How to run a padel Mexicano, step by step
To run a padel Mexicano, set up as for an Americano: players, courts and points per match. Draw round 1 at random. After every round, sort the standings and fill each court from the top, 1st and 4th against 2nd and 3rd. Rotate the rests fairly, stop after the planned rounds and crown the top scorer.
Set up players, courts and points
Start as for an Americano: one court per four players you want on court at once, and 24 points per match, about 16 minutes a round.
Draw round 1 at random
Nobody has points yet, so round 1 is a random mix and some matches will be one-sided. If you know your group well, seed round 1 by level instead and the courts get close one round sooner.
Collect every score
You can't draw the next round until every score from this one is in. Ask each court to report as soon as it finishes, with both sides agreeing the score before they leave: a disputed score holds up every court.
Sort the table and draw the next round
Sort everyone by points, highest first, and fill the courts four at a time:
| Court | Players | Match |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1st to 4th | 1st and 4th against 2nd and 3rd |
| 2 | 5th to 8th | 5th and 8th against 6th and 7th |
| 3 | 9th to 12th | 9th and 12th against 10th and 11th |
Players level on points go in order of point difference.
Rotate the rests
If the group doesn't divide into fours, pick who sits out before filling the courts. Rest players in turn: nobody twice in a row while the numbers allow it, and games level or one apart at most.
Some groups rest the bottom of the table instead. It's quicker, but the players who most need games get fewer. Agree the rule before round 1.
Stop after the planned rounds
Plan at least five. The table needs a few rounds to sort itself out, and it only starts to feel like a Mexicano from round 3 or 4.
Crown the winner
Most points wins, with ties going to point difference, then wins (standings guide). For a bigger finish, add a final: 1st and 3rd against 2nd and 4th (knockout guide).
Questions people ask
How do you draw the next round in a Mexicano?
Sort the standings by points. Put the top four on court 1, with 1st and 4th against 2nd and 3rd, then the next four on court 2 in the same pattern, and so on down the table.
How many rounds should a Mexicano have?
At least five, so the table has time to sort itself out. In two hours at 24 points you can play seven or eight.
Should the first round of a Mexicano be random?
Usually, yes. If you already know the levels in your group you can seed round 1 by level instead, which gets the courts close one round sooner.
What if two players have the same points in a Mexicano?
Use the same tie-breakers as the final table, point difference first and then wins. If they are still level, either order works for the draw.