In pickleball, a skill rating determines your level of expertise in playing the sport. There are numerous ways how you can have a skill rating.
In this article, we will discuss three pickleball skill rating systems used in determining the players’ skill levels. The following skill rating systems are:
- Pickleball Skill Rating
- General Pickleball Skill Levels
- Pickleball World and International Rankings
Let’s get started!
1) Pickleball Skill Rating
A skill rating is used to determine a pickleball player’s skill level. Pickleball skill rating is the quantitative measure of one’s skill level. The rating normally ranges from 1.0 – 6.0 as the skill measurement. 1.0 is used to describe beginner players, while 6.0 is for advanced players. Some pickleball ratings would even go 8.0 to rate professional players.
There are three types of pickleball skill ratings, namely:
- Self Rating
- USA Tournament Ratings
- Dreamland Universal Ratings
Let’s discuss each pickleball rating below.
Self Rating
A pickleball player can give themselves their ratings. Self-ratings are normally two digits, e.g., 1.0, 2.5, 5.0. Any player, whether they join tournaments or not, or whether they are USAPA members or not— can rate themselves using this self-rating.
To give you a glimpse of how you can rate yourself, here is a chart to guide you:
| Self Rating | Description |
|---|---|
| 1.0 – 2.0 | Rate yourself with this pickleball rating if you are beginning to play the sport. Here, it is expected that you are also just beginning to understand its rules. |
| 2.5 | Rate yourself with this pickleball rating if you only have a little playing experience. Here, it is expected that you can already maintain short rallies while playing on the court. You are also expected to be equipped with a basic understanding of the pickleball rules. |
| 3.0 | Rate yourself with this pickleball rating if you can already hit some forehand drives, can serve well, and hit returns at a moderate pace. You’re expected to perform all these but may still lack consistency and overall control. Also, it is expected that you already know basic strategies and pickleball rules. (For example, you can maintain scoring properly.) |
| 3.5 | Rate yourself with this pickleball rating if you can already hit some forehand drives, can serve well, and hit returns easily. You are expected to have more consistent and well-controlled gameplay. A variety of shots and hits are also expected from you. Also, you can already perform pickleball strategies and fully understand pickleball rules. |
| 4.0 | Rate yourself with this pickleball rating if you can already perform drives in a forehand and backhand manner, can serve well, hit returns at an easy pace, and can perform a variety of hits. In this rating, you are expected to have consistency, control, and speed while playing on the court. There is still room for a moderate number of faults. However, it is expected that you can already identify your opponent’s weaknesses and take advantage of them on the court. Also, you can already perform pickleball strategies and fully understand pickleball rules. |
| 4.5 | Rate yourself with this pickleball rating if you can already perform drives in a forehand and backhand manner, can serve well, hit returns at an easy pace, and can perform a variety of hits. It is expected that you can play with spin and depth. You can consistently direct and control the ball. Plus, you are expected to only have a limited number of faults. And it is expected that you can interchange different gaming styles to maximize your opponent’s weaknesses. |
| 5.0 | Rate yourself with this pickleball rating if you can already perform drives in a forehand and backhand manner, can serve well, hit returns at an easy pace, and can perform a variety of hits. It is expected that you can play with spin and depth. You can consistently direct and control the ball. At this rating, it is expected that you will only commit rare pickleball faults. Plus, you must have mastered all pickleball strategies and have a full, deep understanding of pickleball rules. And it is expected that you can interchange different gaming styles to maximize your opponent’s weaknesses. |
| 5.5 – 6.0+ | Rate yourself at this level if you have mastered all pickleball strategies and can execute all pickleball shots with the highest proficiency. You are expected to be at par with professional pickleball players and even win against them in official tournaments. |
USA Pickleball Tournament Ratings
The USAPA formulates a USA Pickleball Tournament Player Rating (UTPR) to measure pickleball players’ skill levels. This helps the organization avoid “sandbagging,” or high-level players competing against those who have lower skill levels to secure a medal.
UTPR is more accurate than the self-rating system. However, the UTPR is only for those playing in official tournaments. Hence, players who play for fun and recreational activities would most certainly have self-ratings only rather than UTPR.
In using the UTPR, the organization uses a scale of 0.000 to 6.999. It comes in two forms, either in two digits or four digits. The players view the four-digit version commonly used to identify their seeds in the tournament. The two-digit version, on the other hand, is viewed by the general public. The two-digit is a rounded-off version of the four-digit version.
To learn more about UTPR, click here.
Dreamland Universal Ratings
This rating is actually a new and not-so-common pickleball skill rating system compared to the self-rating and UTPR. This is the pickleball rating system used by the Professional Pickleball Association, more commonly known as PPA.
The difference between DUPR and UTPR is that it includes recreational play in determining the skill level of the players. Another difference is that each point scored in a match weight determines the skill level. Hence, every point matters when it comes to DUPR skill rating.
Moreover, in terms of doubles, a higher weight is given to the weaker partner’s skill level. The organization believes more balls will come into the weaker partner’s way while playing. Lastly, DUPR only gives one rating compared to UTPR’s mixed and doubles skill rating based on gender.
2) General Pickleball Skill Level
The above-mentioned pickleball ratings tend to be more specific and detailed. Some recreational clubs use general pickleball skill levels for their players instead. In determining the skill level, some clubs categorize their players as follows:
Beginner Level
This level includes players with a basic understanding of both pickleball strategies and rules. Normally, they would be under the 3.0 and below category. They have a standard knowledge of simple basic shots but would generally have low consistency and control.
Intermediate Level
The players under the intermediate level are those who would normally have a skill rating from 3.5 – 4.0. In short, they have a better understanding of pickleball rules and strategies. They can perform forehand and backhand hits. They are also expected to have more consistent gameplay but can still commit moderate faults.
Advanced Level
The players under the advanced level would normally have a skill rating of 4.5 and above. Hence, they are expected to perform with mastery of all pickleball rules and strategies. They are also expected to proficiently perform various gameplay and rarely commit pickleball faults.
3) Pickleball World Rankings
Few pickleball organizations make it possible to rank players from a worldwide perspective. Here are the different world rankings available today:
- World Pickleball Rankings
- Global Pickleball Rankings
- Association of Pickleball Professional Rankings
- Professional Pickleball Association Rankings
How Do You Determine Your Pickleball Skill Level?
For pickleball players who participate in different officially organized tournaments, chances are they would commit to their organization rankings, including the UTPR. However, if you are playing for fun, then most probably, you will only be following your self-ratings.
It’s not necessary thing to rate yourself. But it can be ideal to have it since you may want to compete with someone at your level. Or, you might want to challenge yourself with someone who has a higher self-rating than you.
Final Thoughts
Knowing your pickleball skill rating is important, especially if you want to improve your skills and gameplay. Knowing where you stand and your level of expertise will open more room to improve yourself.
If you are a professional pickleball player, achieving world rankings and higher UTPR can be your goal. If you only play for fun, then you can play along with your friends who have the same ratings as you.
At the end of the day, what’s important is you get to enjoy the game while continuously improving yourself!
