The Ultimate Guide to Pickleball Brackets and Formats

Isn’t pickleball’s popularity soaring like a perfectly placed lob? As the sport continues to grow, so does the demand for competitive and friendly tournaments. Just last year, USA Pickleball sanctioned 195 tournaments. Can you imagine that? That’s not including the small tournaments in local communities.

If you’re planning on hosting a tournament, the pickleball brackets and formats are the first things you need to plan. Join us in learning what pickleball brackets and pickleball tournament formats are. We'll help you choose the perfect structure for your event to make sure that everyone has a fun and competitive experience.

• Understanding Pickleball Brackets
• Pickleball Tournament Formats
• Seeding and Ranking in Pickleball Tournaments
• Things to Consider for Tournament Brackets and Formats
• To Sum it Up
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Key Takeaways

Understanding Pickleball Brackets

A pickleball bracket is how the matches are organized in the tournament or league. This is different from the pickleball tournament formats. A pickleball bracket determines the order of the matches and which player will play against which until the last rounds are reached and a winner or winners are determined. Think of it like a ladder. All players will start at the bottom and as the tournament progresses, the winning players will go up. Players who lost in their round will either stop playing or go to another match.

Commonly Used Pickleball Brackets

•  Age - tournaments are sometimes divided by age so you can play with other players of your age.
• Adult - players aged 19 and over

• Junior - young players aged 18 and under

• Senior - older players aged 50+

There are some exceptions to this where younger professional players play against adults like Anna Leigh Waters and Jorja Johnson.

• Skill Level - this is a pickleball bracket that is always used. The players are divided based on their skill level so that you will only play against those who are the same level of your skills so that it’s fair. To determine your skill level, you’ll have to know your pickleball rating. You can use the most accurate rating, which is DUPR.
• Beginner - 2.00 - 2.99 rating
• Intermediate - 3.00 - 3.99 rating
• Advanced - 4.00 - 4.99
• Professional - 5.00 - 8.00
• Men and Women Division - this is also a pickleball bracket that is usually used. You can see top pickleball tournaments and leagues like the PPA Tour or MLP always have these divisions.
• Women’s Singles - this is where women players play 1v1 against other women only. 

• Men’s Singles - same concept as women’s single, only for men.

• Women’s Doubles - two women players in a team play against another team of women. Famous teams in women’s doubles are Anna Leigh Water and Leigh Waters, and Waters and Anna Bright.

• Men’s Doubles - the men’s version of women’s double. A famous team in men’s doubles is the Johns brothers, Ben and Collin.

• Mixed Doubles - a man and woman players can play in the same team against another team. A famous mixed doubles team is Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters.

• Wheelchair Division - this pickleball bracket is for people who use wheelchairs. Recently, the Biofreeze USA National Pickleball Championship by USA Pickleball (USAP/USAPA) included a wheelchair division in the 2024 tournament. Minto US Open Pickleball Championships also has a singles wheelchair division, and recently, added a hybrid wheelchair division for doubles where each team includes one player in a wheelchair and one standing player. 

Pickleball Tournament Formats

Pickleball tournament formats are structures and rules of the matches. This is where the seedings happen to determine who will go to the next rounds. 

• Single Elimination - in a single elimination round, if you lose once then you're out of the game. 

• Double Elimination - in the double elimination, you get two chances to win. If you lose once, you still get another chance to redeem yourself so you can move to the next round. 

• Consolation Round - this is usually for single and double elimination rounds. This is to give a second chance to players who lost in the earlier rounds so they get additional play times and consolation prizes. 

• Round Robin - this is one of the pickleball tournament formats that is usually used. This can be used in any brackets: by age, skills, or divisions. In a round-robin, you will play against all the other players one at a time. This is usually used in seeding and the top-ranked players will advance to the next round. Usually, in tournaments, you will only play against other players of your skill level so that it’s fair. In casual plays, you can play round robins with other skill levels to make it fun and help improve your skills.

Seeding and Ranking in Pickleball Tournaments

Seeding in pickleball tournaments is the process of determining the rankings of players. Seedings help create more competitive matchups and make sure that all players have a fair chance to advance.

Pickleball ranking is the standing of the players. 

• Ranking Points - players are seeded based on their accumulated points from previous tournaments.

• Tournament Results - seeding is determined based on the player’s performance in a specific tournament.

• Combination - the combination of ranking and tournament results can be used for seeding.

