The Origin: LØVE MEANS NØTHING
Since we’re on a history kick this week, we’re going to share the story behind our full name, LØVE MEANS NØTHING, and its (debatable) origin.
Always a trendsetter, tennis uses its own unique scoring system with several words used to represent the numeric scores during a match, the most interesting (we’re partial) being "love," which signifies a score of zero, aka NOTHING. Doing our research we’ve learned that the origin of the term "love" as zero is a bit unclear, but there are a few theories about its etymology. Below are two of the most popular:
French Word "L'oeuf": One popular theory is that the term "love" is derived from the French word "l'oeuf," which means "egg." The shape of the number zero (0) resembles an egg, and it is believed that English-speaking tennis players adapted the French word for zero to "love" due to the visual similarity. This theory is also known as the “corruption of zero.” The theory says that English speakers were mispronouncing the french word, “l’oeuf”, which made it very much sound like “love.”
A more widely embraced theory behind the term "love" in tennis scoring originates from the phrase "to play for love." This notion suggests that players who haven't earned any points aren't disheartened because they're driven by a genuine passion for the game, rather than just the pursuit of victory or financial gain. It reflects the idea that playing for the sheer joy of the sport, challenging oneself, and cherishing the experience on the court can be reason enough to persist, even when the score remains at love.
Regardless of its exact origin, "love" has become an integral part of tennis scoring. Here are some common tennis scoring terms:
Love (0): As mentioned, "love" represents a score of zero. For example, if a player has not yet scored any points in a game, their score is "love."
15: The first point won in a game is called "15."
30: The second point won is called "30."
40: The third point won is called "40."
Deuce: When both players or teams have a score of 40, it's called "deuce." To win the game from deuce, a player or team must win two consecutive points.
Advantage: If a player wins a point after deuce, they are said to have the "advantage." If they win the next point as well, they win the game. If they lose the point, the game returns to deuce.
Game: Winning four points in a game (or two consecutive points after deuce) results in winning the game.
Set: Matches are usually divided into sets, and a player must win a certain number of sets to win the match. Sets are typically played to 6 games, with a tiebreaker if the score reaches 6-6.
Match: The overall outcome of a tennis contest is determined by winning a certain number of sets. The number of sets required to win a match depends on the format of the match (e.g., best of three sets or best of five sets).
These terms have been used in tennis for centuries and have become a fundamental part of the sport's tradition and culture. So, what do you think? Does LØVE MEANS NØTHING?