How Padel Grades Work in the UK: LTA Ranking System Explained
If you're playing competitive padel in the UK, you'll come across LTA Grades rather than the Spanish-style category system. Here's how the British ranking structure actually works.
What are LTA padel grades?
The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) runs the official competitive structure for padel in the UK. Grades work in reverse compared to what you might expect: Grade 6 is the entry level, and standard increases as the grade number goes down, all the way to Grade 1 at the top.
Grade 6: entry-level tournaments
The starting point for players entering competitive padel for the first time, aimed at building match experience without facing seasoned tournament players.
Grade 5 and Grade 4
Standard increases progressively as players accumulate LTA ranking points and move up. These grades cover the bulk of club-level competitive players building a consistent tournament record.
Grade 3: Regional Tour
Where established competitive amateur players compete regularly, typically with several years of tournament experience behind them.
Grade 2 and Grade 1: National Tour
The top of the UK amateur and semi-professional pyramid, where the country's best players compete. Since January 2026, Grade 1 and Grade 2 events use the FIP Star Point system, aligning UK scoring with the international professional circuit.
How your ranking is calculated
Your LTA ranking is built from your best 6 results over the previous 52 weeks, a rolling window rather than a fixed season. This means you need to keep competing and defending your points regularly, a strong result from over a year ago eventually drops off your ranking.
Grades vs. the 1-7 skill scale
Your LTA grade is the UK's official competitive ranking. The informal 1.0-7.0 skill scale is a separate, more casual way to describe your playing level, useful for finding evenly matched practice partners regardless of your official ranking. See our padel levels guide for the full breakdown.
Want to know exactly which grade you're eligible to enter? Our guide to padel tournament categories and entry requirements covers how acceptance works for each grade, from first-come-first-served Grade 5 events to ranking-based Grade 1 and 2 draws.
Losing matches you "should" win against lower-graded opponents, or feel like you don't belong at your own grade? That's almost always a mental issue, not a technical one. Our padel psychology guide covers how to build the mental toughness to match your ranking.
