The rules of the circuit
Season 2 · Effective from the opening of matches
Match format
Each match is played in 2 winning sets. To fit within time slots and ensure a clean finish, the golden point rule applies at 40-40: a single rally decides the game.
The maximum duration of a match is 90 minutes. If time runs out before the end, the match is awarded to the team with the highest number of games won. Points in progress (30-15, 40-30…) are not counted.
Scoring system
Each match distributes points across several criteria. Losing does not exclude you from the rankings: consistency pays off as much as winning.
if all 4 players confirm
Booster evenings
An evening open to every member of the season, to meet as many players as possible at once: we play an Americano, short matches where you change partner every round, then a social get-together. An evening costs one ticket, like a regular match.
At the end of the Americano, players are ranked from first to last, and points follow that ranking. Games won do not count: only the rank does.
twice a win
like a loss
spread evenly by rank
for every player there, whatever happens
Example with 12 players: 60, 55, 51, 46, 42, 37, 33, 28, 24, 19, 15 and 10 points by rank, plus 20 points each for taking part, whatever happens. Players tied in the ranking share the points of their ranks.
Business between members
From a member's profile in the app, you can recommend a contact from your network. Points go to the member who recommends: once the other member confirms they got in touch, then when the deal closes. The member who receives it wins the business.
confirmed by the member in the app
on top, when the thank you is posted
a given member counts once a month
Deal amounts stay private and never count towards the ranking.
Absences and replacements
Dropping out is not a problem in itself: what hurts the circuit is a match that never happens. The scale therefore penalises the empty slot, not the absence.
no loss, the match goes ahead as planned
the match goes ahead, but the logistics are redone in a hurry
the match is cancelled, the other three lose their slot
the court is paid for and nobody can reorganise
Your replacement does not have to be a member of Padel Circle Cup: you may invite a friend, and so may the three other players of the match, as long as the level is a fair match. Your friend pays €20 for that match, once per person: to play again, they need to join the cup. Serious emergencies are reported to the team, force majeure is reviewed case by case.
Concrete examples
Standard win
Team 4.5 beats team 4.5 (6-4, 6-3) with lunch
30 (win) + 12 (games) + 20 (lunch)
= 62 pts
Honorable loss
Team 4.5 loses to team 4.5 (4-6, 3-6) with lunch
10 (loss) + 7 (games) + 20 (lunch)
= 37 pts
Win on time
The 90 minutes run out at 6-4, 3-2, no lunch
30 (win) + 9 (games)
= 39 pts
Absence with no replacement
The player drops out, nobody takes the slot, the match is cancelled
No match points, direct penalty
= −50 pts
Why this system?
It rewards consistency
Even when losing, you accumulate 30 to 40 points per match. No reason to turn down a match.
It rewards resistance
Games won count for both sides, capped at 12. A losing player who fought marks more than one who was swept aside, and a match stopped on time still reads in the score.
It gives equal weight to the table and the court
20 points for the shared meal is almost as much as a win. Clear message: lunch is as important as the sport itself.
It does not punish a declared level
The upset bonus and the underperformance penalty are suspended this quarter. As long as levels come from the players themselves, both lines pay whoever underrates themselves. They return next quarter, on real results.
Ranking and tiebreakers
The overall ranking aggregates points throughout the season and is updated every Monday at 8 AM. A weekly appointment that builds the suspense of the week.
In case of a tie, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
- Total number of games won during the season
- Number of wins
- Result of the head-to-head match
Score entry
One player per match enters the scores in the app within 30 minutes of the match end. They report the score of each set and confirm whether all four players shared the meal.
The full ranking is only recalculated once a week (Monday 8 AM), which creates anticipation and encourages regular consultation of the app.
Levels and sporting fairness
A team's level corresponds to the average of the two players, rounded to the nearest 0.5.
Example: Player A (5.0) + Player B (4.0) → Team level 4.5
To ensure balanced matches, teams can only challenge opponents within a ±1 level range. This guarantees enjoyable play and fair competition for everyone.
Fair play and conduct
Fair play, respect for opponents and conviviality are the core values of the circuit. Any disrespectful or unsporting behavior may result in suspension or permanent exclusion.
Participants play under their own responsibility. A personal sports insurance is recommended. Padel Circle Cup disclaims any liability in case of an accident occurring during matches.
A question about the rules?
support@padelcirclecup.com