How many sets are in a men's Grand Slam tennis match?
Quick answer
Men’s singles matches at the four Grand Slam tournaments are played as best of five sets, so a match can last a maximum of five sets. The first player to win three sets wins. Women’s singles matches at Grand Slams, and most matches on the regular men’s and women’s tours, are best of three.
The four Grand Slams
| Tournament | City | Surface | Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | Melbourne | Hard court | January |
| French Open (Roland-Garros) | Paris | Clay | May–June |
| Wimbledon | London | Grass | June–July |
| US Open | New York | Hard court | August–September |
How scoring works
- A game is won with four points: 15, 30, 40, game (with deuce at 40–40).
- A set is won by the first player to win six games with a two-game lead.
- At 6–6, a tiebreak usually decides the set.
The final-set tiebreak
Until recently, each Grand Slam had its own rule for deciding the final set. Since 2022, all four use the same rule: at 6–6 in the final set, players play a first-to-10-points tiebreak (winning by two).
The longest match ever
At Wimbledon in 2010, John Isner beat Nicolas Mahut in a first-round match that lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes over three days. The final set ended 70–68. The scoreboard stopped working at 47–47 because it wasn’t programmed to go higher. That match helped prompt the move to final-set tiebreaks.
Why best of five for men?
Grand Slams have used best of five for men since their early days, when matches were seen as tests of endurance. Women’s Grand Slam matches have been best of three for most of history, although the year-end championships used best of five in women’s finals for a time. Debate continues about whether to change either format.
Other formats
| Event | Format |
|---|---|
| Men’s Grand Slam singles | Best of five |
| Women’s Grand Slam singles | Best of three |
| Most ATP and WTA tournaments | Best of three |
| Olympic singles | Best of three |
| Davis Cup (men’s team event) | Best of three (since 2019) |
For the greatest Olympians across sports, see who has the most Olympic gold medals.
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