Tie-breaks 

THE 12 POINT TIE-BREAK

The 12 Point Tie-break is a scoring device commonly used to determine the winner of a set when the game score reaches 6-all in the set. 
 

SINGLES

1) A player who first wins seven points shall win the game and set provided he leads by a margin of two points. If  the score reaches six points all in the tie-break, the game shall be extended until this margin has been achieved. Numerical scoring (1,2,3,etc.) shall be used throughout the tie-break.

2) The player whose turn it is to serve shall be the server for the first point, which is delivered from the right (deuce) court. His opponent shall be the server for the second and third points (delivered from the left (add) court, then the right court), and thereafter each player shall serve alternately for two consecutive points (left court, right court) until the winner of the game and set has been decided. 

3) Players shall change ends after every six points and at the conclusion of the tie-break. Note that after any change of ends the server will be serving his second serving point (from the right court). 

4) The player who served first in the set that ended in a tie-break shall receive service in the first game of the following set.

DOUBLES

1) In doubles the procedure for singles shall apply. The player whose turn it is to serve shall be the server for the first point. Thereafter each player shall serve in rotation for two points, in the same order as previously in that set, until the winners of the game and set have been decided.

2) Players change ends after every six points and at the conclusion of the tie-break.

3) The team that served first in the set that ended in a tie-break shall receive service in the first game of the following set.

COMAN TIE-BREAK PROCEDURE:

This procedure simply addresses the point at which ends of the court are changed during the tie-break, it does not change the serving/scoring method. 

•  Players change ends after the first point, then after every four points, and at the conclusion of the Tie-break.

•  The scoring is the same as a traditional set (first to 7 by 2) or match Tie-break (first to 10 by 2).

•  Beneficial in doubles as players continue to serve from the same side as during the set.
 

THE 9 POINT TIE-BREAK

The 9 point (sudden death) tie-break is sometimes used to determine the winner of a set. The 12 point tie-break is more commonly used.

SINGLES

1) A player who first wins five points wins the game and set. Numerical scoring (1,2,3,etc.) is used throughout the tie-break.

2) The player whose turn it is to serve is the server for the first and second points, into the right service court and then the left service court. The opponent is the server for the third and fourth points, right and left. 

3) Players change ends (when playing outside). 

4) The first server serves the fifth and sixth points, right and left. The opponent serves the seventh and eighth points, right and left. 

5) If the score reaches four points all, the second server serves the final point of the tie-break game into either the right or left court, whichever the opponent chooses. 

6) The players change ends to begin the next set. The player who began the set that ended in a tie-break shall receive for the first game of the next set.

DOUBLES

1) The procedure for singles shall apply. Thereafter each player shall serve in rotation, serving two points each from the right and left.

2) Players change ends after 4 points (if playing outside).

3) The players shall change ends to begin the next set. 

4) The team that served first in the set that ended in a tie-break shall receive in the first game of the following set.