Tiebreak rules are perhaps the most complicated rules of tennis. And there are a few extra things to consider when it’s a doubles match. Below, I have outlined how a doubles tiebreak should be played, (hopefully) including every scenario you might come across. I’ve tried to make it as simple and easy to understand as possible.
Tennis tiebreak rules for doubles:
- The player who’s turn it is in the rotation serves first. The team serving first cannot choose which player serves. It must be the player who comes next in the rotation.
- The player who serves first in the tiebreak serves for one point. Then the rotation continues, but now each player serves for two points.
- After every 6 points are played, the teams switch ends (the same as a singles tiebreak).
- The first team to reach 7 points (or 10 points for a match tiebreak) wins the set, but they must be two points ahead. Play will continue until one team is two points ahead just like in a singles tiebreak.
- The team who served first in the tiebreak will recieve first in the next set if another set is to be played.
- The teams will change ends after the tiebreak ends to start the new set (based on the last point of the tiebreak).
- In the new set, the teams are allowed to change who serves first and which side (left or right) the players recieve from.
So, there you have it. The rules for a doubles tiebreak are very similar to a singles tiebreak, but there are a few tweaks. Tiebreaks can get a little complicated when it comes to serving orders, changing ends, and what to do in the next set, but’s it’s not too difficult when you get your head around it.