If you know tennis scoring, you already know most of padel scoring. The part that confuses people is what happens at 40-40, because padel now has three different answers to that question, and which one applies depends on where you're playing. This guide follows the International Padel Federation's Rules of Padel, applied from 1 January 2026, and the LTA's guidance for British competitions. For the rest of the game, see the full rules of padel.
Points, games and sets
- Points go 15, 30, 40, game.
- A set goes to the first pair to win six games with a two-game lead, so 6-4 wins a set but 6-5 doesn't.
- At 6-6 you play a tie-break, and the set finishes 7-6.
- A match is best of three sets. The rules allow a third set without a tie-break, in which case you keep going until someone leads by two games.
What happens at 40-40
The FIP rules list three options for deuce. Agree which one you're playing before the first ball.
| Format | What happens at 40-40 | Longest possible game |
|---|---|---|
| Advantage | Win two points in a row, as in tennis | No limit |
| Star Point | Two rounds of advantage, then one deciding point at the third deuce | Fixed, ends at the third deuce |
| Golden point | One deciding point straight away | Shortest: ends at the first deuce |
Golden point
Play reaches 40-40 and the next point wins the game. The receiving pair chooses whether to receive on the right or the left, and they can't swap positions to receive once they've chosen. In a mixed match, the player receiving must be the same sex as the server. This is the format you're most likely to meet in social games and club events. Roehampton's 2026 club championship rules, for example, use golden point deuce.
Star Point
This one is new. FIP announced it in December 2025 as a middle ground between the other two. The sequence runs:
- First deuce, then advantage. If the pair with advantage wins the point, they win the game.
- If it goes back to deuce, there's a second advantage, played the same way.
- If it comes back to deuce a third time, one deciding Star Point is played. The receiving pair picks the side, as with golden point, and whoever wins it wins the game.
So you get two chances to close the game out the traditional way, but the game can't run on forever. FIP says it applies from 2026 at Premier Padel, the CUPRA FIP Tour, FIP Promises and the amateur FIP Beyond events.
Which format applies in the UK?
In LTA competitions, the 2026 referee and organiser guide makes Star Point mandatory at Grades 1 and 2 and optional at Grades 3 to 5, and the 2027 guide keeps that split. Formats at the lower grades vary, and some use short sets with a sudden death point, so read the event's entry details. For a friendly game or a club league, it's whatever you and the organiser agree.
How a tie-break works
- Points are counted 0, 1, 2, 3 rather than 15, 30, 40.
- First pair to seven points with a two-point lead wins.
- The player next in the serving order serves one point, from the right.
- The other pair then serves the next two points, and after that each player serves two points in a row, keeping the same order.
- Change ends every six points.
- The pair who didn't start serving in the tie-break serves first in the next set.
Match tie-breaks and shorter formats
The FIP rules allow shorter matches. Instead of a full third set at one set all, you can play a tie-break to seven, or a super tie-break, which is first to ten points with a two-point lead. Some LTA events use short sets. In the FAST4 format, a set is first to four games, with a tie-break at 3-3 and a match tie-break to ten at one set all. If you're booking a one-hour court, a short format is often the only way to finish a match.
When to change ends
Change ends after the first game of each set, then after the third and every odd game after that. If you forget, swap as soon as someone notices. At the changeover the rules allow up to 90 seconds, with no rest after the first game of a set.
Calling the score
Call the serving pair's score first, loudly enough for everyone to hear, as you would in tennis. At golden point or Star Point, it helps to say so out loud, so the receivers can pick a side and nobody argues about it afterwards.
Ready to put it into practice? Find padel courts near you, or look up every UK padel venue. New to the game? Start with how to play padel, or see what padel lessons cost.
Questions
How does scoring work in padel?
The same as tennis: 15, 30, 40, game. Six games with a two-game lead wins a set, there's a tie-break at 6-6, and a match is best of three sets. The difference is what happens at 40-40.
What is the golden point in padel?
One deciding point at 40-40. The next point wins the game and the receiving pair chooses which side to receive on.
What is the Star Point in padel?
A format introduced by FIP for 2026. At deuce there are two rounds of advantage. If the game reaches a third deuce, one deciding point is played.
How many points is a padel tie-break?
First to seven with a two-point lead. A super tie-break, used in place of a deciding set, is first to ten with a two-point lead.
When do you change ends in padel?
After the first game, the third game and every following odd game of a set, and every six points in a tie-break.