Padel levels: what is my level?

"What's your level?" is the first question you hear when you want to join a padel match, and hardly anyone can answer it with confidence. This guide helps you place yourself with a practical checklist of what you can do on court, band by band, on the 0 to 7 scale MeetAndPlay uses. At the end we explain how your first level is calculated and how it is earned or adjusted over time. If you want the explanation of the scale for all three sports, it is in our guide to playing levels.

Before you start: how to read this guide

Your level is not a grade, it is a way of finding even matches. To place yourself, read the bands below and settle on the highest one where you meet almost everything, not the one you meet on your best days. If you are torn between two, choose the lower one: it is far nicer to climb by playing than to drop after three matches where you barely touched the ball.

Remember too that each sport has its own level. If you come from tennis you probably hit the ball well, but the walls are another story: it is normal to start a little lower than you expect.

Starting (0 to 2): you are learning the game

You are in this band if you recognise yourself in most of these statements:

• You are taking your first lessons or have been playing for a few months.
• You serve underarm and get the serve in almost every time, though without direction.
• You hit the ball after it rebounds off the back wall, but when it comes off two walls you still struggle.
• Points last a few shots and almost always end in an error.
• You stay at the back of the court and go up to the net only now and then.

Your games are in lessons, beginner open matches and entry-level americanas.

Progressing (2 to 3): you can sustain points

You are in this band if:

• You play regularly and sustain rallies of several shots.
• You defend with the back wall without getting stuck in the corner.
• You know you have to go to the net with your partner, though you do not always pick the right moment.
• Your volley comes off, but you cannot direct it yet.
• The lob exists in your game, although it sometimes falls short.

You fit in well at social matches and retas with people of your level.

Intermediate (3 to 4): you play with tactics

This is the most common band. You are here if:

• You go to the net with your partner and finish points from there.
• Your lob is a tool to win back the net, not just a way out of trouble.
• You come off the side and back walls with some confidence.
• You use the bandeja to hold the net, though not always with good depth.
• You understand when to attack and when to wait for your opponents' error.

There are matches at this level almost any day, at almost any club.

Advanced (4 to 5): you set the pace

You are in this band if:

• You handle the bandeja and the víbora with intent, aiming at a specific area.
• You come off the wall under pressure and turn defence into attack.
• You smash to send the ball out of the court or to make it come back to your side with spin.
• You read your opponents' game and coordinate with your partner without talking.
• You often play amateur tournaments or level-restricted matches.

Competitive (5 to 7): you compete seriously

This band is for people who compete regularly. You are here if:

• You build the point to open a gap and finish it.
• You have an answer for any ball: contrapared, coming down off the wall, drop shot.
• You keep your level through a long match and under scoreboard pressure.
• You play ranked tournaments or the top categories at your club or in your state.

How your first level is calculated

When you sign up to MeetAndPlay you answer a short padel questionnaire: how often you play, how many years you have been playing, whether you have played tournaments or leagues and which band you would place yourself in. The answers are converted to the 0 to 7 scale. The questionnaire adapts: if you say you have never played, it does not ask about tournaments.

If you hold a Mexican Padel Federation licence, you can enter your category and your starting level is taken from it:

• Sixth category: around 1.
• Fourth or fifth category: around 3.
• Second or third category: around 5.
• First category: around 6.5.

Until the MeetAndPlay team verifies your licence, your level starts at 3, the middle, whichever category you enter; once it is verified, your category applies. If you would rather not wait, answer the questionnaire instead.

If you come from another app or your club's own scale, use it as a reference when answering the questionnaire, not as an exact equivalent: each system measures differently.

How your level is earned and adjusted

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

• Confirmed results. When the players confirm a match result, your level adjusts according to who you played and how it went. Beating a stronger pair raises it more than beating a weaker one.
• Other players' opinions. Your partners and opponents can say whether your level seemed right to them. It is information for you; it does not change your number automatically.
• Lowering your level. If you overrated yourself at the start, you can lower it yourself, within some limits to prevent abuse.
• Assessment by a coach. A coach at a club can watch you play and set your level more precisely.

Your first matches move your level more, because the system still knows little about you. With each confirmed match your number becomes more reliable.

Signs that your level is off

• You lose almost every match by a wide margin. Your level is probably high; lower it or play a few matches so it adjusts.
• You always win without effort. Your level is low; it will keep rising with your results.
• Your opponents tell you it does not fit. Take it as a hint and go through the checklist above honestly.

In short

Place yourself in the highest band where you meet almost everything, answer the questionnaire honestly and let your matches do the rest. After a few weeks of play, your level will reflect how you really play and your matches will be more even.