Padel scoring borrows most of its shape from tennis, then adds a couple of twists of its own. If you have never kept score in either sport, the numbers can feel odd at first. Stick with this step by step and it will click, and you will be calling the score with confidence by your next game.
Step one: points within a game
Each game is a race to win points, and the points are named rather than counted one, two, three. It goes like this:
- No points yet is called love, which just means zero
- Your first point makes it 15
- Your second point makes it 30
- Your third point makes it 40
- Your fourth point wins the game, as long as you are two points clear
The server's score is always called first. So if you are serving and lead 30-15, you have two points to their one.
Step two: deuce and winning a game by two
Here is the first win-by-two rule. If both pairs reach 40, that is deuce, and you cannot win the game by a single point. One pair has to win two points in a row. Win the first and you are on advantage. Win the next and the game is yours. Lose it and the score slides back to deuce, and you go again. In a tight game you can bounce between deuce and advantage several times.
Step three: golden point, the padel shortcut
Most social and league play in Manchester uses a quicker version called the golden point. At deuce, the win-by-two rule is dropped for one dramatic point. The very next point decides the game, sudden death. The receiving pair chooses which side takes it. It keeps matches moving and piles on the pressure, so do not be surprised when a whole game comes down to a single serve. Our padel glossary has the quick definition if you want it.
Step four: games make a set
Win enough games and you take a set. A set goes to the first pair to win six games, and again you need to be two games clear. So 6-4 wins the set, but 6-5 does not. At 6-5 you play on. Win the next and you take it 7-5. Lose it and you are level at 6-6.
Step five: the tie-break at 6-6
At six games all, you play a tie-break to settle the set. Points are counted as plain numbers now, and the first pair to seven points wins, as long as they are two points ahead. The winner takes the set 7-6. If you want the serving pattern and the change of ends spelt out, our guide to what happens at 6-6 covers it in full.
Step six: sets make a match
Most matches are best of three sets, so the first pair to win two sets wins the match. Some casual games are shorter, a single set or a set played to a time limit, but best of three is the standard you will see at clubs and leagues.
Putting it together
Points build a game, games build a set, sets win the match. Win by two at every level that counts, with the golden point as the one place that rule is set aside. Once you have kept score a few times it stops feeling like a foreign language. For the serving side of things, our serving order guide explains who serves when, and the full rules of padel tie the walls and faults in too. You can also test yourself with the quizzes on our tools page.
FAQ
Is padel scoring the same as tennis?
Almost. Points count 15, 30, 40 and game, and sets go to six games, win by two, with a tie-break at 6-6. The main differences are the underarm serve and the golden point used at deuce.
What is golden point in padel?
A sudden-death point played at deuce instead of winning by two. The next point wins the game, and the receiving pair chooses which side to take it on.
How many sets are in a padel match?
Usually best of three, so the first pair to win two sets wins. Casual games are sometimes shorter.
What does love mean in padel?
Love simply means zero. A score of 40-love means the server leads three points to none.