Doubles

Doubles may refer to:

See also

Glossary of tennis terms

This page is a glossary of tennis terminology.

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Types of tennis match

Traditionally, tennis is played between two people in a singles match, or two pairs in a doubles match.

Standard types of match

Singles involves two players competing against each other, usually two men or two women, although games between a man and a woman may be played on an informal basis or as exhibitions.

Doubles is played by two players of two teams each, most often all-male or all-female. It utilizes a wider court than singles matches: it includes the area in the alley (tramlines, in British terminology), whereas singles does not. The two players on the receiving side change positions after each point played (one at the net and the other near the baseline, preparing to return serve).

Mixed doubles is played the same as doubles, but with one man and one woman per team. This form of tennis is rare in the professional game because the men's and women's tours are organised separately (by the ATP and WTA, respectively). However, all four Grand Slam tournaments hold a mixed doubles competition, alongside the men's and women's doubles, and featuring many of the same players. There is also an annual mixed tournament for national teams, the Hopman Cup, which includes mixed doubles. Additionally, tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics included a mixed doubles event for the first time since tennis returned to the Olympic Games in 1988.