For players
Rating systems in tennis and padel
In racket sports there is one condition for an enjoyable match: an opponent close to your level. Rating scales exist for exactly that — telling you in advance whether a stranger will give you a competitive match.
NTRP: the most clearly described scale
NTRP, from the United States, runs from 1.0 to 7.0 in half-point steps. Each step has a written description: at 2.5 a player struggles to keep the ball in court; at 4.0 they control direction and can construct a point.
The large majority of recreational players sit between 2.5 and 4.0. From 5.0 upwards you are in the territory of players with a tournament record.
ITN and UTR: different answers to the same question
ITN (International Tennis Number) runs from 10 down to 1 — a lower number is the better player, which is the single most common source of confusion for anyone used to NTRP.
UTR is calculated from actual match results rather than self-assessed, which makes it the most objective of the three. In exchange, it only works if you play recorded matches regularly.
Levels in padel
Padel has no single international scale as established as tennis has. What is used in practice is a scale of roughly 1 to 7 with short descriptions attached to each step.
A player coming from tennis usually starts lower in padel than their tennis rating: playing the walls and court positioning are a separate skill set and take time to settle.
Rating yourself
The most common mistake is rating yourself on your best day. These scales describe average performance; place yourself a step too high and your matches become one-sided, and the first thing you lose is the enjoyment.
A practical method: rate yourself half a step below where you think you are, then adjust after a few matches. Moving your level up is always easier than moving it down.
Levels do not carry across sports. You might be a 4.0 in tennis and an outright beginner in padel — which is exactly why the level has to be kept per sport.
What your level is actually used for
Your level is the input to opponent matching. When you share the hours you are free, players near your level see you; in a ladder league only opponents within range can be challenged.
Tournament category limits are tied to level too, so nobody ends up in a draw with a gap that cannot be closed.