The mechanics of a padel match are constantly evolving. World Padel Tour and the International Padel Federation incorporate new regulations to make the game more interesting.
The Gold Point was a new rule change introduced by the World Padel Tour in 2020. It’s recognized as one of the alternative scoring methods in padel.
But why was it called the gold point? Why is it coined as the sudden death of a game?
These could be a few questions you have in mind at the moment. You’ll have the answer to those and a whole lot more about the gold point of padel in this article which is a part of our Padel University series.
What is golden point in padel?
The gold point is a new scoring method introduced by the World Padel Tour to bring more excitement to the game.
The decisive gold point is also referred to as El Punto de Oro in Spanish. It’s played when the game’s score has reached deuce (40-40), or both teams have earned three points each of a game.
Instead of playing the advantage rule where the teams must win two consecutive points, players are only required to play one point to win the game.
This makes the game more intense as players get competitive to race for the decisive gold point.
The receiving pair will decide if they receive the service on the left side or right side of the court. But, they aren’t allowed to change position to receive the golden point.
The pair who wins the point automatically wins the game.
This new rule is made in hopes of hyping up the padel fans in the match, both live and in English language commentary broadcasts on YouTube.
Introduction and implementation
As previously mentioned, the gold point in padel is a new regulation first introduced by the World Padel Tour in 2020.
It’s an added measure to have more dynamic and exciting games organized by the World Padel Tour (Master Final, Master, Open, and Challenger).
It was first implemented in the Cervezas Victoria Marbella Master, which was held in February and March of 2020.
Such a rule is revolutionary in the world of padel. It’s believed to be one of the most significant changes in regulations registered for professional padel following the out-of-court play.
The gold padel point rule and the contract signed by professional players are published as part of the official regulations by the International Padel Federation.
For your reference, here’s the complete rule book, by the International Padel Federation:
Technical Rules Book for International Tournaments, FIP TOUR
This new alternative scoring method is designed to keep the games intense, exciting, and short.
World Padel Tour Director General, Mario Hernando, highlighted that padel is a competition that’s constantly evolving. In his words, he mentioned that:
In previous seasons we decided to modify the official court or the type of grass, this year we introduced the Gold Point with the same objective: to energize the game and make it more attractive for fans who enjoy it live and for those who follow it through television or streaming.
Mario Hernando of WPT
In the future, you can expect that there are new rules to spice up padel games, similar to how the World Padel Tour proposed the gold decisive point.
Reception amongst professional players
The World Padel Tour considers the golden point a GREAT addition to padel rules. It’s a new scoring method designed to make padel matches more intense for players and fans.
But, what can most professional padel players say about the gold point?
There were different reactions when the World Padel Tour introduced the decisive point.
Not many professional players liked the thought of the golden point. This is most especially among players who like long and tight games.
However, some said that the decisive point puts pressure inside the game area, which makes the game exciting.
Players under the World Padel Tour have a contract signed where they agree to play by the new rule in WPT competitions (Master Final, Master, Open, and Challenger).
The new contract signed with the World Padel Tour from 2019 onwards includes a clause where players agree to use the golden point in main tournaments.
Professional players who renewed their contracts with the World Padel Tour beginning that year are contractually bound to play under the new rule in future matches.
Who receives the serve in a gold point?
The serving team in a gold point is the last pair to earn a point to secure a tie. Their opponents, on the other hand, will be the receiving team.
The receiving team can choose whether to receive the service on the left side or right side of the court.
Hence, they have the upper hand to FORCE the serving team to play their weaker side.
However, the receiving couple isn’t allowed to change position. They must stay in their original positions to return the service.
Once the side of the court is chosen, the gold point is played similarly to other padel points.
Recommended reading:
Is there a maximum limit of golden points in a match?
There is an absolute maximum limit on earning golden points in a padel match.
Suppose all three sets in a match go to a tie-break. In this case, 12 golden points are expected to be played with a score of 6-6 in three sets.
Hence, the absolute maximum limit in a three-set match is 36 golden points.
However, the likelihood of reaching the maximum number of golden points in a tournament is not that high.
Will the golden point make padel matches shorter?
The World Padel Tour said that they introduced the golden point as one of the alternative scoring methods to make a padel match short.
They believe that the golden point can put an easy end to the neverending deuce-advantage point cycle played between players.
However, it was also said that it could only save two minutes of the tournament when you situate it in the final of the 2019 Cervezas Victoria Marbella Master.
Plus, the chances of having neverending deuce-advantage games are relatively low.
But, as Director General Mario Hernando said, the new rule is a new scoring method designed to make the tournament more exciting.
Even if it doesn’t shorten the game’s duration on a significant level, it can still bring VALUE to the tournament in terms of entertainment.
Who benefits from the gold point rules in padel matches?
The receiving pair likely has the upper hand in the competition when we talk about the golden point.
They have a free breakpoint advantage and can force their opponents to play their weaker side of the court.
Conclusion
Padel fans look forward to BREATH-STOPPING and EXCITING games in every competition. Hence, the World Padel Tour makes new rules for the main draw.
The game is also believed to be ever-changing. They do modifications, like altering the official court or introducing a new regulation from time to time.
The World Padel Tour has the same objective of bringing more excitement to the game as other rules introduced in previous seasons.
In the 2020 Cervezas Victoria Marbella Master, the golden point was introduced and implemented.
Once the score of deuce is called, players compete for the decisive point. The pair who wins the point is automatically the winner of the match.
Such an alternative scoring method brings tension to the gameplay between opposing teams as they race to win the match.
Frequently asked questions about the golden point in padel
At this point, you might already be excited to play, score a gold point and dominate the court. But, if you’re still a bit confused, we’ll answer a few questions you might ask.
A gold point is played when each team scored three points each or when the score deuce is called. It’s a final tie-breaker point that decides who wins the game.
The golden point is a measure added to make the main tournaments of the World Padel Tour more dynamic and ferocious. They also aim to break long games between opposing teams.
The team who makes the service is the one who won the last point and secured a tie. Hence, the receiving couple is the opposing team. The receiving pair can choose to play the service on any side of the court. Once the players have decided on which side of the court to receive the serve, the ball is played like usual.
There is a deuce in padel. It’s the tie-break point that must be won for the team to win the game. This is called when both teams won three points each (at 40-40). The exception is if the game in its entirety is played using the golden point, then there’s no deuce played.
Lucas Sánchez is the founder of SimplePadel. Born and raised in Spain, Lucas has been living in the US and UK for the last 20 years and currently calls Miami his home. While he’s never played professionally, the dream is still alive.
Lucas loves nothing more than playing (and talking) about padel, and he considers himself lucky to have a wife and family that share his love for the game.
3 replies on “Gold Point in Padel, the Sudden Death of a Game”
[…] the World Padel Tour introduced the gold point (Punto de Oro) as an alternative scoring method to shorten the tie-break game. The team who wins the deciding […]
[…] With a deuce score, the alternative method can be used for scoring. It’s a ‘no advantage‘ or no gold point (El Punto de Oro) method. […]
[…] also an alternative rule called “The Gold Point” (or El Punto de Oro in Spanish) where no advantage is played. This was first introduced in 2020 […]