How to run a padel Americano tournament

Americano is the simplest way to run a tournament with friends. There are no fixed pairs and no bracket: partners change every match and everyone collects points for themselves. All you need is 4 people and one court.

How Americano works

In each round you play with a different partner against different opponents. A match runs to a set total of points for both pairs, for example 21. With a score of 12-9, both players on the first pair get 12 points and both players on the second pair get 9.

After the last round, the player with the most points wins. So every point counts, even in a match you lose.

How many players and courts

Each court takes 4 players. With 4 players, 3 rounds are enough for everyone to partner everyone else. A bigger group needs more rounds or more courts.

If there are more players than places on court, some sit out each round. The same happens when the number of players doesn't divide by 4, for example with 5 or 6 people.

How many points to play

It depends on how much time you have. The times below are rough, because the pace of play varies.

Who serves

Serving works like a tie-break: the first player serves once, then each player in turn serves twice. That way everyone serves about the same number of times. It's worth agreeing this before you start, so there are no arguments on court.

What about sit-outs

A player who sits out shouldn't lose out. So they get sit-out points, usually half of the match total, for example 10 points when playing to 21. Sit-outs should be shared evenly, so nobody sits out twice in a row.

How to settle a tie

In Padelano, players level on points are separated by wins, then point difference, then head-to-head.

Does skill level matter

Americano works well in a mixed group, because everyone plays with everyone and nobody is left out. Just remember that your result also depends on who you are paired with. If your group wants closer matches, Mexicano is a better fit, as players are matched with others on a similar score.

Late arrivals and early exits

A late player can join from the next round and gets sit-out points for the rounds they missed. Someone who has to leave early finishes the current round, and their points stay on the leaderboard.

How to do it in Padelano

1. Choose Americano, the total points and the number of courts.
2. Enter the players' names and tap Start.
3. Send the tournament link to your group or show the QR code.
4. Anyone can enter a score from their own phone, and the leaderboard updates itself.
5. At the end, share the results with your friends.

The app is free, runs in the browser and needs no account. It sets the pairs and sit-outs for you, and suggests a good moment to finish.