Match Formats

Padel offers several official match formats to suit different contexts — from full professional matches to club competitions with time constraints. See scoring system for point and game scoring, alternative scoring methods for the three official FIP format alternatives, and timings for the full time limit rules.

Standard Match Format

The default format for official competition is best-of-three sets:

Each set is won by the first team to reach 6 games with a minimum 2-game lead
If the set reaches 6-6, a tiebreak is played
The match is won by the team that wins 2 sets

Tiebreak (Standard — First to 7)

A standard tiebreak is played when a set reaches 6-6:

Points are counted 0, 1, 2, 3… (not 15, 30, 40)
First team to 7 points wins, provided they lead by 2 or more points
If it reaches 6-6 in the tiebreak, play continues until one team leads by 2
See Scoring System for full tiebreak service rotation

Alternative Formats

Super Tiebreak (Match Tiebreak — First to 10)

Used in place of a full third set in many tournaments:

Played when the match is tied at one set each
First team to 10 points wins, with a minimum 2-point lead
Follows the same service rotation rules as a standard tiebreak
This format is widely used in professional and recreational competition to manage match duration

Golden Point (Deuce Rule)

When enabled, replaces the “Advantage” rule at deuce (40-40):

Next point is the Golden Point — whoever wins it wins the game
No “Advantage” situation; no need to win by 2 consecutive points
In mixed doubles, the Golden Point must be served and received by players of the same gender

Four Games (Mini Set)

A shortened set format:

First team to 4 games wins the set, with a minimum 2-game lead
If tied at 4-4, a tiebreak is played

Warm-up

Before each match, there is an obligatory 3-minute courtesy rally between players.

Match Start (Walk Over)

If a team is not on court and ready to play within 10 minutes of the scheduled start time:

A walk over is awarded to the team that is present
The absent team forfeits the match

Changeovers During the Match

Moment	Time allowed
Change of ends	90 seconds
Between sets	120 seconds
Tiebreak side change	20 seconds

Summary Table

Format	Set winner	Deuce	Final set
Standard	6 games, 2+ ahead	Advantage	Full set
Standard + Golden Point	6 games, 2+ ahead	Golden Point	Full set
Standard + Super Tiebreak	6 games, 2+ ahead	Advantage or Golden Point	Super Tiebreak to 10
Mini Set	4 games, 2+ ahead	Golden Point	Mini tiebreak