The short version. Same as tennis: 15, 30, 40, game. First to six games wins the set, with a tie-break at 6–6. At 40–40 most social games play a golden point, where the next point wins the game.
Points and games
| Points won | Called |
|---|---|
| 0 | love |
| 1 | 15 |
| 2 | 30 |
| 3 | 40 |
| 4 (with a two-point lead) | game |
The server’s score is called first. At 40–40, there are two ways to finish the game:
- Advantage scoring. Win two points in a row from deuce to win the game, as in tennis.
- Golden point. One deciding point. The receiving pair chooses which of them receives it, from either side. Most social games, leagues and Americanos in the UK use it, because it stops a single game lasting the whole booking.
Professional tours have experimented with variations on deuce in recent seasons, so check the rules for any tournament you enter.
Which side do you serve from?
Serves alternate between the right and left halves of the court, starting from the right at the beginning of each game. You serve diagonally into the opposite box.
Sets and tie-breaks
A set is won by the first pair to six games with a two-game lead. At 6–6 you play a tie-break: first to seven points, by two. In the tie-break, the player due to serve serves the first point, then each player serves two points in turn. Pairs change ends after every odd game (1, 3, 5 and so on) and every six points in a tie-break.
Matches are usually best of three sets. In social play, most bookings simply run out first, so many groups play “as many games as fit in 90 minutes”.
Americano and Mexicano scoring
Social formats use points, not games. Each mini-match is played to a fixed number of points (often 16, 21, 24 or 32), players usually serve a set number of points each in turn, and every player banks the points their pair wins. Partners rotate each round, so the winner is an individual. We explain both formats, and how the rotations work, in Americano vs Mexicano.
Common scoring arguments, settled
- The ball hit the line. Lines count as in on the serve. After the serve, the walls are the boundary.
- Who calls the score? The server, before serving.
- We lost count. Agree the last score you were both sure of and play on from there. It is padel, not a court case.
Quick answers
Is padel scored like tennis?
Yes. Points go 15, 30, 40 and game; sets are first to six games with a tie-break at 6–6; matches are usually best of three sets.
What is the golden point in padel?
At 40–40 (deuce), the next point wins the game. The receiving pair chooses which player receives it. Many clubs and social formats use it to keep games moving.
How do you score an Americano?
Differently: each match is played to a fixed number of points, and every player keeps the points they win. The player with the most points at the end wins.