How it works
In an Americano, players rotate so that everyone partners everyone else in their group once. Each match is short, often a set number of points rather than a full set, with players taking turns to serve. You keep the points your pair wins, and they add up to your own total across the session.
With four players, it looks like this:
| Round | Pair one | Pair two |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A and B | C and D |
| 2 | A and C | B and D |
| 3 | A and D | B and C |
Bigger groups work the same way across more courts, with a rota telling everyone where to go next.
Why people love it
- You meet everyone in your group, not just the three people you came with
- Matches are short, so a bad one is over quickly
- You can turn up on your own and still play all session
How Match Play is different
Match Play, our format, keeps the best bit of an Americano, the rotation, and adds the parts that make it a singles event:
- Mixed doubles every game, with a new partner each time
- No scoring at all. Nobody keeps a running total
- A host on every court running the games and making introductions
- Mingling between games, with no timers and no assigned conversations
- Private matching the next morning
See how the afternoon works for a worked example of the rota.
Mexicano: the cousin
A Mexicano also rotates partners, but each round is drawn from the results so far, so players at a similar point total meet each other. It’s a little more competitive. Americano is the friendlier of the two.
Last checked . Questions? DM @matchedxsingles or email hello@matchedxsingles.co.uk.