The choice of competition format matters more than you might think. A format that clashes with your club's culture leads to low turnout, frustration and dropouts. A format that fits gets players signing up on their own, showing up on time and coming back the following season.
Below are seven formats that are common in the Netherlands, each with its strengths and weaknesses, plus concrete recommendations per sport.
The seven most-used competition formats
| Format | Sport | Number of players | Duration | Skill spread | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Americano | Padel, pickleball | 8 to 32 | 2 hours | High | Social evening |
| Mexicano | Padel | 12 to 24 | 2 to 3 hours | Low | Competitive, equal level |
| King of the Court | Padel, pickleball | 8 to 24 | 1 to 2 hours | Medium | High tempo, rotation |
| Beat the Box | Padel, tennis | 16 to 64 | 4 to 8 weeks | Low within box | Ongoing competition |
| Ladder | All sports | 12 to 200 | Ongoing | High | Long-term engagement |
| Group tournament | All sports | 16 to 64 | 1 day | Medium | Classic tournament |
| Team Clash | Padel, tennis | 2 to 8 teams | 1 day | High | Corporate tournament |
Each format in brief
Americano
Everyone plays with everyone, and your partner changes every round. Points are tracked individually. The best choice for a social evening where the skill gap is large, because it averages out over the rounds. More details.
Mexicano
Similar to the Americano but with ranked matchmaking. The best players face the best players each round, instead of being paired at random. It works for groups where the level is roughly equal and players want to play seriously.
King of the Court
Winners stay on the main court, losers rotate down. The tempo is high and there are no fixed rounds. Plenty of adrenaline. It works great for padel and pickleball, but less so for tennis because the rotation routine gets too complicated there. More details.
Beat the Box
Players are placed in groups of 4 by skill level, with promotion or relegation after each playing period. A classic for tennis and padel as a longer competition. It keeps the level within each box close together. More details.
Ladder
Players challenge each other and climb or drop on a running ranking. No fixed playing time needed. It works for all three sports. The best choice for clubs where players come in on different days. More details.
Classic group tournament
A group stage where everyone plays everyone within the group, followed by a knockout. One or two days. The classic tournament format, mainly for tennis and padel. It works less well for pickleball because a full day of play gets too demanding there.
Team Clash
Two or more teams take each other on across multiple matches. Suitable for corporate tournaments or cup-style competitions between clubs. More details.
Which fits padel
Padel is social and high tempo. The three formats that land best:
- Americano for one-off evenings and intro events
- King of the Court for midweek competition evenings
- Ladder for ongoing internal competitions
Padel clubs setting up an internal competition for the first time are best off starting with a ladder or an Americano series. Slams for padel clubs.
Which fits tennis
Tennis has the KNLTB competition as its foundation, but many clubs want something of their own alongside it. Three formats that work:
- Beat the Box as an internal autumn or winter competition
- Ladder for ongoing activity next to the KNLTB
- Classic group tournament as a club championship
Tennis is a poorer fit for the Americano or Mexicano because the rotation routine is slow (longer matches, a different court layout). Slams for tennis clubs.
Which fits pickleball
Pickleball is young and its audience is varied. Three recommendations:
- Americano for the first competition, because it is social and simple
- Box system as the club grows and skill gaps widen
- Ladder for clubs with players on different days
Avoid complicated group tournaments as a first competition: pickleball players are often new to organized sport and drop out when there is too much structure. Slams for pickleball clubs.
Decision tree: pick your format in 4 questions
- How many players do you have? Under 12: Americano or King of the Court. 12 to 32: Beat the Box or ladder. More than 32: ladder or group tournament.
- Do they all play on the same evening? Yes: Americano, Mexicano or group tournament. No, on different days: ladder.
- How big is the skill gap? Large: Americano (it averages out) or Beat the Box (boxes by level). Small: Mexicano or classic tournament.
- How long should it last? One evening: Americano or KOC. One day: group tournament. Several weeks: ladder or Beat the Box.
Slams supports all seven
Whichever format you choose, you need software that keeps track of the draw, scores and ranking for you. Slams supports all seven formats above and helps you create the group draw automatically, enter scores and show public standings. Start for free.
