🎾 So why "love" = 0 in tennis scores?

❤️ 1. From the French word “l’oeuf” (the egg)

One common idea is that "love" comes from the French word "l'œuf", which means "egg". Why an egg? Because the number zero looks like an egg! Apparently, in sport it’s common to refer to a nil or nought score as a duck or goose egg and the pronunciation is quite close (with a bit of imagination) to the English word ‘love’

English speakers may have misheard or adopted the French term. Or, over time, “l’œuf” may have become “love” in pronunciation. “All you need is l’oeuf” as the Beatles once said 😊

In any case, if the score is 15–love, it means one player has 15, and the other has zero!

🧘 2. Playing ‘for honour’ or for the love of the game

Another theory says that when someone has zero points, they’re still playing, not for money or success, but for the love of the game or for honour. In Dutch and Flemish, the word ‘lof’ means honour, so in the most sporting context, anyone struggling to score is still playing for honour.

This one's more romantic, but less widely believed than the French egg idea. Personally, I prefer this one, being an incurable romantic😊. (Although when you see the prize money in professional tennis today it’s hard to believe that the players are motivated just by love of the game ❤️)

🟢 Which one is true ?

Most historians believe the "egg theory" (l'œuf) is the correct origin. It makes sense with how many sports terms come from French, since France was a key part of tennis history. Mais bien sûr 😉

🎾 Other Tennis Game Words

• Serve – The first shot that starts each point.

• Rally – A series of shots between players before someone wins the point.

• Forehand – A shot made on the same side as your racket hand.

• Backhand – A shot made on the opposite side of your racket hand.

• Ace – A serve that the other player can’t touch — you win the point!

• Deuce – When both players have 40 points — they must win by two points now.

• Break point – A chance to win a game when your opponent is serving.

• Set – A part of the match. Players must win 6 games (with 2-game difference) to win a set.

• Match point – If you win this point, you win the whole match!