Can you run a ladder in a spreadsheet?

Yes, and most ladders in the world still are. It works until three things happen at once: somebody disputes a score, somebody goes on vacation, and somebody stops responding to challenges. Each of those is a phone call the organizer has to make, and the organizer is the person who quits first. Try the shape of your ladder in the simulator before you commit, then start a ladder when the group is real. To compare the ladder apps first, read our tennis ladder software guide.