15, 30, 40, deuce, tie-break, super tie-break. Padel scoring sounds complicated for about ten minutes. Then it clicks.
If you've played tennis, you already know most of padel's scoring. If you haven't, don't worry. This guide takes you from the first point to the end of a match, then covers the basics of serving and changing ends.
We've checked the details against the FIP Rules of Padel, the rulebook published by the International Padel Federation. Clubs and friendly groups sometimes play house rules, so where things commonly vary, we'll say so.
Points: 15, 30, 40, game
A game is made up of points, and the score is called like this:
- No points: 0 (often called "love")
- One point: 15
- Two points: 30
- Three points: 40
- Next point: game
The serving pair's score is called first. So "30-15" means the servers have two points and the receivers have one.
Yes, the numbers are odd. They come from tennis, and padel kept them. Just count 15, 30, 40 and you're fine.
Deuce: when both pairs reach 40
At 40-40 the score is called deuce, and there are three ways to settle it:
- Advantage: win two points in a row to take the game.
- Golden point: one deciding point wins the game.
- Star Point: two rounds of advantage, then a single deciding point if neither pair has closed it out. This is the rule the FIP introduced for professional and FIP circuits from 2026.
On a deciding point, the receiving pair chooses which side to receive on. We cover all three rules in detail in advantage, golden point and Star Point explained. For a casual game, just agree one before you start.
Games and sets
Win six games and you win the set, as long as you're at least two games ahead. So 6-4 wins a set, but 6-5 doesn't. At 6-5 you play on:
- If the leading pair wins the next game, the set ends 7-5.
- If the other pair wins it, the score is 6-6, and most matches play a tie-break to decide the set.
A standard match is best of three sets: the first pair to win two sets wins the match.
The tie-break at 6-6
In a tie-break, you stop using 15, 30, 40 and count normally: 1, 2, 3 and so on.
- The first pair to seven points, with a lead of at least two, wins the tie-break and the set 7-6.
- If it gets to 6-6 in the tie-break, keep going until one pair is two points clear: 8-6, 9-7, 12-10.
- Players change ends every six points, according to the FIP rules.
The service rotation keeps moving during a tie-break: the next player in the rotation serves the first point, then the serve passes to the other pair and each player serves two points in turn. Each serve alternates between the right and left side, as in a normal game.
The super tie-break (in place of a deciding set)
Plenty of leagues, tournaments and friendly matches don't play a full third set. Instead, at one set all, they play a super tie-break (also called a match tie-break).
It works like a normal tie-break, but the target is ten points instead of seven, still with a two-point margin. The FIP rules describe it as final: the pair that wins it wins the match. On a scorecard it's often written as 1-0 for the third set, or with the tie-break score, such as 10-8.
It's a practical choice when court time is tight, and it's worth agreeing before the match rather than at one set all.
Serving: the basics
This is where padel is quite different from tennis. You won't see a big overhead serve in padel, because the rules don't allow it. Here's the short version, based on the FIP Rules of Padel.
How to serve
- Stand behind the service line, between the centre line and the side wall, and don't touch the lines with your feet until you've hit the ball.
- Bounce the ball first. Drop it and let it bounce behind the service line on your side, then hit it.
- Underarm. At contact, the ball must be at or below waist height, with at least one foot on the ground.
- Diagonal. The serve must cross the net diagonally and bounce inside the receiver's service box. The lines count as in.
After the bounce in the box, the serve can hit the glass and still be good. If it hits the metal fence before its second bounce, it's a fault.
Two serves, and lets
You get two attempts for each point, just like tennis. Miss both and you lose the point (a double fault).
If the serve clips the net and still lands in the right box, it's a let: that serve is taken again and doesn't count as a fault. The one exception in the FIP rules is if the ball then hits the metal fence before bouncing a second time, in which case it's a fault.
Returning serve
The receiver has to let the serve bounce before hitting it. No volleying the return.
Who serves when
At the start of the match, the pairs decide who serves first, usually by a coin or racket spin. Then:
- One player serves a whole game. The serve then passes to the other pair for the next game.
- All four players take turns. If you and your partner are A and B, and your opponents are C and D, the order runs A, C, B, D, then back to A.
- Right, then left. Each game starts with a serve from the right-hand side of your court. After each point, you switch to the other side.
Within each pair, you decide at the start of each set who serves first and who receives first. Under the FIP rules, that order then stays the same until the end of the set.
Changing ends
Pairs change ends after the 1st, 3rd, 5th and every other odd game in a set, according to the FIP rules. In a tie-break, change ends every six points.
Changing ends matters more than it sounds: sun, wind on outdoor courts, and even slightly different bounce off each back wall can all favour one end.
A quick worked example
Say you're playing best of three with a super tie-break instead of a third set.
- You win the first set 6-4.
- The second set goes to 6-6. You lose the tie-break 5-7, so the set goes to your opponents 6-7.
- At one set all, you play a super tie-break and win it 10-8.
Final score: 6-4, 6-7, 10-8 (or 6-4, 6-7, 1-0 on some scorecards). You win the match.
Logging your score in PADLR.
PADLR. uses the same scoring when you log a match. You pick the format first:
- Best of 1, 3 or 5 sets
- 4- or 6-game sets (4-game sets are handy for short court slots)
- An optional super tie-break instead of a deciding set
- The deuce rule: Advantage, Golden point or Star Point (Star Point is selected the first time; after that PADLR. remembers your last choice)
Then you tap the score for each set. If a set finished 7-6, you can add the tie-break points too. The deuce rule is recorded for reference only and doesn't affect your rating, but the score does: the rating engine looks at the score margin, so a close loss moves you less than a heavy one. How the rating system works explains the details, and how to log a match walks through every screen.
New to padel and wondering where you'd start? Our padel level quiz gives you a quick estimate in a few questions.
Questions or corrections? Reach out to us at rebellionlabsofficial@gmail.com
PADLR. is built by Rebel Lion Labs.