Padel Rules Explained: Scoring, Serve, Walls and Golden Point

By Tennis Rackets UK Editorial Team · Updated 17 September 2026 · Sources checked

Contents

Padel is always played as doubles on an enclosed 10 × 20 m court. The rules below summarise the FIP Rules of Padel that apply from 1 January 2026. Local competitions can adopt variants, so check with your club or event.

Scoring

Points: 15, 30, 40, game. At 40–40 (deuce) the next point is “advantage”, and a pair must win two points in a row to take the game.
Sets: first to 6 games with a two-game margin. Matches are best of three sets.
Tie-break: first to 7 points with a two-point lead. The first server serves one point from the right, then each side serves two points in turn. Ends change every 6 points.

Try our interactive tennis and padel scorer. Just starting out? Read how to play padel.

Golden point

An alternative to advantage: at 40–40 one deciding point is played. The receiving pair chooses whether to receive on the right or left.

Star point

A further FIP option: deuce is played with advantage (“deuce 1”, “advantage 1”…) until “deuce 3”, when a single deciding Star Point is played.

The serve

Stand with one foot behind the service line.
Bounce the ball on the ground before hitting it.
Hit it at or below waist height.
It must land in the diagonally opposite service box.
You get a second serve if the first is a fault.

The serve is a fault if it bounces outside the receiver’s box or touches the metal fence before its second bounce. It is a let (replayed) if it touches the net or posts and lands in the box without then hitting the fence before the second bounce, or if the receiver wasn’t ready.

Walls, glass and fence

After bouncing in your opponents’ half, the ball may hit the walls or fence and stays in play. It must be returned before it bounces a second time.
You may play the ball off your own walls to return it.
If the court allows play outside the court and the ball leaves over a side wall or through the door, play can continue until it bounces a second time or touches something unrelated to the court. Where outside play isn’t authorised, a ball that leaves the court after bouncing wins the point for the hitter.

Changing ends

Pairs change ends after the 1st, 3rd and every subsequent odd game of each set, and every 6 points in a tie-break.

Coaching note: the underarm, waist-height serve takes away the ace-based power game players bring from tennis. Teach the serve as the start of a net-taking pattern (serve, then move to the volley position), not as a weapon.

Frequently asked questions

Is padel scoring the same as tennis?

Yes: 15, 30, 40, game; six games to a set with a two-game margin; best of three sets; tie-break to 7 points by two. Padel also allows golden point or star point formats at deuce.

What is the golden point in padel?

At 40–40, one deciding point is played instead of advantage. The receiving pair chooses whether to receive on the right or the left.

What is the star point in padel?

An FIP scoring option in which deuce is played as advantage up to a third deuce (“deuce 3”). If the score reaches that point, a single deciding “Star Point” is played.

Can you serve overarm in padel?

No. The ball must be bounced first and struck at or below waist height, with one foot behind the service line.

Can the ball hit the fence on a serve?

The serve must land in the diagonal service box. It is a fault if it hits the metal fence before the second bounce. It may hit the glass.

Sources

FIP — Rules of Padel (application from 01.01.2026)