How many games win a set in tennis?
B · Beginner · How do you score and win? · 2 of 8Checked 13 October 2026
A set is won by the first player to six games with a lead of at least two, such as 6-4 or 7-5. At six games all, most events play a tie-break game, and the set ends 7-6. In an advantage set, play goes on until someone leads by two games.
How it works
- First to six games, two games clear.
- At 5-5, the set continues: 7-5 wins.
- At 6-6 in a tie-break set, a tie-break game decides the set.
- At 6-6 in an advantage set, play continues until one player is two games ahead.
- The event announces in advance which kind of set is used, and whether the final set is different.
- The players serve alternate games.
Tricky cases
Can a set finish 6-5?
No. At 6-5 another game is played. It ends 7-5, or goes to 6-6.
Is the final set played differently?
It depends on the event. The rules let an event play the final set as a tie-break set, an advantage set, with a 10-point tie-break at 6-6, or replace it with a match tie-break.
Why the rule exists
The two-game margin means a player has to win a game on the opponent's serve. The tie-break was added to stop sets running on for hours.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tie-break set | Tie-break game at 6-6 | L6 b |
| Advantage set | Play until two games clear | L6 a |
| Short sets, if the event uses them | First to four games; tie-break at 4-4 or 3-3 | App VI |
| Grand Slams and tours | Each announces its own final-set method | Not covered |
From the rule book
ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Rule 6 and Appendix VI. Checked 13 October 2026. Official document: ITF Rules of Tennis (PDF).