Doubles round robin generator: Rotating partners for padel, tennis and pickleball
Paste your player list, pick courts and rounds, and get a doubles round robin where partners rotate every round, or fixed pairs that meet every other pair. Sit-outs are shared out evenly. Print the schedule or copy it to the group chat. Free, no sign-up.
What is a doubles round robin?
A round robin is a format where everyone plays everyone instead of being knocked out. In singles that is simple. In doubles there are two versions: with rotating partners, you change partner every round and get an individual score; with fixed pairs, each pair stays together and plays every other pair, like a small league.
This generator builds either one for any group from 4 players and any number of courts, and lays it out as one row per round and one column per court. In padel, a rotating-partner doubles round robin is exactly what clubs call an Americano.
Rotating partners or fixed pairs?
Rotating partners
Best for social sessions and mixed levels. You partner as many different people as possible and nobody is stuck with a weak or strong partner all night. With 8 players on 2 courts, 7 rounds is a full rotation: everyone partners each of the other 7 once.
Fixed pairs
Best for pairs who signed up together, club leagues and team events. Each pair plays every other pair once: 3 rounds for 4 pairs on 2 courts, 5 rounds for 6 pairs on 3 courts, 7 for 8 pairs on 4 courts. With 5 pairs on 2 courts, one pair sits out each round over 5 rounds.
How many rounds and courts for 4 to 16 players?
A doubles court takes four players, so the courts in play are the number of players divided by four, rounded down. Anyone left over sits out that round. The table below comes straight from the scheduling engine this page uses, with one court for every four players. “Suggested rounds” gives as many partner slots as there are possible pairings; “Different partners” shows how many the engine actually fits in, as a range over several draws.
| Players | Courts | Sit out each round | Suggested rounds | Matches each | Different partners | Equal matches at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 of 3 | any |
| 5 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 4 of 4 | 5, 10, 15 rounds |
| 6 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 5–6 | 5 of 5 | 3, 6, 9 rounds |
| 7 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 6–7 | 5–6 of 6 | 7, 14, 21 rounds |
| 8 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 of 7 | any |
| 9 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 8 of 8 | 9, 18, 27 rounds |
| 10 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 9–10 | 9 of 9 | 5, 10, 15 rounds |
| 11 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 10–11 | 9–10 of 10 | 11, 22 rounds |
| 12 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 11 of 11 | any |
| 13 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 12 | 12 of 12 | 13, 26 rounds |
| 14 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 13–14 | 13 of 13 | 7, 14, 21 rounds |
| 15 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 14–15 | 14 of 14 | 5, 10, 15 rounds |
| 16 | 4 | 0 | 15 | 15 | 15 of 15 | any |
Fewer courts than that is normal. With 12 players on 2 courts, 4 sit out each round and everyone plays the same number of matches at 3, 6 or 9 rounds. With 16 players on 3 courts, 4 sit out and the equal counts are 4, 8 or 12 rounds. The rounds box shows these numbers for your own group, so you can fit the schedule to your court booking.
Fair sit-outs
When the numbers don’t divide by four, sit-outs are where groups fall out. With rotating partners, the generator picks who sits out by how often they have already sat out: nobody sits out a second time before everyone has sat out once. Partners are then chosen to avoid repeats, and opponents to avoid meeting the same people again.
With 9 players on 2 courts, for example, one player sits out each round. Over 9 rounds everyone plays 8 matches and sits out exactly once. Under the schedule, a summary line shows the actual numbers for your list: matches each, sit-outs each, different partners and whether anyone sits out twice in a row.
Padel, tennis and pickleball
Padel is always played in doubles, so this is the format of most social nights. Clubs usually play each match to a fixed total of points, often 24, and add up each player’s points. That needs score entry and a leaderboard, which the Americano generator does on the same schedule.
Tennis doubles round robins (club socials and mixers) need short matches so every round finishes together: a timed slot, a fixed number of games or a single tie-break. Choose fewer rounds if your court time is tight.
Pickleball open play and ladders often use rotating doubles. A game to 11 is short, so groups can fit a full rotation into one session. Courts and sit-outs work exactly as they do in padel.
Want scores and a leaderboard?
This page builds the schedule only. The Americano generator runs the same rotation with score entry and a leaderboard that updates as you type. Scoring one match? Use the free score keeper.
Next step: Pair draw · how to organise an Americano · Mexicano padel
Frequently asked questions
What is a doubles round robin?
A doubles format where everyone plays everyone. With rotating partners you change partner every round and are ranked individually; with fixed pairs each pair plays every other pair once.
How many rounds do I need for 8 players?
On 2 courts, 7 rounds. Everyone partners each of the other 7 players once, plays 7 matches and nobody sits out.
What if we have 9 players or an odd number?
Extra players sit out in turn. With 9 players on 2 courts, one sits out each round; over 9 rounds everyone plays 8 matches and sits out once.
Should I choose rotating partners or fixed pairs?
Rotating partners for social sessions and mixed levels, since nobody is stuck with one partner. Fixed pairs when people signed up as pairs or you are running a league.
Can I use it for tennis or pickleball doubles?
Yes. The schedule only needs players and courts, so it works for any doubles sport. Pick a short match format so every court finishes the round together.
Does it keep score?
No, this page only builds the schedule. For scores and a leaderboard, open the same list in the free Americano generator. To score a single match, use the free padel score keeper.
Can I print the schedule or send it to WhatsApp?
Yes. Print gives a clean black-and-white sheet for the club noticeboard. Copy for WhatsApp puts every round, court and sit-out into a message you can paste into the group.