How Padel Scoring Works: Games, Sets, Tiebreak and Deuce
Padel scoring explained step by step: 15, 30, 40, what happens at 40-40, how a set is won, how the tiebreak works and when to change ends.
Padel is scored the same way as tennis, with one difference that causes most of the arguments on court: what to do when a game reaches 40-40. Here is everything in order, from the smallest unit to the largest: point, game, set and match.
Points: 15, 30, 40 and game
Every game starts at 0-0 and points are called like this:
| Points won | Called |
|---|---|
| 0 | Love |
| 1 | 15 |
| 2 | 30 |
| 3 | 40 |
| 4 | Game |
The score is always called starting with the serving pair. If the servers have won two points and the receivers one, it is "30-15".
You need four points to win the game, unless both pairs reach three points each. That 40-40 is called deuce, and it is where the variants come in.
What happens at 40-40
Three systems are in use today. It is worth agreeing on one before the match starts.
| System | What happens at 40-40 |
|---|---|
| Advantage | You must win two points in a row. The first gives you advantage; lose the next and it is deuce again, with no limit. |
| Golden Point | A single point is played and whoever wins it takes the game. The receiving pair chooses which side to receive on. |
| Star Point | Regular advantage is played up to twice. If a third deuce is reached, a single point decides the game. |
Advantage is the classic system. Golden Point became widespread on the professional tour from 2020 and is widely used in amateur matches for a practical reason: games do not drag on and the court booking is enough. Star Point is the system the FIP approved for the professional tour from 2026, and we cover it in detail in Star Point: the new padel rule.
How a set is won
A set goes to the first pair to reach six games with a two-game lead.
- At 6-4 or 6-3, the set is over.
- At 5-5 play continues: if one pair wins the next two games, they take the set 7-5.
- At 6-6 a tiebreak is played.
How the tiebreak works
The tiebreak is a special game that decides the set, and it is counted differently:
- Points are counted one at a time: 1, 2, 3, and so on.
- The first pair to reach seven points with a two-point lead wins. At 6-6 it continues until someone is two ahead: 8-6, 9-7, whatever it takes.
- The set finishes 7-6 for the tiebreak winner.
Serving changes too:
- The player whose turn it was serves one point only, from the right side.
- The other pair then serves two points in a row, starting from the left side.
- From there, players alternate two serves each, keeping the order they were using in the set.
During the tiebreak, pairs change ends every six points.
How many sets in a match
An official match is played as best of three sets: the pair that wins two takes the match.
In friendly matches it is common to shorten the format to fit the booking: a single set, sets to fewer games, or a long tiebreak instead of a third set. That is fine as long as everyone agrees before starting.
When to change ends
Pairs change ends when the total number of games in the set is odd: after the first game, the third, the fifth, and so on. The aim is to share the sun, the wind and any difference between the two sides of the court.
Who serves
- Serve passes to the other pair every game.
- Within each pair, the two players take turns. Each player serves one game in four.
- The serving order chosen at the start of the set stays until the set ends. It can change in the next set.
Keep score without arguing
Between serve changes, deuces and changing ends, it is easy to lose count, especially in a third set. In Padel Tracker you pick the format before starting (games per set, number of sets, tiebreak and deuce system) and the scoreboard does the rest: you only mark who won each point.
Source: Rules of Padel, International Padel Federation (FIP) (document in Spanish).
Keep reading
- Just starting out? → Complete guide to start playing padel
- Want to improve with data? → Which statistics to track in your matches
- Questions about the new system? → Star Point: the new padel rule