Match point

Chapter 16 Mini Showdown
In tennis games, the scoring method is the most special among all ball games, but after understanding it, it is actually not that complicated. You only need to understand three concepts:
A match, a set, an inning.

First, a game.

As the name suggests, it is the final winning condition. In tennis matches, it is generally a three-set best-of-two system, but the men's competition in the Grand Slam still continues the long-standing historical tradition and maintains the rule of five-set best-of-three. The concept of "a game" is no different from badminton, table tennis, etc.

Second, a set game.

This is a player who is the first to win six games to win a game, for example, "6:3" or "6:4"; if the score is deadlocked to "5:5", then one side must win two consecutive games To be able to win, that is, "7:5" - and then, if both sides fail to complete such a move, and the score further reaches "6:6", the rules are relatively special.

Generally speaking, after "6:6", there will be a "tie-break" duel, that is, the first side to get seven points wins; "In the case of a tie, you must require a two-point margin to win the "tie-break" victory, such as "6:6" or "9:7".

The rules of "tie-break" have different extension possibilities. There are differences in doubles matches, Grand Slam matches, etc., but the basic rules are the same.

Finally, a game - this is also the most special part.

In a game, there are four points in total, but the scoring rule is not "1, 2, 3, 4" in Arabic numerals, but "15, 30, 40, win".

In simple terms, if the server wins his first point, then it is "15:0"; if the server continues to win the second point, then it is "30:0"; points, the score will be recorded as "30:15", and so on.

If both sides win three points, forming a "40:40", which is also known as "deuce (Deuce)", then either side wants to win the game, must win two points in a row.Among them, after a tie, either side wins another point, which is called "preemption"; only two points in a row can "win (game)".

Therefore, in a fierce game, it may take more than ten minutes to decide the outcome of a game. The two sides are constantly going back and forth between "taking the lead" and "dealing", and no one can win two points in a row.

Volleyball and badminton in the 80s also have similar rules. If you win a ball first, you only win the right to serve. After you get the right to serve, you must win another ball in a row before you can count as winning a point; otherwise, you lose after getting the right to serve. If you lose the next point, this is tantamount to losing the right to serve.

There is no doubt that the scoring rules of each game in tennis are very, very special, so what is going on?
Tennis first originated in France in the [-]th century, and the scoring rules came from the [-]th century, referring to the astronomical sextant. The sextant is the same as a sixth of a circle, with a total of [-] degrees. Each degree is divided into sixty points, so at that time tennis games were scored according to the "sixty points" scale——

Four points per game, "fifteen degrees" per point, every time a player wins a point, the scale similar to a clock is dialed out by fifteen degrees, so the score has evolved into 15, 30, 45, winning .

Now, the scoring has evolved from "45" to "40", and there are two versions.

一种是说“40（forty）”是“45（forty-five）”的缩写沿用；一种则是说裁判报分的时候，认为“40（forty）”更加便利，因为15、30的发音都是双音节、45则是三音节，于是裁判就缩短为双音节的40。

In addition, "0" is called "love" in a tennis match. For example, when "15:0", it is "fifteen: love". If the opponent does not score a point in a game, then it is "love-game".

There is also a reason for this. In the [-]th century, tennis was spread from France to England. In terms of technical terms, many French influences can be seen. The pronunciation of zero is one of them. In French, zero is "l'oeuf". ", the literal translation is the meaning of eggs, and the pronunciation sounds very close to the English "love", so the British have continued to use it.

Leaving aside the special scoring rules, tennis games are actually not that complicated. Winning four points in one game, winning six games in one set, and winning two out of three sets in a game. If there is a tie or a draw, then consecutive Win by two points/sets to win.

Simplified, that's about it.

In addition, tennis also needs to understand a concept: serve and return.

As the literal meaning says, it is a serving game.

For the serving side, it is the serving game, and all that needs to be done is to "keep the serve";

In a tennis match, the two sides take turns to serve. For example, in the game between Gao Wen and Jilong, Jilong takes the lead in serving. If there is no point, it will break Jilong's serve; after one game is over, it will be Gao Wen's serve.

In this way, the rotation continues until one side wins six rounds first, then it wins a set.

It can also be understood in this way that a tennis game is a contest between "holding serve" and "breaking serve".

However, Coach Martin just mentioned the mini duel. In a regular game, the first team to win six rounds wins the next set. But in a mini duel, the first team to win three rounds wins. There is no such thing as two out of three sets. It's just a practice match.

In other words, in the mini duel, each player only has three opportunities to serve at most. Once served once, he may lose the victory of the practice match directly. The error tolerance rate is lower, which also requires each player to improve their concentration Spend.

The tennis court was cleared, and Gao Wen and Jilong were already standing on both sides of the court.

Jilong chose to receive the serve first.

Logically speaking, the side that serves first can have a slight advantage, especially in men's competitions, because male players with strong serves tend to serve more firmly and have a lower chance of breaking serve. Maintain the lead of the score.

In the mini duel, the advantage of serving first will be further magnified.

But Jilong and Gao Wen are not the type of strong serve, and the advantage of serving games is not so obvious; at the same time, Jilong is more confident in his ability to receive the serve, and does not care that Gao Wen has the advantage of serving first.

Giron's confidence can be seen from such small details.

Gao Wen didn't mind, because he was now the challenger, and he had to work hard to challenge Geelong, so what if he had a little psychological advantage?

Standing behind the serving line, Gao Wen was playing tennis, raised his head to observe Jilong's position——

That is a typical hard-court tennis position, slightly closer to the bottom line, trying to grab the rising point of the tennis ball as soon as possible, quickly complete the counterattack of the ball, and shorten the return time of the server.

Also, Geelong subconsciously moves a little closer to his backhand, the side that protects the weak point, because his forehand is significantly stronger than his backhand.

Observing the opponent's position is definitely not a waste of time, but a necessary process of interpreting the game——

The game of chess starts before serving, which is also what Gao Wen is best at.

(End of this chapter)