Are you new to padel and trying to figure out how the scoring works? Or maybe you're an experienced player wondering why some international tournaments use the "no-ad" system while others don’t? Let’s break it down.
Scoring in padel
Padel uses the same scoring system as tennis, based on points, games, and sets. Here's how a game is scored:
- No points: "Love"
- First point: "15"
- Second point: "30"
- Third point: "40"
- Fourth point: "Game"
Games start with the serve from the right side and alternate between right and left sides with each point. Scores are always announced from the perspective of the serving team.
If both teams reach 40, the score is called "deuce." To win the game (unless the “no-ad” rule applies), a pair must win two points in a row. After deuce, the next point gives one team the "advantage." Winning the following point secures the game. If the advantaged team loses the next point, the score returns to deuce.
Sets
A set is won by being the first team to take six games. If the score reaches 5-5, the set continues until one pair has a two-game lead. At 6-6, a tie-break is played. In the tie-break, points are counted as 0, 1, 2, and so on. The first team to reach seven points with a two-point lead wins the tie-break and the set. If there is no two-point lead, the tie-break continues until one is achieved.
In professional tournaments, matches are won by securing two sets. However, amateur competitions often allow for more flexible formats. These can include playing a single set to nine games, using a 10-point super tie-break to settle ties when teams split the first two sets, or implementing other creative scoring systems tailored to the event's schedule and structure.
The “No-Ad” rule
The "no-ad" system, also called the “golden point,” removes the advantage phase after deuce. At 40-40, a single decisive point is played, and the receiving team chooses which side the serve will come from. The winner of that point takes the game.
This format is commonly used in some tournaments, such as those on the FIP Tour, but the leading competition, the Premier Padel circuit, chose to keep the traditional advantage system after seeking input from players during its early days. Whether this approach will evolve over time is still uncertain...