Recently, like last evening, we had one match at our club go full distance, and yes, it was closing time, and the facility let us finish. The scoreline was 26-24, 28-30, 30-29. Yes, we all have similar playing styles, so no strategical advantage and we do not do tactical ploys. We always visit the bottomless lemonade joint down the road afterwards and the conversation drifted to how many game points or match points will be called in a match. From videos, it is clear that umpires do not call game point during the extended game, for instances of, 21-20, 22-21, etc.
I think the question is, how many times could an umpire say "Game point" and "Match point" in a match?
So with 26-24, 28-30, 30-29 we have 1st game: 20 game point 19 2nd game: 20 game point 19; 29 game point 28 3rd game: 20 match point 19; 29 match point 28; 29 match point 29
From the scoreline, we don't know who lead at 20-19 in the second game, so it may have been 20 match point 19. Also, the last call is 29 match point all.
This is how I understood the situation: how many times could umpire call game- and match-point situations. Here is an example, using an online match-scoring tool: Briefly, in the first game, there will be no match point situation but 3 game point situations. Vice versa, in the final game, there will be no game point situation, there will be 3 match point situations instead.
Lol! So...all the incorrect answers... it's in reality me saying it wrong? . But anyways, no one yet said the correct answer, so the answer is....what???
Lazy bugger! I figure the score sheet gives the correct count. Add the 2gp and 1 mp from second game. The poll shows 6 votes, 33% correct!
Ok, since there was no other answers, here is what I mean. Second game at 20/19 it can go both ways - game or match point depending on who is leading. Therefore you can have total of maximum 5 match point announcements as well. In that case there will be 4 game points and 5 match points announced... Than the correct answer to the poll will be that both match and game points could be called five times... (but not in the same match of course..)
In my umpiring in the Netherlands a couple of years back I think I remember I was taught that you were to call each teams FIRST game/match point opportunity per game. And 29-29 would be game/match point all, like @phihag said. But the rules quoted would say only when the first side hits 20 and at 29? Perhaps the rules are slightly different in our country? My recollection would mean that an umpire would call: 20 game point 19 20 all 21-20 21 all 21 game point 22 (edit: I WAS WRONG! this is not called game point the current rules. perhaps they changed in the last 10 years or I remembered wrong) 22 all 23-22 23 all ... 29 game point all You could substitute game point with match point where applicable. EDIT: I was wrong, see edit This means only two times per game can be called game or match point.
The interesting thing about it that I heard some umpires say that you should actually say "29 game and match point all" if the first 29 in second game is a game point. Because they are not both game points in the second game... At least that is how i was taught originally... However I never seen any evidence that you should do that..??
I think was taught that that would be called game point all, but it appears my memory may not be super accurate. I'll go check if I still have some stuff from back then to see if they changed.
So here's the answer, albeit a bit more complicated, I'll try to explain. The maximum number of times "Game Point" OR "Match Point" can be said in a match is 5 each. HOWEVER, the maximum possible combinations is a total of 9, depending on who reached 20 first in the 2nd game (if they won the 1st game or not). Game 1: 20 game point 19, 29 game point 28, 29 game point all. 3 "Game Point" here. Game 2: 20 (game or match point 19), 29 game/match point 28, 29 (other option not used at 29-28) all. The person who has the serve will dictate what you say. At least 1 "Game Point" and 1 "Match Point" and 1 depending on who reached 20 first. Game 3: 20 match point 19, 29 match point 28, 29 match point all. 3 "Match Point" here. So in conclusion, at least 4 game points and 4 match points and the 5th game point or match point is dependent on the 2nd game scenario.
The green circles on the score sheet (as was given in reply #7) are game point situations, the red circles are match points. All games will have a total of 3 (three) game point - match point situations. As noted in the posts, the first game has no match points, the final game has no game points, and the second game has --EITHER-- 2 game points 1 match point, --OR-- 1 game point and 2 match points.