Match play is a format used in various sports, most commonly in golf and tennis, where two competitors or teams compete against each other directly. In this format, the objective is to win individual holes or sets rather than accumulating a total score. Each hole or set is won by the player or team that performs better, and the overall winner is the one who wins the most holes or sets. In golf, for example, if a player wins a hole, they earn one point, and the match continues until one player is ahead by more holes than there are left to play. This creates a strategic element, as players can focus on winning specific parts of the game rather than just the overall score.