scoring (deciding point)
In a No-Ad game the points are still 15, 30, 40, but at deuce a single deciding point is played and whoever wins it wins the game. A game can therefore never last more than seven points.
Appendix VI of the ITF rules adds the details: the receiver chooses whether to receive from the right or left half of the court; in doubles the receiving team cannot swap positions for that point; and in mixed doubles the player of the same gender as the server receives it.
- 40–40: deuce. No advantage is played.
- The receiver (or receiving team) chooses the side.
- One point is played. The winner takes the game.
Padel's golden point is the same idea. Padel's 2026 Star Point is a middle way: two advantages are allowed before a deciding point. See golden point vs Star Point.
Two sets and a 10-point match tiebreak
This is the most common amateur format. Two normal sets are played; if each side wins one, a match tiebreak to 10 points, won by two, decides the match instead of a third set. It keeps the drama of a deciding set but caps its length, which is why leagues, doubles events and senior draws use it.
The tiebreak rules guide covers serving and changing ends in detail.
Short sets
In short sets (ITF Appendix VI) the first player to win four games with a two-game lead wins the set. At 4–4 a tiebreak is played; the sanctioning body may instead start it at 3–3. When short sets are used, the organizer may also use a 5-point short-set tiebreak, with a deciding point at 4–4.
Short sets are typically played best of three, often with a match tiebreak as the third.
Fast4 tennis
Fast4 is a branded short format created by Tennis Australia. Its core is the same everywhere: sets to four games, a tiebreak at 3–3 and a deciding point at deuce. The details vary by country.
Tennis Australia's original version also plays no lets on serve and uses a short tiebreak to five points with a deciding point at 4–4. The LTA version used in Britain plays lets and a normal tiebreak to seven. Check the event's rules before you start.
| Rule | Tennis Australia Fast4 | LTA Fast4 |
|---|---|---|
| Set length | First to 4 games | First to 4 games |
| Deuce | Deciding point | Deciding point |
| Tiebreak | At 3–3, first to 5, deciding point at 4–4 | At 3–3, first to 7, win by 2 |
| Service let | No lets: a net serve that lands in is in play | Lets played |
Pro sets (8 or 9 games)
A pro set is a single long set: the first to eight games with a two-game lead wins, with a tiebreak usually at 8–8. Nine-game pro sets work the same way with a tiebreak at 9–9. Pro sets are not one of the ITF's listed alternatives; they are a common organizer's format for round robins, ladders and US league play, so the event decides the details.
The No-Let rule
Under the No-Let alternative (ITF Appendix VI) a serve that touches the net and lands in the correct box is in play instead of being replayed. In doubles played with short sets, No-Ad and No-Let together, the organizer may allow either receiver to return a net serve.
Which format should you play?
Pick the format that fits your court time and agree it before the first point. As a rough guide:
- About an hour: short sets, Fast4, or one pro set.
- About 90 minutes: two sets with No-Ad and a match tiebreak.
- Two hours or more: best of three with a match tiebreak, or a full standard match.
- Round robin or ladder night: one pro set or one short set per match, so every pairing finishes.
Our free tennis scoreboard has presets for the standard format, 2 sets + match tiebreak, one set, an 8-game pro set and a match tiebreak only, with No-Ad as an option.
Best of 3 sets
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Formats in the Racketlovers app
When you set up a tennis match in the app you can choose: best of 3 sets, best of 3 + match tiebreak, No-Ad + match tiebreak, No-Ad, short sets (first to 4, tiebreak at 4–4, match tiebreak to 10), 1 set, match tiebreak only and a 9-game pro set. Padel adds Fast4 padel, short sets and timed matches.
Everyone sees the same format, your opponent confirms the score at each changeover, and family and friends follow the match live in the free app from the link you share.
Frequently asked questions
What is No-Ad scoring in tennis?
At 40–40 one deciding point is played instead of advantage. The receiver chooses which side to receive from, and whoever wins the point wins the game.
What are the Fast4 tennis rules?
Sets go to four games, a tiebreak is played at 3–3 and a deciding point is played at deuce. Tennis Australia's version also plays no lets and a 5-point tiebreak; the LTA version plays lets and a 7-point tiebreak.
What is an 8-game pro set?
One set played to eight games with a two-game lead, usually with a tiebreak at 8–8. It is a common single-set format for round robins and leagues.
What is ad scoring in tennis?
Traditional scoring: from deuce, a player must win two points in a row, first advantage and then the game. It is the opposite of No-Ad.
What are short sets in tennis?
Sets to four games with a two-game lead and a tiebreak at 4–4 (or 3–3 if the organizer chooses). They are an official ITF alternative.
Is a match tiebreak the same as a third set?
It replaces the third set. At one set all, a single tiebreak to 10 points, won by two, decides the match.