Since I started playing padel, and more specifically since I set up this website, I’ve found myself explaining the sport to loads of people in my personal life. In the UK where I live, padel still isn’t that popular – so it’s only natural that people are curious as to how it is played! Often when I’m explaining the sport, the first questions that people ask will usually relate to the way padel is scored. Plenty of people know the tennis scoring rules, and this leads them to wonder if padel is scored in the same way! During these conversations, talk usually turns to whether padel includes scores like ‘deuce’ or ‘advantage’, and that is what I’ll be covering for you in this post!
So, is there deuce & advantage in padel?
Yes, both deuce & advantage exist in padel. Deuce features in every match, but advantage doesn’t! Out of the three main professional padel circuits (World Padel Tour, A1 Padel & Premier Padel), only Premier Padel matches feature both deuce & advantage. World Padel Tour & A1 Padel matches use deuce & the ‘Golden Point’ instead.
If you’re playing padel matches at an amateur level and you’re just using the sport to have a bit of fun with your friends or to stay fit, feel free to decide on whatever rules you want. Most people know the ‘deuce’ and ‘advantage’ rules from tennis, so it’s common to use them. However, there are always people who want to change things up a little, and replacing advantage with the golden point rule in a match is a nice way to do that! Because these padel matches are recreational in nature, it doesn’t matter what rules you decide to use – so pick whatever you prefer!
If you’re an amateur player but you take part in amateur tournaments and competitive matches regularly, then this may be a little different! For example, if you’replaying in a tournament, that competition will probably have a specific set of rules that all of their matches will be played under. If you’re not sure what the rules are and whether advantage or the golden point will be used, I’d strongly recommend speaking to the tournament organiser, the umpires, your partner or one of your fellow players in order to get to the bottom of it! Let’s face it, nobody wants to be going into a padel match without knowing the rules they’re competing under, so make sure you get up to speed nice and early!
In the sections below I’ll briefly run you through what the terms ‘deuce’ and ‘advantage’ actually mean in a padel context, just in case any of you are not sure. I’ll also explain what the ‘golden point’ is, so you know what to expect when you’re watching/playing a game that features that!
What Is ‘Deuce’ In Padel?
Padel matches can be divided into sets, games and points. If a team wants to win a specific game, they will need to win a minimum of four points within that game. When a team wins their first point, this is referred to as ‘15’. The second point is ‘30’, the third is ‘40’, and the fourth and final point is simply referred to as ‘game’.
Whenever an individual game reaches a score of 40-40, this scoreline is referred to as ‘deuce’. So, whenever you hear an umpire or a commentator call that the score is ‘deuce’, you should immediately know that each team has won 3 points within the game and that the score is 40-40.
When the score is deuce, there are two different ways that the game can be won, and this depends on the rules of the game that you’re playing! The first way is using the ‘advantage’ rule, and the second is by using the ‘golden point’ rule. Let’s explore them below!
What Is ‘Advantage’ In Padel?
Padel games that are played using deuce and advantage must always be won by two clear points. This means that if the score in a game is deuce (40-40), one team will need to win two consecutive points in order to win the match.
So, let’s imagine a quick scenario. You’re watching a padel match that is being played under the deuce/advantage rules, and the score in one of the individual games is deuce (40-40). Then, one team wins a point. What score is given to them now? We know that they can’t be awarded the game at this moment, because they would only be one point in front. As we’ve already discussed, a padel match featuring the deuce/advantage rules requires players to win games by two clear points. So, what score is used in this instance? Well, this is where ‘advantage’ comes in! When the score is deuce and a team wins a point, they will be given the score of advantage. If they win the point after that, they will be awarded the game!
If the score is advantage and then the other team wins a point, the score will return to deuce and the whole pattern will play out once again.
What Is The Golden Point In Padel?
Now that you know what deuce is and how it links with the advantage rule, it’s only right that I also cover what the golden point rule is! The golden point is a relatively recent addition to the sport of padel, and it was included to add an element of unpredictability to the sport, making matches a little more entertaining for spectators. If you’d like, you can read my full in-depth post on the golden point by clicking here, but if you’re just wanting a brief explanation, feel free to read on below…
The golden point also comes into effect when the score in a game is at deuce (40-40). In this scenario, the golden point simply means that whoever wins the next point wins the game. So, if a game is being played between Team A and Team B, and the score in that game is deuce, both teams will be aware that they need to win the next point in order to win the game. The addition of the golden point leads to more breaks in serve and in my opinion makes the sport a tad more exciting!
Summary
I hope that this post has helped you to understand what ‘deuce’, ‘advantage’ and the ‘golden point’ are, and I also hope you’ve learned how they work in a padel context! To summarise, deuce is part of every padel match, but what happens after deuce is decided by the rules of the padel match you’re playing in. One option is the advantage rule, where one team will have to win two consecutive points to win the game, and the other option is the golden point rule. This rule means whoever wins the next point wins the game!
The golden point definitely comes with a bit more pressure, so make sure you’re prepared for that if you’re playing in a match that features those rules!