In tennis, what is the break point?

Question

I kind of understand that it's when the server has a bad serve and the reciever get's a point? Could you please explain it in lamen's terms. I'm watching wimbleton right now...also, what happens when the server hits the ball out of bounds. Vannessa Williams has been doing that a lot in the game I'm watching, but it's not counting against her.

Answer 1

when you win a game that you were not serving for. for example, i'm playing you, you are serving in a game, but i win that game i've broken your serve. the break point is the last point where you officially 'break' their serve.

when the server hits the ball out of bounds, they get a second serve, after that, they lose a point. (first and second serve)

Answer 2

break point is when returner has a chance to win the game. When server hits it out it is a fault. 2 faults gives the other person the point. By the way it is VENUS Williams.

Answer 3

A break point happens when the person that is serving falls behind in their serve at these stages in that particular game eg. 0-40, 15-40, 30-40 or deuce-advantage

The first scores in every service game represents the server's points. Therefore in the above example, the 0; 15; 30; and deuce points, represents the server's points. The second points, e.g. (40; advantage) represents the opponents points.

Always remember that whenever you see someone serving, in that game, their points will always come first. So if you see the server fall behind 0-40, 15-40, 30-40 or deuce-advantage on their own service games, this gives a BREAK POINT  to their opponent.

A break point means that if the opponent was to win the next point, then the opponent wins that game by "breaking" their opponent's serve.

Here's another example: lets say you are watching a match between Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova and they are both tied at 3-3 in the first set. Venus then serves but gets broken. This means that Sharapova will now lead by 3-4 and have to serve next. If Sharapova holds her serve, she then leads by 3-5.

Okay it's not Vanessa Williams. It's Venus Williams! LOL Secondly when Venus hits the serve and it falls

#1 out of bounds or,

#2 into the net and the ball does not come over the net or,

#3 if the ball comes over and falls out of the service box,

we call this a FAULT or HOLD! She does not loses the point at this stage because that's her FIRST SERVE. She will then have to serve a second serve. If she was to make any of the above 3 mistakes while serving on her second serve then its call a DOUBLE FAULT. This is where she loses the point.

You should also remember this when trying to understand when exactly a double fault occurs. Sometimes you will see the server serving and the ball hits the net but comes over the net, and lands inside the service box of the opponent's court. This is known simply as a FIRST SERVE which means the server gets another opportunity to serve their FIRST SERVE again. If however the ball had hit the net and fall outside of the service box on the opponent's side of the court, then this will be a FAULT and the server will then have to serve a SECOND SERVE. Should the server make another mistake on their second serve, then a double fault occurs.

Always remember this: when you are watching tennis, every time you hear the umpire says "first serve", it simply means that the server gets another chance to serve over their FIRST SERVE. It does not indicate a double fault or that a double fault might occur if the opponent misses on the next serve.