In tennis scoring, "love" is the word used for a score of zero.
A standard game begins with the calls love–love, then progresses through 15, 30, and 40. The server's score is normally announced first, so a player who has won no points while the opponent has won three is at love–40. A player who wins four points with the required margin wins the game.
The origin of "love" is not certain. One widely repeated explanation connects it with “playing for love,” meaning playing for nothing or without money at stake. Another theory links it to the French word l'œuf, meaning “egg,” because an egg resembles a zero. Historical sources do not establish one universally accepted derivation.
Love should not be confused with deuce. Love means zero within the point score, while deuce describes a tied game at 40–40, after which a player must win two consecutive points under traditional advantage scoring. In some rulebooks, “zero” may be used instead of love for clarity.