Padel score: how to count points and master the rules

The basics of the padel score: a tennis heritage

To understand how the padel score works, it is helpful to know that this sport shares its scoring roots with tennis. A match is broken down into sets, sets into games, and games into points.

During a classic game, points progress as follows:

• No points: Zero
• First point: 15
• Second point: 30
• Third point: 40
• Fourth point: Game

The server always announces their team's score first. For instance, if the serving team wins the first point and loses the second, the announced score is 15-15.

The punto de oro: the modern specificity of padel

Managing the tie at 40-40 (called "Deuce") is the main originality of modern padel. Traditionally, players had to win two consecutive points (Advantage then Game) to secure the game. However, the International Padel Federation introduced a dynamic rule: the decisive point, or punto de oro.

When the score reaches 40-40, the receiving team chooses which side the server must serve to. The duo that wins this single decisive point immediately wins the game. This rule energizes the matches, reduces playing time, and increases dramatic intensity for both players and spectators.

When does the golden point apply?

The golden point is systematically applied on the Premier Padel professional circuit and in most official sanctioned tournaments. During casual matches, players remain free to adopt the traditional advantage formula or choose the golden point to spice up the game.

How to win a set and the match

To win a set, a team must reach 6 games while maintaining a two-game lead over their opponents (for example, 6-4). If the score reaches 5-5, the set is extended to 7 games (7-5).

The tie-break

If both teams find themselves tied at 6 games each (6-6), a tie-break is played to decide the winners and close the set. In this specific case, the scoring system changes:

• Points are counted one by one (1, 2, 3, etc.).
• The first team to reach 7 points wins the tie-break (and therefore the set), provided they have a two-point lead.
• If the score reaches 6-6 in the tie-break, the game continues until one team gains a two-point lead (for example, 8-6 or 11-9).

Regarding the entire game, the standard structure of a padel match is played as the best of three sets. The first team to win two sets wins the match.

Common mistakes to avoid when serving

Announcing the padel score smoothly requires concentration, especially for the server who must validate the score out loud before each serve. A common mistake consists of serving from the wrong side.

The first service of a game always starts from the right side towards the diagonal left service box of the opponents. Then, the server alternates sides after each point scored: the point at 15-0 is served from the left, the point at 15-15 is served from the right, and so on. Keeping this rhythm allows you to visually verify if the announced score matches the position of the players on the court.