How to Make Seeding Fair for Everyone

Not everyone will advance to the next round, that’s why there are seedings in tournaments. It’s still important that everyone gets a fair chance to play. Here are some useful tips, especially for new organizers, to make seedings fair for everyone.

• Avoid Biases - avoid personal biases when seeding players. If there are concerns about a player's ranking, consider gathering feedback from other players or tournament officials.

• Transparency and Accountability - be clear about the criteria for seeding right from the start. Provide a process for players to appeal their seeding if they think it’s unfair.

• Use a Combination of Factors - don't just rely on one ranking system. Combine different factors, such as ranking points, tournament results, and player feedback, to create a more accurate and comprehensive seeding process.

A great example of this is the PPA Tour rankings. The PPA Tour has a 52-week and The Race. The 52-week focuses on the players’ performance over the 52-week span. This can include tournaments from the previous season. In The Race, the focus is the player’s performance from the start of the season. 

Things to Consider for Tournament Brackets and Formats

Whether you’re a new organizer or have been organizing for some time now, here are the things you need to consider when choosing tournament brackets and formats. 

• Number of Participants - if you have many players who will participate, you may want to consider double-elimination and round-robins so that everyone will have a fair amount of playtime. If you have a smaller number of participants, single elimination will do.

• Time and Court Availability - you need to consider the available time for the tournament, how many courts can be used, and officials because these will affect the number of matches that can be played. 

• Tournament Goals - what level of competition do you want to achieve? Do you want to identify the best players and let them compete for the winning title? Consider single or double eliminations. Or do you want more social interactions for all the players? Then the round-robin is the best format for this. 

• Consider Player Preferences - you can survey the participants to know which brackets and formats the majority prefer. You can also consider providing different options like mixed doubles or Minto US Open’s hybrid wheelchair bracket. This way, there is more inclusivity.

• Flexibility and Adaptability - be prepared for anything unexpected that can happen like weather changes, court availability issues, equipment failures, conflict among players, and injuries. You must always have a plan and be able to cope with these unexpected circumstances.

To Sum it Up

As pickleball continues to soar, hosting a tournament requires careful planning and consideration of different factors. Pickleball brackets are important so your tournament is organized and everyone knows who they will play against. Pickleball tournament formats are important so that everyone has a fair chance of playtime and you'll know who will advance to the next round. These two can be confusing at first, but once you understand better, they're quite simple. Remember that the key to a successful tournament is choosing the right bracket and tournament that aligns with your goals and gives everyone a positive experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a pickleball bracket?

A pickleball bracket is a visual representation of how matches are organized in a tournament or league. It determines the matchups and progression of players throughout the competition.

• What are the common types of pickleball brackets?
• Age-based brackets: Adult, junior, senior
• Skill-based brackets: Beginner, intermediate, advanced, professional
• Division-based brackets: Men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, mixed doubles, wheelchair
• What are the different pickleball tournament formats?
• Single elimination: Players are eliminated after a single loss.
• Double elimination: Players get a second chance after a loss, providing more opportunities to advance.
• Consolation round: Offers a chance for players eliminated early to compete in additional matches.
• Round robin: Players compete against each other in a series of matches.
• How is seeding determined in pickleball tournaments?

Seeding is the process of ranking players based on their skill level and performance. It's used to create more competitive matchups and ensure fair play.

• What factors should I consider when choosing a tournament format?
• Number of participants: The size of the tournament will influence the appropriate format.
• Time and court availability: Consider the available time and number of courts for scheduling matches.
• Tournament goals: Determine whether you prioritize competition, inclusivity, or player experience.
• Player preferences: Survey participants to gauge their preferences for different formats.
• Flexibility: Be prepared to adapt the format if necessary due to unforeseen circumstances.
• How can I ensure fair seeding in my pickleball tournament?
• Avoid biases: Base seeding on objective criteria like ranking points and tournament results.
• Be transparent: Clearly communicate the seeding process and criteria to participants.
• Allow for appeals: Provide a mechanism for players to appeal their seeding if they believe it's unfair.
• Consider a combination of factors: Use a combination of ranking points and tournament results for more accurate seeding.
• What other considerations should I keep in mind when planning a pickleball tournament?
• Registration and entry fees: Establish a clear registration process and set appropriate entry fees.
• Rules and regulations: Clearly define the rules and regulations for the tournament.
• Prizes and awards: Consider offering prizes or awards to winners and participants.
• Food and refreshments: Provide refreshments or arrange for food vendors.
• Entertainment: Organize additional activities or entertainment for participants and spectators.

Key Takeaways