Playing levels: what your 0 to 7 level means

A good match is a close match. If you play someone far above you, you barely touch the ball; if you play someone far below you, you get bored. That is why every MeetAndPlay player has a level, a number on a scale from 0 to 7 used to set up balanced matches in padel, tennis and pickleball. This guide explains what each number means, how your first one is calculated and how it changes.

One scale for three sports

The scale is the same in all three sports: it runs from 0 to 7 and is shown with decimals, for example 3.2. What changes is what each sport expects, because a level measures how well you play compared with the other players of that sport. A 3.5 in padel and a 3.5 in tennis sit in the same place within their own community, even though the shots are different.

You have a separate level for each sport. Being advanced at tennis does not automatically make you advanced at padel: the walls and the solid racket are another world.

The five bands

To make the number readable at a glance, the scale is split into five bands. Each one describes what you can do and where you will find your match, not what you are missing.

• Getting started (0 to 2). You are just starting out. In padel you can hit the ball after it comes off the wall; in tennis you get your serve in and keep a short rally going; in pickleball you serve, respect the two-bounce rule and stay out of the kitchen. Your matches are in lessons and games open to beginners.
• Making progress (2 to 3). You can hold a full point now. In padel you defend off the back wall without getting stuck; in tennis you string forehands and backhands together from the baseline; in pickleball you reach the kitchen line and hold a dink rally. Social matches with players around your level suit you well.
• Intermediate (3 to 4). Your matches are close and tactical. In padel you move up to the net with your partner and finish the point; in tennis you have a reliable second serve and play with direction; in pickleball you control the third shot and dink with intent. This is the most common level: there is a game almost any day.
• Advanced (4 to 5). You set the pace of the point. In padel you handle the bandeja and come off the wall under pressure; in tennis you vary spin and depth and come to the net when it is time; in pickleball you choose between drive and drop and win the exchanges at the net. Look for level-marked matches or amateur tournaments.
• Competitive (5 to 7). You compete seriously. In padel you build the point to open a gap and put it away; in tennis you sustain your game plan over three sets; in pickleball you reset the point, speed up at the right time and read your partner. Your matches are in tournaments and high-level challenges.

How your first level is calculated

When you sign up you answer a short questionnaire for each sport. There are no right or wrong answers: the goal is to place you close to your real level so your first match is even. The questions look like this:

• How often do you play? From "I have never played" to "I compete regularly".
• How many years have you been playing? Less than one, one to three, three to seven or more than seven.
• Have you played tournaments or leagues? Never, internal club events, regional tournaments or tournaments with a federation ranking.
• On this scale, where would you place yourself? Beginner, progressing, intermediate, advanced or competitive.

Each answer adds to a total, and the total is converted to the 0 to 7 scale. The questionnaire branches: if you say you have never played, we do not ask about tournaments.

If you hold a federation licence — from the Mexican Padel Federation (FMP), the Mexican Tennis Federation (FMT) or the pickleball federation (FEMEXPB) — you can enter it with your ranking category and your starting level is taken from there, skipping the other questions. The categories map like this:

• Beginner / Sixth category: around 1.
• Intermediate / Fourth-Fifth: around 3.
• Advanced / Second-Third: around 5.
• Professional / First: around 6.5.

How your level changes

The questionnaire is only the starting point. After that your level moves with what happens on court:

• Match results. When players confirm a match result, your level adjusts according to who you played and how it went. Beating a stronger pair moves you up more than beating a weaker one.
• Feedback from other players. After a match your partners and opponents can say whether your level felt right to them. That feedback is information for you; it does not change your number automatically.
• Lowering your level. If you overrated yourself at the start and your matches feel too hard, you can lower it yourself, within some limits to prevent abuse.
• A level test with a coach. A club coach can assess you on court and set your level more precisely.

The more you play, the more reliable your number becomes. That is why your first matches can move your level more than later ones.

Using your level to find a match

• Look for open matches whose range includes your level. Half a point either way usually makes for close matches.
• In padel and pickleball, which are played in pairs, what matters is the balance between the two pairs: a 4 with a 2 can be an even match for two players at 3.
• If you are going to a pick-up game (a reta) or an americana, ask about the level first. Many clubs split americanas by level.
• Do not obsess over the number. It is a tool for better matches, not a grade.

A question we hear often

Many people ask whether their level from another app or from their club "counts" here. Scales are not the same across systems, so we recommend answering the questionnaire honestly and letting your matches do the rest. Within a few weeks your number reflects how you really play.