A player holds serve by winning their own service game. The term describes serving stability over a match or a longer period. The more often a player holds, the fewer opportunities the opponent has to take control through a break.

Holding serve is fundamental to evaluating service quality and overall stability. A strong hold rate reduces pressure and forces the opponent to return exceptionally well. It is especially relevant in close matches, on fast surfaces and when assessing the likelihood of a tie-break.

A player serves, wins the game and moves from 3-2 to 4-2 in the set. By keeping the service game, the player records a hold.