Tennis scores API: live ATP & WTA scores (free)

Tennis scores API: live ATP & WTA scores

A tennis scores API returns the current state of play — which matches are live and what the score is right now. With Live Tennis API you list live matches at GET /matches?status=live and read one match's score at GET /matches/{id}/score, across ATP, WTA, Challenger and ITF. Both are on the free tier.

The base URL is https://api.livetennisapi.com/api/public/v1 and every request authenticates with an X-API-Key header. You can get a free key without a card; the free tier allows 30 requests/minute and 100 requests/day, which is enough to poll a live scoreboard.

What the free tier covers

The free tier is built for the current state of play:

• GET /matches?status=live — every match in progress now (filter by tour=atp|wta|challenger|itf)
• GET /matches/{id}/score — the fastest read for a single match's live score
• GET /fixtures — upcoming matches, so you know what's about to start
• GET /players/{id} — a player's profile, including current ranking and Elo rating

Completed-match history and the point-by-point tape start on Basic; see tennis point-by-point data. For the full surface and tiers, read the tennis API developer guide.

Get live tennis scores (curl)

List what's live right now:

curl -s "https://api.livetennisapi.com/api/public/v1/matches?status=live&tour=atp" \
  -H "X-API-Key: $LIVETENNIS_API_KEY"

Then read one match's score by its id:

curl -s "https://api.livetennisapi.com/api/public/v1/matches/12345/score" \
  -H "X-API-Key: $LIVETENNIS_API_KEY"

/matches/{id}/score is the lowest-overhead read — use it when you already know the match id and only need the score to tick over.

Poll a live scoreboard in Python

import os, time, requests

BASE = "https://api.livetennisapi.com/api/public/v1"
HEADERS = {"X-API-Key": os.environ["LIVETENNIS_API_KEY"]}

def live_scoreboard(tour="wta"):
    r = requests.get(f"{BASE}/matches",
                     params={"status": "live", "tour": tour},
                     headers=HEADERS, timeout=10)
    r.raise_for_status()
    for m in r.json().get("matches", []):
        print(m["id"], "-", m.get("score"))

# Refresh every 20s to stay well inside the free 30 req/min limit
while True:
    live_scoreboard()
    time.sleep(20)

Prefer not to hand-roll HTTP? The official SDK wraps the same endpoints: pip install livetennisapi.

JavaScript / Node

const BASE = "https://api.livetennisapi.com/api/public/v1";
const headers = { "X-API-Key": process.env.LIVETENNIS_API_KEY };

async function liveScores(tour = "atp") {
  const res = await fetch(`${BASE}/matches?status=live&tour=${tour}`, { headers });
  if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`HTTP ${res.status}`);
  const { matches } = await res.json();
  return matches.map((m) => ({ id: m.id, score: m.score }));
}

liveScores().then(console.log);

There's a JavaScript SDK too (npm i livetennisapi), plus an OpenAPI spec and an MCP server at mcp.livetennisapi.com if you're wiring scores into an AI agent.

How often should I poll?

The free tier is 30 requests/minute and 100 requests/day. A single scoreboard call every ~20 seconds fits comfortably and keeps scores fresh. If you're tracking many matches independently, poll the lightweight /matches/{id}/score per match rather than re-listing everything, and mind the daily cap. Applications that need push instead of polling — a WebSocket live stream and live per-point events — are on the Ultra tier (WS /ws).

Full endpoint reference and response fields live at docs.livetennisapi.com.

FAQ

Is there a free tennis scores API?

Yes. Live Tennis API's free tier (no card) gives you live matches (GET /matches?status=live) and per-match scores (GET /matches/{id}/score) for ATP, WTA, Challenger and ITF, at 30 requests/minute and 100 requests/day. Grab a key at livetennisapi.com/subscribe/free.

How do I get live ATP and WTA scores from the API?

Call GET /matches?status=live with an X-API-Key header to list in-progress matches, filtering by tour=atp or tour=wta. For a single known match, GET /matches/{id}/score is the fastest read. Base URL: https://api.livetennisapi.com/api/public/v1.

What tours does the scores API cover?

ATP, WTA, Challenger and ITF. Use the tour query parameter to filter live matches. (There is no table tennis coverage.)

How fast can I poll live scores on the free tier?

Up to 30 requests per minute and 100 per day. Polling one scoreboard call roughly every 20 seconds stays well inside those limits. For real-time push instead of polling, the WebSocket stream (WS /ws) is available on the Ultra tier.

Do I need a credit card to start?

No. The free key at livetennisapi.com/subscribe/free requires no card. You only upgrade to Basic, Pro or Ultra if you need completed-match history, market prices, or live streaming.