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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 mzkhadir on August 12th, 2003

    mzkhadir

    What is the origin of the scoring system in tennis: love, 15, 30, 40?

    The rules of the new game of lawn tennis were drawn up by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 1875. Scoring derived from real, or royal, tennis, which had its origins in medieval cathedral cloisters. The name comes from the French habit of calling out tenez! (take this!) before serving. In real tennis, each exchange was worth 15 points, the score of 40 being an abbreviation for 45. Deuce is a corruption of a deux (meaning two consecutive exchanges needed to win). Love is either a corruption of l'oeuf (an egg) or playing not seriously but for the love of the game.

    Comments

    • and here I was thinking tennis was a sport of english origin...

      wickedwillie

      by wickedwillie on January 23rd, 2004

    • I have been trying to find out why 45 was changed to 40... thx

      Lisa Lyman

      by Lisa Lyman on May 5th, 2004

    • That helps- now give me the rest of the scoring

      Susan Neff

      by Susan Neff on August 11th, 2005

    • Thank you! Question answered....

      JoHose

      by JoHose on June 28th, 2006

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