Padel Scoring System

The scoring system in padel is nearly identical to tennis: points, games, sets, and tiebreaks follow the same principles. The key difference is the Star Point system (introduced in 2026) used in professional tournaments to decide games at deuce.

Match Structure

A padel match is played as a best of three sets. Each set consists of games, and each game consists of individual rallies that earn points. This three-tier structure — points, games, sets — forms the foundation of the scoring system.

Points Within a Game

Point scoring in padel is borrowed from tennis and follows this scale:

The pair that wins the fourth point while leading in the score wins the game. For example, at 40–30 the next point won by the serving pair ends the game.

How to Announce the Score

The score is always announced with the serving pair’s score first, followed by the receiving pair’s score. If the serving pair leads 30–15, the umpire (or the server themselves in the absence of an umpire) announces: “thirty–fifteen.” When the score is tied, the call is “fifteen all,” “thirty all,” and so on.

Deuce and Advantage

When the score in a game reaches 40–40, the situation is called deuce. What happens next depends on the tournament format.

Traditional Format (with Advantage)

In the traditional format, at deuce a pair must win two consecutive points to take the game:

1. Advantage: The pair that wins a rally at deuce earns “advantage” (ad-in if it is the serving pair, ad-out if it is the receiving pair).
2. Game: If the pair with advantage wins the next rally, they take the game.
3. Back to Deuce: If the pair with advantage loses the next rally, the score returns to deuce.

In theory, a game at deuce can continue indefinitely until one pair wins two rallies in a row.

Star Point (from 2026)

Since 2026, professional padel (Premier Padel, CUPRA FIP Tour, FIP Promises) uses the Star Point system — a three-stage format that replaced the previous Golden Point rule:

1. First advantage: At deuce, a rally is played. The winning pair gains advantage. If they win the next rally, they take the game. If they lose, the score returns to deuce.
2. Second advantage: Another advantage rally is played. Again, winning the next rally secures the game, losing returns to deuce.
3. Star Point: If after two full advantage cycles the game is still not decided, a single decisive Star Point rally determines the winner.

On the Star Point, the receiving pair chooses which side of the court to receive from, but players are not allowed to switch positions for that deciding rally. In mixed doubles, the receiver must be the same sex as the server.

The Star Point system was introduced to:

• Prevent excessively long games while preserving the advantage format
• Make match duration more predictable
• Create maximum tension at key moments

Try It: Score Calculator

Practice tracking a match score with both the Star Point and traditional Advantage formats:

Games and Sets

How to Win a Set

To win a set, a pair must win 6 games with a lead of at least 2 games. A set can therefore end at 6–0, 6–1, 6–2, 6–3, or 6–4.

At 5–5, play continues. If one pair wins the next game (6–5), the other pair must win to stay alive. At 6–5 there are two possible outcomes: 7–5 (the leading pair wins the set) or 6–6 (tiebreak).

Tiebreak (at 6–6)

When the set score reaches 6–6, a tiebreak is played — a special shortened game:

• The pair that first reaches 7 points with a lead of at least 2 points wins the tiebreak.
• Points are counted with regular numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7…
• At 6–6 in the tiebreak, rallies continue until one pair leads by 2 points (for example, 8–6, 9–7, 10–8).
• The serve alternates every 2 points (after the first serve).
• Sides are changed after every 6 points played.

The pair that wins the tiebreak takes the set at 7–6.

How to Win a Match

A match is played as a best of three sets. The pair that first wins two sets takes the match. Possible results are 2–0 (a straight-sets win) or 2–1 (with one set lost).

Changeover

Pairs switch sides of the court after every odd-numbered game: after the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and so on. This rule ensures fair conditions, since sides of the court may differ in terms of sunlight, wind, and other factors. A changeover also takes place during the tiebreak — after every 6 points played.

Scoring Example Walkthrough

Let us walk through the start of a match between Pair A and Pair B step by step.

First Game (Pair A serving):

Games score: 1–0 (Pair A leads). After the odd-numbered game — changeover.

Second Game (Pair B serving):

Games score: 2–0 (Pair A leads). No changeover (even-numbered game).

In this example, the second game reached deuce twice. After two advantage cycles failed to decide the game, a Star Point was played. The receiving Pair A chose the side of the court and won the decisive rally, making a break — winning a game on the opponent’s serve.

Comparison with Tennis

The scoring systems in padel and tennis are nearly identical: the same points (love, 15, 30, 40), games to 6, sets to two wins, tiebreak at 6–6. The key differences are:

• Star Point — in padel, deuce can lead to a maximum of two advantage cycles followed by a single deciding rally (Star Point), whereas in tennis the advantage system continues indefinitely.
• Side selection — at the Star Point, the receiving pair chooses the side to receive on, adding a tactical element.
• Match format — in professional padel, matches are always best of three sets, with no five-set formats.

For a more detailed comparison of the two sports, see Padel vs Tennis: Similarities and Differences.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Question: Who announces the score when there is no umpire?

• Answer: The server is responsible for clearly announcing the score before each serve, starting with their own pair’s score.

• Question: What happens when there is a dispute about the score?

• Answer: If the players cannot agree on the score, they must go back to the last undisputed score and continue play from there.

• Question: Is the Star Point used in all tournaments?

• Answer: The Star Point is the standard in professional tournaments (Premier Padel, CUPRA FIP Tour) since 2026. Amateur matches and some national federations may still use the traditional advantage format or the older Golden Point rule.