In tennis, what is a tie-break?
VerifiedAnswer: A special game played to decide a set when the score reaches 6-6.
Explanation:
A tie-break is a crucial deciding game in tennis that comes into play when both players reach 6 games each in a set. Instead of continuing the regular game format, this special scoring system helps determine the winner of that set without prolonging the match indefinitely.
In a standard tie-break, the first player to reach 7 points wins, but they must win by at least 2 points. This means if the score reaches 6-6 in the tie-break, play continues until one player has a 2-point advantage. The scoring follows a simple numerical system: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, rather than the traditional tennis scoring of 15, 30, 40.
The serving pattern in a tie-break is unique. The player whose turn it is to serve starts the tie-break with one serve from the right side. After that, players alternate serving two points each, switching sides of the court after every 6 points. This ensures fairness since serving and court position can provide advantages in tennis.
Tie-breaks were introduced to professional tennis in the late 1960s and early 1970s to prevent matches from going on too long. Before tie-breaks, players had to win a set by winning at least 6 games and leading by 2 games, which could theoretically continue forever. The tie-break system helps maintain reasonable match durations while still requiring skill and mental toughness to win.
Most professional tournaments use tie-breaks in every set except the final set, where traditional scoring may continue until one player leads by two games. However, some tournaments now use tie-breaks even in final sets, or special formats like first-to-10-points tie-breaks in deciding sets to manage match length effectively.
