<P> Most singles matches consist of an odd number of sets, the match winner being the player who wins more than half of the sets . The match ends as soon as this winning condition is met . Men's singles and doubles matches may consist of up to five sets (the winner being the first to take the majority of total allocated sets) while women's singles matches are usually best of three sets . Women's doubles matches (as well as mixed doubles) are usually best of three sets, with a Super TieBreak to ten points played if the score reaches a set all . </P> <P> While the alternation of service between games continues throughout the match without regard to sets, the ends are changed after each odd game within a set (including the last game). If, for example, the second set of a match ends with the score at 6--3, 1--6, the ends are changed as the last game played was the 7th (odd) game of the set and in spite of it being the 16th (even) game of the match . Notably, in situations where a set ends with an odd game, back to back games see change of ends--i.e., ends are changed before and after the first game of the following set . A tiebreaker game is treated as a single game for the purposes of this alternation . Since tiebreakers always result in a score of 7--6, there is always a court change after the tiebreaker . </P> <P> The score of a complete match may be given simply by sets won, or with the scores of each set given separately . In either case, the match winner's score is stated first . In the former, shorter form, a match might be listed as 3--1 (i.e. three sets to one). In the latter form, this same match might be further described as "7--5, 6--7, 6--4, 7--6". (As noted above, an alternate form of writing the tiebreak score lists only the loser's score--e.g., "7--6" for the fourth set in the example .) This match was won three sets to one, with the match loser winning the second set on a tiebreaker . The numbers in parentheses, normally included in printed scorelines but omitted when spoken, indicate the duration of the tiebreaker following a given set . Here, the match winner lost the second - set tiebreaker 7--4 and won the fourth - set tiebreaker 8--6 . </P> <P> Because tennis is scored set by set and game by game, a player may lose a match despite winning the majority of points and / or games played . </P>

Where did the point system in tennis come from