Padel Scoring Explained in Plain English
Tennis scoring, golden point and everything that confuses newcomers.
Padel borrows tennis scoring, then adds a few quirks. Here is the short version.
Points
Fifteen, thirty, forty, game. Deuce at forty-all in most formats.
Golden Point
Many leagues and social sessions play a single deciding point at deuce. The receiving pair chooses which side receives.
Games and Sets
Six games wins a set, with a two-game margin, and a tie-break at six-all. Most matches are best of three.
Serving
Underarm, below waist height, bouncing once behind the service line before you strike it. Diagonal into the service box, same as tennis.
The Let Rule
A serve that touches the net and lands in is a let, replayed. A serve that lands in and then hits the side glass is a fault.
Walls in Play
After the ball bounces on your side, it can hit your glass and still be returned. It cannot bounce twice.
Keeping Score Aloud
Call the score before every serve. It stops ninety per cent of arguments at social sessions.