The 40-40 rule in padel is what happens when both teams reach 40 points in the same game. That moment is called deuce. At deuce, two rules can decide who wins. The advantage system or the golden point. Most UAE clubs use the golden point. Professional padel moved to a new format called the star point in 2026.
Padel uses the same point structure as tennis: 0, 15, 30, 40, then game. Both teams need to win by a clear margin. When both sides reach 40, that margin disappears. The 40-40 rule then determines what happens next, and which version applies depends on your match format. New players often notice the jump from 30 to 40. The third point is worth 10, not 15. This comes from tennis. At 40-40, the deciding phase begins. This article covers both and what to expect when you play in Dubai.
The Two Rules at 40-40: Advantage vs Golden Point
Not every padel match handles deuce the same way. Before the first serve, it helps to know which version your session follows. The advantage system works like tennis. After 40-40, one team earns advantage by winning the next point. Win the following point too and the game is theirs. Lose it and the score returns to 40-40. Some leagues prefer this because one mistake does not end the game.
The golden point removes the back-and-forth entirely. When the score reaches 40-\40, one more point is played and whoever wins it wins the game. Most sessions at Tennis 360 venues use this format because it keeps matches on schedule. If you are not sure which rule applies, ask the session organiser before you start.
The Golden Point: How It Works
At 40-40 under the golden point, the receiving team chooses which side the serve comes to. Most beginners do not know this. The server does not pick the target freely. The receiving pair decides, serve to the right or to the left. The serving team already controls the pace of the first ball. Giving the receiving side a choice levels that out.
For the receiving team, the call is direct: put your steadier returner in front of the serve. At Tennis 360 courts, the golden point is called and both teams have seconds to set positions. Teams that have discussed this before the match are better placed than those working it out under pressure.
The 2026 Star Point: What Changed
Professional padel changed its 40-40 rule at the start of 2026. The new format is called the star point. When a game reaches 40-40, normal advantage play begins. If the team with advantage wins the next point, the game is over. Lose it and one more advantage round follows. After the second advantage is played and lost, the next point is decisive.
Whoever wins it wins the game. In 2026, the FIP introduced this at the Riyadh P1 Premier Padel. FIP President Luigi Carraro cited a real example. One game ran 18 minutes and 30 seconds under the old system. Under the star point, it would have taken about 4 minutes. The rule applies to Premier Padel and FIP Tour events, not UAE club play.
Which Rule Applies in the UAE?
Whatever format Premier Padel uses does not carry over to your local Dubai club. Club Padel in the UAE is not governed by Premier Padel. The padel rules depend on the club, the league format, or what both teams agree beforehand. In 2026, professional padel moved to the star point. UAE recreational play has not changed. Most clubs still use the golden point for casual games. At Tennis 360 venues across Meydan, JGE, and Dubai Festival City, the session organiser sets the format. Agree on the rule before the first serve.
The 40-40 rule is not complicated. What trips players up is not knowing which version is in play. For recreational play in the UAE, the golden point is what you will most often see. At professional level in 2026, the star point replaced it. At Tennis 360 courts across Dubai, ask before play begins. A short check removes any dispute when the score gets tight.
