Padel · Guide
Padel scoring and the star point
Padel scores exactly like tennis, with one twist at deuce. Since February 2026 the professional game has used the star point: two chances at advantage, then one deciding point.
Points, games and sets
- Points: 0 (love), 15, 30, 40, game.
- Games: a set is first to six games, with a two-game lead. At 6–6 there is a tie-break.
- Tie-break: first to seven points, by two clear points.
- Match: best of three sets.
What happens at 40–40
There are three ways to play it. Agree which one before a friendly match starts.
| System | How it works | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Advantage | Win two points in a row from deuce to win the game. It can go on for as long as it takes. | Traditional scoring, some club play |
| Golden point | One point at the first deuce decides the game. | Professional padel before 2026, and a lot of club play |
| Star point | Advantage is played at the first and second deuce. At the third deuce, one point decides the game. | Premier Padel and the FIP tours since February 2026 |
The star point step by step
- 40–40: deuce. Play for advantage.
- If the side with advantage wins the next point, they win the game. If not, it is deuce again.
- Second deuce: play advantage once more.
- Third deuce: the star point. Whoever wins it wins the game.
On the star point, the receiving pair chooses which side receives the serve, and players cannot swap positions within their pair for that point.
The star point was approved by the FIP, padel's world governing body, in November 2025, as a middle ground: it rewards winning two points in a row, but stops a single game going on for ever.
Quick answers
- What is the star point in padel?
- A deciding point used in professional padel since 2026. At deuce, advantage is played twice as normal. If the score comes back to deuce a third time, one point, the star point, decides the game.
- What is the golden point in padel?
- A single deciding point played at the first deuce, with no advantage. Professional padel used it before switching to the star point in 2026, and many clubs still play it.
- How many sets are in a padel match?
- Best of three sets. Each set is first to six games with a two-game lead, and a tie-break at 6–6.
- Who chooses the side on the star point?
- The receiving pair chooses which side will receive it.