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by AB-Joel on July 22nd, 2003

AB-Joel

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Where did the crazy 15/30/40 tennis scoring system come from?

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  • by apple24 on January 17th, 2007

    apple24

    In the fifteenth century in Old French une journee meant "a sport match", as well as "a day", and the scoring system was based on the number of hours in a day, and the number of minutes in an hour. Each match consisted of 24 games, which in turn consisted of four winning rallies worth 15 points each. However, it was soon realized that when both sides were at 45 points each, it would be necessary to win two rallies as otherwise the game might be decided on luck. But the total would exceed 60 points and therefore also the number of minutes in an hour, so the score was changed to 40-all with 10 points being given for each winning rally. If there was a tie at 50 points all, the score would go back to 40-all. The game could only be won by winning two rallies in a row. It was the same with the game score. At 23 games all, it was necessary to win two games in a row, or the score would be lowered to 22-all. As matches became too long, the number of games played was lowered to 12 and later to 6.

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    • This answer for the use of 40 rather than 45 for the third score seems more logical than 45 being 'abbreviated' to 40!

      Anonymous

      by Anonymous on January 28th, 2008

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