Episode Two · Jethro Binns

Episode two was recorded on court, at Padel4All in Lockleaze, Bristol.

Our guest is Jethro Binns, co-founder of PadelLevels, and the question is one of the loudest arguments in UK padel right now: do we have a levels and ratings problem?

Jethro's route into the game is anything but conventional. A former professional squash player who peaked at world number 86, he built SquashLevels into the trusted global rating system for that sport before carrying the experience into padel, through LevelTech and PadelLevels.

What we get into

• His move from squash to padel, including ripping a nail off in his first session.
• Why the Padel World Summit in Barcelona matters, and what changed between his first and second year there.
• The "27% worse" article that crystallised the problem with existing rating scales.
• Why he draws a line between booking platforms that have added a rating, and rating systems built as rating systems.
• How the PadelLevels algorithm measures actual results against expected outcomes, rather than simply rewarding wins.
• The particular difficulty of rating a doubles sport: cold starts, and messy match data.
• The story behind LevelTech's Innovate UK grant, from a programme with a roughly 1.5% success rate.
• Ongoing conversations with the LTA and FIP about becoming an official national and global rating standard.
• Where AI and camera tracking could take padel ratings next.

Find PadelLevels at padellevels.io, and on Instagram and LinkedIn.

The episode is out now, wherever you get your podcasts.