How a padel Americano works

In an Americano you play with a new partner every round, keep every point your team wins, and whoever has the most points at the end wins. It’s the friendliest way to mix a group.

The idea in one minute

1. 1Four players share a court, two against two.
2. 2Each match is a set number of points, like 24. No games, no sets.
3. 3Every player keeps the points their team won.
4. 4Next round, partners and opponents change.
5. 5After the last round, the most points wins.

Points, not games

There’s no deuce and no tiebreak. Count rallies until the total reaches the target, so a 24-point match can end 15–9, 13–11 or even 12–12. Most groups let each player serve a quarter of the points: 6 each in a 24-point match.

Everyone partners everyone

The rotation is what makes it work. With 8 players on 2 courts, 7 rounds is enough for everyone to partner everyone else exactly once, and face each of them twice. Padellama uses this perfect schedule for 8, 12 and 16 players, and for other numbers spreads partners and opponents as evenly as it can.

Who wins

Add up each player’s points from every round. Most points wins. A tie goes to the player with more wins, then to the points difference in matches between the tied players.

Run one tonight

1. 1Paste everyone’s names into Padellama.
2. 2Pick the courts and the points per match.
3. 3Tap Start: the app shows who plays where.
4. 4Enter each score as matches finish. Standings update straight away.
5. 5Share a live link so players can follow, or enter their own scores, from their phones.

Odd numbers are fine too: see how sit-outs work. If levels vary a lot, try balanced teams or a Mexicano.

More guides

• Americano vs Mexicano→
• How many rounds→
• Scoring sit-outs→
• Balanced teams→