Your PPI is a 2.0–8.0 skill rating built from verified matches. It recognizes winning against equals—and playing up against stronger opponents.
A skill rating should tell you more than who won. PPI makes the rules clear: winning at your level counts, playing up can show progress, and easy opponents cannot build an endless rating. Your verified record connects to flights, earned badges and the PADL championship pathway.
Legacy rating systems
Some legacy systems already compare performance with expectation and can increase a rating after a close loss.
PADL PPI
PPI makes its treatment explicit: equal-rating winners gain, competitive underdogs can gain in a loss, and upset wins earn an extra Hero Bonus.
Legacy rating systems
A favored winner can lose rating for scoring less strongly than expected.
PADL PPI
Within 0.50 PPI, a close or dominant winner gets a positive adjustment before repeat-opponent and variety limits. More than 0.50 above, easy wins earn little or nothing and narrow wins can lower the favorite’s rating.
Legacy rating systems
Reliability scores may track recent match volume, source and partner/opponent diversity. They are separate from skill ratings.
PADL PPI
PADL shows provisional/calibration status and verified match count. It does not currently calculate a separate reliability percentage or inactivity decay.
Legacy rating systems
Self-posted, club and tournament results may receive different weights. Policies vary by platform.
PADL PPI
Players must check in at the court and the opposing side must confirm the score before PPI changes. Repeated meetings with one opponent can add less to your PPI, while rating decreases still count in full. Championship qualification separately requires recent results against opponents within 0.50 PPI, so easy wins against much weaker players do not build that qualifying record.
Legacy rating systems
A rating helps players and organizers compare skill. Event policies and benefits vary.
PADL PPI
PPI connects your verified record to skill flights, earned badges and PADL’s championship pathway. Eligible play also earns $PADL rewards under separate limits.
A close win between equals still counts. A close loss to a stronger opponent can show progress. These two examples use the same PPI math as verified matches.
Peer match
PPI 4.00
11
+0.004 PPI
PPI 4.00
9
−0.004 PPI
Both players start at 4.00. The winner gains and the loser drops. There is no predicted 11–4 target to beat—and no deduction for winning a close match.
Cross-rating match
PPI 3.50
9
+0.010 PPI
PPI 4.00
11
+0.003 PPI
The 3.50 player takes 9 of the 20 points against a 4.00 opponent. That is stronger than their starting rating suggests: the underdog gains. Because the two are within 0.50 PPI, the winner still gets a small gain for winning—only a favorite more than 0.50 above can drop after a narrow win.
Within 0.50 PPI: winners get a positive adjustment before repeat-opponent and variety limits. More than 0.50 above: easy wins earn little or nothing; narrow wins can lower the favorite’s rating.
These are Singles examples using 40 verified matches for each player. Actual adjustments depend on the starting rating and match experience. Equal means equal starting ratings—not simply the same membership or flight.
Answer the placement questions for a provisional PPI. Five verified matches build your calibration record.
Your opponent confirms the result. Casual logs and scores awaiting confirmation do not change your PPI.
Your starting ratings, share of the points and match experience determine the adjustment—not an invented final-score target.
After calibration, your PPI places you in a skill flight. Membership, earned badges and event invitations are separate.
Singles, Doubles, 3x3 and partnership ratings all have fair-play protections. Easy opponents and repeated pairings cannot build an endless rating.
Your qualifying record uses confirmed matches from the last 90 days against opponents within 0.50 PPI of your playing level. If your PPI is 4.50, an eligible match against someone from 4.00 through 5.00 can count, but a match against a 3.50 cannot. Singles, Doubles and 3x3 are assessed separately; results from different formats are not combined.
An expired qualifying result does not erase your skill rating. Membership and event invitations are separate.
Real PPI math
Singles example · both players have 40 verified matches. This calculates PPI only; it does not predict another system’s rating or change your account.
Your PPI change
+0.010
Opponent’s change
+0.003
You lost, but played above your starting rating. Your competitive score earns a PPI gain—not a Hero Bonus.
Five verified matches complete calibration. PADL shows that status and your verified match count—not an invented reliability percentage. Skill and event eligibility remain separate.
Flight placement follows your rating after calibration. A flight name does not grant a paid membership or a professional invitation.
Your placement questions begin the journey. Your verified play builds the record.
Get my starting PPI