The Benefits of Using How Do You Count Scores in Padel?

Derived from tennis, padel reuses the same point counting system as its big brother. In tennis and therefore in padel too, the score is made up of sets, games and points. 

Link to fortune

To win a game, you must win at least four points. Points are counted in this way: 

No dot: “zero”
First dot: “15”
Second point: “30”
Third point: “40”
Fourth point: "game"

At the beginning of a game, we always serve the first point on the right, the second on the left and we alternate so on. The points of the pair serving first are always announced.

If the two teams accumulate three points in the same game, then there is 40-40, we can also say "40A". In this case, we continue and the team that wins the next point goes to “Advantage” (except Punto de oro, see below). If this same team regains a point, it wins the game. If it loses the point after having been at “Advantage”, we therefore return to equality at “40A”.

To win a set, you must successfully win 6 games. However, if both teams reach "5-5", the set will go to 7 games. And if there is "6-6" then we realize a "decisive game" or tie-break. This “decisive game” is counted differently from classic games. Indeed, the mark of the points is counted in the form: "zero", "1", "2", "3", ... up to 7. The first pair reaching 7 points wins the "decisive game", and therefore the set, provided there is a two-point gap on their opponent (otherwise we continue until one team has two more points than the other). At the beginning of the "decisive game", the player who starts the service will serve once, then each will serve twice until the end of the tie-break.

To win a match, you must succeed in winning two sets. 

Point de Oro

The "Punto de Oro" or golden point in French, is a system that removes the advantages during a game and establishes a decisive point when the score is 40-40. This means that the returning pair chooses which side will play the point. The team that wins this point directly wins the game.

This method had been tested in France before being removed. Unusual fact, it was shortly after being abandoned in France that it was made official by the World Padel Tour. Widely disputed at first, the rule of the decisive point now seems to be unanimous.

Besides, do you think that the Punto de Oro, which has just been adopted by the Spanish Federation of Padel (EFF), can make its return soon on the French tracks? 

Game formats in France

On the professional circuits, all the matches take place in two winning sets with a tie-break at “6-6”. The professional circuits currently in operation (WPT, APT and FIP) also use the “Punto de Oro” rule.

In France, there are four different game formats depending on the tournaments: 

Long Formats:

• Format A: 3 sets to 6 games
• Format B: 2 sets of 6 games; 3rd set = super tie-break in 10 points

Short Formats:

• Format C: 2 sets to 4 games, deciding game at 4/4; 3rd set = super tie-break in 10 points
• Format D: 1 single super tie-break in 10 points. This format is reserved for P 25.

Note that regardless of the format, all matches are counted with the same coefficient when calculating the ranking.

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New to the game and want to learn more about the rules of padel? Don't worry, we've got you covered.

Padel is played only as doubles on a specific padel court.

The court is divided into two service boxes either side of the net – like in tennis – but it’s surrounded by glass walls, a metal cage, and doors on either side.

Here is a breakdown of some fundamental padel rules that govern how the game unfolds:

Points are started by an underarm serve before the rally is live. Each shot must clear the net and bounce in the court before hitting the wall or cage, to be considered in. If it hits the wall or cage without bouncing, the shot is out, and your opponents win the point. Serves can bounce and hit the wall but if it hits the cage instead - the serve is out.

You're only allowed one bounce before you have to hit the ball. If it bounces twice on your side of the court, your opponents win the point.

According to the rules of padel, sometimes the shots (e.g. smashes) can bounce and then go out-of-bounds. You can use the doors to run outside and try and return the ball to keep the rally going.

How to score in padel

Padel scoring is the same as tennis and is most commonly played as sets and games. To win one set, you have to win six games and be leading by two clear games.

Similarly, to clinch a game, you must win four points with a two-point advantage. Games are scored as:

• 15 – one point
• 30 – two points
• 40 – three points

If the game goes to 40-40, this is called ‘deuce’. You will still need to win by two clear points – whoever wins the next point will have ‘advantage’ and will then need to claim the following point to seal the game. If you lose the advantage point, it’s back to deuce.

Padel service rules

To serve, stand behind the service line and hit the ball cross court into the opposite service box. The ball must bounce before you hit it and you must serve underarm.

If you land the ball in the service box and then it bounces and hits the cage first, this is out. If it hits the back wall, the point is live.

Players take it in turns to serve for a whole game.

Padel rules for the walls

You can use the walls to your advantage in two ways. You can either let the ball bounce and hit the wall before hitting it back, or you can hit the ball against the wall to try and land it on your opponents’ side of the court.

In a rally you can also aim your shots to bounce and hit the cage to create awkward rebounds for your opponents. However, serves can’t hit the cage and you can’t hit the ball against the cage on your side of the court.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit What Is a Fault in Padel?.