40–40 does not always mean the same thing. If you are following FIP Bronze Paraguay IV in Asunción, understanding when the Star Point arrives helps you spot a decisive moment without mistaking it for the end of the match.
The official event page places the main draw on October 9–11, 2026 at La Quinta Sports. This is a guide to reading the game, not a match report or live result. Check match times and admission arrangements with the organizer.
First: a point, a game and a set are different
Points progress through 15, 30 and 40 before a game is won. Games make up a set. CUPRA FIP Tour matches are best of three sets: the pair that wins two wins the match.
Hearing “deciding point” therefore does not automatically mean “match point.” It may settle just one game, with plenty of padel still to come.
What changes at deuce
FIP announced Star Point for the circuit in 2026. First comes an advantage; if it is not converted, play returns to deuce. There is a second advantage opportunity. If that is not converted either, the next point decides the game. It is not an immediate golden point at the first 40–40.
A worked example to keep track
This is an invented example, not a tournament score: A and B reach 40–40. A wins a point for advantage; B wins the next to cancel it. Then B takes advantage, but A levels again. Now comes the Star Point: whoever wins the next point takes the game.
For that point, the receiving pair chooses the receiving side. Its players cannot swap positions to receive it. Section 11.1.9 of the 2026 CUPRA FIP Tour rulebook specifies this system across tournament categories, in both qualifying and main draws.
What about your own group in Paraguay?
Do not automatically carry the tour format into your next court booking. The general rules include different scoring options. Agree on the system before the first serve, and check the regulations when entering a local competition.
For this weekend, separate two questions: use the official Paraguay IV page for the programme and our order-of-play guide to interpret the schedule. This explanation adds the other piece: what each point can decide.
