What Is a Love Score in Tennis? Meaning and Origins Explained

What Is Love in Tennis?

Tennis scoring uses some unusual terminology, and one of the most recognizable is love. When a player has not yet won a point in a game, their score is called love. This article explains what love means, where the term comes from, and how it fits into tennis scoring.

Definition of Love

In tennis, love represents a score of zero. If the server has not won any points and the receiver has won one point, the score is announced as “love–15.” If neither player has won a point yet, the score is “love–love.”

Origins of the Term

The most widely accepted theory is that the term comes from the French word l’œuf, meaning “the egg,” which resembles the shape of a zero. Over time, l’œuf was anglicized into “love.” While not definitively proven, this explanation aligns with tennis’s French origins.

How Love Is Used in Scoring

Game Scores

Love appears only at the point level. A game might progress from love–15 to love–30, then love–40.

Set and Match Scores

At the set level, love is replaced by zero. A set score of 6–0 is often referred to as a “bagel,” not six–love.

Psychological Impact of Love Scores

Starting a game at love–30 or love–40 puts immediate pressure on the trailing player. Conversely, holding an opponent at love can boost confidence and momentum.

Love in Professional Tennis

Umpires and players consistently use the term love at all levels of the sport, from recreational play to Grand Slam finals. Despite modern technology and evolving formats, the traditional terminology remains unchanged.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn’t tennis use zero?

Tennis developed its own scoring vocabulary centuries ago, and love became the accepted term instead of zero.

Is love used in tiebreaks?

No. Tiebreaks use numerical scoring (0, 1, 2, etc.) rather than traditional terms like love or deuce.

Can love be used sarcastically?

Informally, players may jokingly reference “love” when being shut out, but officially it simply means zero.

Conclusion

Love is one of tennis’s most distinctive scoring terms, reflecting the sport’s long history and unique traditions. Understanding what love means helps new players follow the score more easily and appreciate the charm of tennis’s unconventional scoring system.