Padel Scoring: How Points, Games, Sets, and Golden Point Work

Padel scoring is based on tennis scoring, so players coming from tennis will recognize most of it. The key differences are in how deuce is handled and what happens in a third set.

Standard scoring

Points go 15, 30, 40, game — identical to tennis. A game is won by the first side to reach four points with a two-point advantage. Sets are first to six games, with a two-game advantage required. Matches are best of three sets.

The golden point (no-deuce rule)

At 40-40 (deuce in tennis), padel uses a "golden point" instead of advantage scoring. The receiving team chooses which side of the court (left or right) the serve comes from, and the next point ends the game — no extended deuce. This is the biggest rule difference from tennis and affects strategy significantly at the end of close games.

The golden point rule keeps matches moving and removes the extended attrition of deuce-advantage-deuce exchanges. It also adds a tactical element: the receiving team's choice of serve side is a real decision. Most teams choose the side that exposes the server's weaker delivery.

Set tiebreaks

At 6-6 in a set, a tiebreak is played. The tiebreak goes to 7 points with a 2-point advantage required (7-5 wins; 7-6 goes to 8, 8-7 to 9, and so on). In a tiebreak, the golden point rule does not apply — standard advantage scoring is used from 6-6 in the tiebreak.

Third set super tiebreak

In professional padel (World Padel Tour), if the match reaches a third set, the third set is replaced by a super tiebreak: first to 10 points with a 2-point advantage. This is not universal in recreational and amateur play — many clubs and amateur tournaments play a full third set with standard scoring. Check your tournament or club rules.

Let rules

If the serve clips the net and lands in the correct service box, it's a let — the serve is replayed. If the ball is in play and hits the net post or net wire and goes over: the point continues. If a ball from an adjacent court rolls onto the court during a point, the point can be replayed — call "let" immediately and replay; you can't claim a let after the point has finished.

Double bounce rule

Like tennis, the ball can only bounce once before you must hit it. Unlike tennis, in padel the ball can hit the glass walls after bouncing — and you must still return it before it bounces a second time. A ball that bounces once on the court, then hits the back glass and bounces again on the court floor is a double bounce and the point ends. The glass hit in between doesn't reset the bounce count.