The Definitive Guide to the Padel Scoring System

If you’ve just started playing padel, one of the first hurdles you probably encountered is its peculiar scoring system. Borrowed directly from tennis, it can seem confusing at first. But don’t worry—once you grasp the logic, it’s straightforward. With this guide, you’ll never lose track again!

The Structure: Points, Games, and Sets

A padel match is divided into sets, and each set consists of games, which are won with points. The goal is to win the match by taking a set number of sets (normally best‑of‑three, so 2 sets).

1. How Points Are Counted

The sequence is the same as in tennis. The first point is 15, the second 30, and the third 40.

• 0 points: “Love”
• 1 point: “15”
• 2 points: “30”
• 3 points: “40”
• 4 points: You win the Game

And if both teams reach 40?

This is where Deuce comes in. At 40‑40, the pair who wins the next point gets Advantage. If that same pair wins the following point, they take the game. If they lose it, back to Deuce. You must win two consecutive points from Deuce to win the game.

The Famous “Golden Point”

To speed matches up, many tournaments and social matches use the Golden Point. When the score reaches 40‑40 (Deuce), a single deciding point is played. Whoever wins it takes the game. The receiving pair chooses the receiving side.

2. How a Set Is Won

A set is a sequence of games. The first pair to win 6 games, with a margin of at least 2 over the rivals, wins the set.

• Examples of set scores: 6‑2, 6‑4, 7‑5
• If one pair leads 6‑5, one more game must be played. If they win it, the result is 7‑5. If they lose it, the score ties at 6‑6, and this is where the tie‑break appears.

3. The Tie‑Break: The Key Decider

When a set reaches 6‑6, a tie‑break (sudden death) is played to decide the set. Scoring here is different:

• Points are counted one by one: “0, 1, 2, 3,” etc.
• The first team to 7 points, with a 2‑point margin, wins the tie‑break (and thus the set, 7‑6)
• If it gets to 6‑6 in the tie‑break, play continues until one team gets a 2‑point advantage (e.g., 8‑6, 9‑7, 12‑10)

Serving in the tie‑break is special: the player whose turn it was serves once. From there, each player serves twice in a row, respecting the pair’s serving order.

4. How the Match Is Won

Most padel matches are played best of three sets. This means the first pair to win 2 sets wins the match.

Conclusion

Mastering the scoring is as important as mastering the bandeja. It gives you confidence, lets you follow strategy, and, above all, avoids on‑court arguments. Next time you play, you’ll be the one keeping score without hesitation!

_The best way to stay on track? Save your matches in padellog. The app keeps score for you and stores your results so you can analyze your progress. That way, you can focus on playing!’