Angela Okutoyi during a previous tennis match/ FILE
With the Davis Cup Africa Group IV tournament underway at the Nairobi Club, Kenya's top tennis players are battling for promotion and continental glory. But how exactly is tennis played, and what makes its scoring system unique?
Tennis is a racket sport played between two players (singles) or two teams of two players (doubles). The objective is simple: hit the ball over the net and into the opponent's court in a way that prevents them from making a legal return. Matches are played on a rectangular court divided by a net.
The sport can be played on grass, clay or hard courts, with each surface producing a different style of play. Grass favours fast, attacking tennis, clay rewards patience and endurance, while hard courts offer a balance between the two.
Every point begins with a serve into the opponent's service box. Players then exchange shots until one commits an error. A point is won when an opponent hits the ball out, fails to clear the net, allows the ball to bounce twice, or cannot return the shot. Tennis uses a distinctive scoring system. Points build into games, games into sets and sets into matches.
To win a game, a player must score four points and lead by at least two. Scores progress from love (zero) to 15, 30 and 40. If both players reach 40, the score becomes deuce. A player must then win two consecutive points to claim the game. The first point after deuce earns an advantage, while the next point wins the game.
The first player to reach six games with a two-game advantage wins the set. If the score reaches 6-6, a tiebreak is usually played, with players racing to seven points while maintaining a two-point lead. Most matches are played over the best of three sets, meaning the first player to win two sets is victorious. Some major competitions use a best-of-five format.
The sport traces its origins to a medieval game played in France, while modern lawn tennis was developed in 1873. Today, tennis is governed globally by the International Tennis Federation, which oversees competitions including the Davis Cup, Billie Jean King Cup and Olympic tennis.
In Kenya, the sport is administered by Tennis Kenya. As the Davis Cup action continues in Nairobi, fans have a chance to witness the skills, tactics and mental strength that make tennis one of the world's most captivating sports.
