How to set the pairs of your padel team

Updated on 14 October 2026

Setting the pairs is the decision that matters most in a team-league padel season: two strong players who do not click lose to two more modest ones who have played together for years. This guide gives a simple method for the captain of a padel team, with the criteria that work best and how to check them with data.

1. Start with the call-up, not with the pairs

Before you look at pairs you need to know who can play. Close the call-up early, note who is out or unsure, and keep a substitute ready. A set of pairs built for ten players is useless if one drops out on Thursday. The call-up template gives you a printable format.

2. Four criteria to build a pair

• Similar level, not identical. A balanced pair beats a very strong player next to a very weak one, because opponents always attack the weak spot.
• Court sides. A forehand-side and a backhand-side player cover the court better than two players from the same side. If two players are only comfortable on the same side, split them.
• Complementary styles. Someone solid in defence with someone who finishes at the net, or a pace player with a placement player.
• Chemistry and communication. Pairs that have played together often outperform what their level suggests. It is the hardest thing to judge by eye and the one most worth measuring.

3. A five-step method

1. List the called-up players with their level (points, ranking or your own rating).
2. Lock in the pairs that already work: if two players keep winning together, keep them together.
3. Fill in the rest looking for a balance of level and court sides.
4. Check the order the pairs play in: in formats like the SNP the order is set by the points sum and the first games are worth more (see the SNP points guide).
5. Compare with your history: has any of these pairs lost three in a row? Is there a combination you have never tried that looks good on paper?

4. Which data to look at

A few weeks of results are enough to draw useful conclusions. The statistics that really help you choose pairs are:

• Matches and sets won per pair, not just per player.
• Deciding sets and tie-breaks: which pairs stay firm when the match gets tight.
• Recent streak: a pair in form deserves your trust.
• Affinity: which partners each player wins most with.
• Home and away: some pairs perform differently away from home.

5. Common mistakes

• Putting the two best players together without looking at the rest: it can leave three very weak pairs.
• Repeating the same pairs out of habit without checking they still work.
• Changing too many pairs at once: you never learn which combination works.
• Not recording results: without data you only have the captain's memory.

How Zyra helps

Zyra stores the result of every set and computes statistics per player and per pair (streaks, affinity, deciding sets, home and away). The Suggested lineup button also proposes the pairs most likely to win the tie based on your club's history. The final decision is always yours.

Other guides

• How SNP points and the order of the pairs work
• Padel team call-up template (free PDF)