Pickleball Singles: Rules and Strategy | Coach Explains Differences from Doubles

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2026年6月13日

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Pickleball Singles: Rules and Strategy | Coach Explains Differences from Doubles

"Pickleball is always doubles. How do you play singles, 1-on-1?" — Singles can be surprisingly confusing due to a lack of information.

I'm Coach Yoshi, a former tennis player of 15 years, now completely immersed in pickleball. While doubles is the predominant form of pickleball, 1-on-1 singles is a legitimate and official rule. It's an especially fun game for tennis players, where footwork and strategy directly determine victory. In this article, I'll focus on the differences from doubles and gently explain the rules and winning strategies for singles.

The basics of the overall rules are summarized in the Complete Guide to Pickleball Rules, and scoring is covered in the Complete Scoring Guide. Please refer to them as well.

Rules that are the "same" as doubles

First, rest assured that the court size and basic rules are exactly the same for singles as for doubles.

Court size is the same (13.41m long x 6.10m wide. The width does not narrow for singles)
Two-bounce rule is the same: The serve and its return must each bounce once before being hit
Kitchen (non-volley zone) is the same: No volleys are allowed in the area in front of the net
First to 11 points with a 2-point lead wins (If you reach 11 points first but only have a 1-point lead, the game continues. Some tournaments may use 15 or 21 points.)

In other words, there isn't much new to learn. If you can play doubles, you can start playing singles right away.

Points that are "different" from doubles

There are only three main differences.

Difference ①: Score is a "two-digit call"

In doubles, the call before serving was "your score - opponent's score - server number" — three digits. In singles, there's no partner, so no server number is needed, making it two digits.

The call is just "your score - opponent's score" (e.g., "5 - 3")
Points are scored only by the serving side (side-out scoring) — this is the same
If you lose your serve (fault), the serve transfers to your opponent

The scoring system itself is explained in detail in the Complete Scoring Guide.

Difference ②: Serve position is determined by "your score"

This is the biggest point in singles. Your serving position is determined by whether your score is even or odd.

Pickleball singles serve position. Diagram showing that if your score is even, you serve from the right court; if odd, from the left court.

If your score is even (0, 2, 4...) → serve from the right court
If your score is odd (1, 3, 5...) → serve from the left court

At the start of the game, the score is 0 (even), so you always start from the right side. For every point you score, you switch your serving position from right to left, then left to right, and so on. The receiver simply stands diagonally opposite the server. If you just remember "right if the score is even," you won't get lost about your position.

💡 Coach Yoshi's Tip If you get confused about your score, your serving position can be a hint. "I'm serving from the right now" means your score is even. Remembering that your score and position are always linked will prevent confusion.

Difference ③: The court you defend "doubles"

In doubles, two people cover one court, but in singles, you cover the entire court by yourself. This is the most challenging part. Being forced to move widely left and right quickly drains your stamina. That's why the concept of "making your opponent run with ball placement," which I'll explain later, is what decides the match.

Singles Strategy – 3 Tips

Now that you know the rules, let's talk about how to win. Here are 3 tips that are especially useful for tennis players.

Tip ①: Take the initiative with deep, fast serves and returns

While soft drops into the kitchen are central to doubles play, deep balls are effective in singles. If you hit your serve and return deep near your opponent's baseline, you can pin them back and create time for yourself to move forward. The tennis concept of "pushing opponents back with deep balls" applies directly here.

Tip ②: Make your opponent "run left and right"

Defending alone means that moving your opponent side-to-side is incredibly effective. Hit to the open court (the side where your opponent isn't), then hit to the opposite side before they can recover. Instead of trying to win a point in one shot, the classic singles strategy is to make your opponent run for 2-3 shots before attacking the open court.

Tip ③: Return to the center (home position)

After hitting, make it a habit to immediately return to the center of the court near the baseline. From the center, you can cover both left and right sides in the shortest distance. If you hit and stay put, your opponent can easily hit to the open court. Simply making "hit → return to center" a single sequence will greatly expand your defensive range.

Using the kitchen – more carefully than in doubles

Of course, the kitchen (non-volley zone) rules still apply in singles. In fact, the risk of getting too close to the net is greater in singles than in doubles. Since you're alone, if you stick to the net, a single lob over your head will leave your back exposed.

In singles, the basic strategy is to "position yourself slightly back, not fully at the net." Maintain a position where you can react to your opponent's shots, and only move forward when you have a clear opportunity. For the basics of dinking (soft drops into the kitchen), refer to 5 Basics of Dinking Mastery.

Summary

Singles has the same court size and rules as doubles. There's little new to learn.
There are only 3 differences: 2-digit scoring / serve position based on your score (even=right, odd=left) / covering the entire court alone
Winning strategies include "pushing with deep balls," "making your opponent run side-to-side," and "returning to the center."
Be careful not to get too close to the net to avoid being lobbed over.

Singles is a profound game where the footwork and shot placement skills of tennis players become direct advantages. If you want to solidify your basics in doubles first, start with How to Start Pickleball. If you want to know more about singles strategy, feel free to ask me (Coach Yoshi) on LINE.