APTA approves nine-point tiebreak

It’s not tennis, it’s not ping-pong, and its booming.
Article written by John P. Ware for Travel & Leisure — It’s not tennis, it’s not ping-pong, and its booming. Article written by John P. Ware for Travel & Leisure

The tiebreak was to be played at 6-all. The APTA newsletter, Off The Wire, carried the details:

“1. The nine-point tiebreak is played when games reach 6-all.

2. The player whose turn it is to serve the next regular game is the first server. This is always the same player who started serving the set.

3. The team that wins 5 points is the winner of the set. The set is scored 7-6.

4. Each player must serve from the same end of the court in the tiebreak that he or she has served from during the set. (Note that this alters the sequence of serving by the partners on the second serving team.)

For illustration, with the serving team designated as Players A and B, and their opponents as C and D, the service order is as follows:

Points 1 & 2 are served by player A. Player A is always the player who started serving the set.

TEAMS DO NOT CHANGE COURTS

Points 3 & 4 are served by player D (out of normal sequence, but the
player who normally served from that end. )

Points 5 & 6 are served by player B.

Points 7 & 8 are served by player C.

Point 9 is served, if necessary, by player C, if the point score reaches 4-all. For this point only, the receiving team has the choice of receiving in either right or left court.

5. To begin the next set, “Stay for one” after the tiebreak. The team that did not serve first in the tiebreak serves first in the next set. Note that this rule continues to apply no matter how many sets in a match are decided by tiebreak.”

Source: Off The Wire, Vol. 5 No. 2