Can You Play Pickleball Singles? Rules, Scoring, and How It Differs From Doubles

Pickleball is best known as a doubles game, but singles is a full, sanctioned way to play when you have just one opponent or want a tougher workout. If you are brand new to the sport, start with what pickleball is and how you play it, then come back here for how singles changes things.

Pickleball with just two people

Yes, that is singles pickleball, one player on each side of the net. It is a real format recognized by the rulebook, not a workaround for a short bench. Under the rulebook, the court measures 20 feet wide by 44 feet long for both singles and doubles matches, according to Rule 3.A.1. Pickleball does not narrow the court for singles the way tennis does, so you cover the same width and length that a doubles team splits between two players.

The basics:

• Same court, same lines. No alley narrows for singles. You play the full 20 by 44 foot rectangle set out in Rule 3.A.1.
• Same two-bounce rule. Section 10.A still requires the serve and the return of serve to each bounce once before either side can volley.
• Same kitchen. The non-volley zone on each side of the net still blocks volleys from inside that area.
• One player, full responsibility. With no partner to cover the middle or crash the net, every ball in the rectangle is yours to reach.

Singles runs on the same rulebook as doubles. What changes is how much ground you have to cover to use those rules.

How singles scoring works

Scoring is where singles is genuinely simpler than doubles. Under the rulebook, singles play calls the score as two numbers, the server’s score first and then the receiver’s score, according to Rule 6.B.1. Doubles calls three numbers because it has to track which of the two partners on the serving team is up. Only the serving side can add a point, a rule known as side-out scoring under Rule 4.A, and a standard game is won by the first side to reach 11 points with a lead of at least 2, with tournaments also able to play one game to 15 or 21 under Rule 15.C.

How it plays out on court:

• Call your score first. Say your score, then your opponent’s, such as “5-3,” before the next serve.
• Score only when you serve. Winning a rally on your opponent’s serve ends their turn to serve, but it does not add a point to your total.
• Right side on even, left on odd. Rule 5.A.1 states that when the server’s score is zero or even, the serve starts from the right side; when the score is odd, it starts from the left.
• Play to 11, win by 2. In a standard game, play ends the first time either side reaches 11 with a 2 point margin; tournaments may instead set one game to 15 or 21.

Your own score is a built-in reminder of where to stand. Even score, right side. Odd score, left side. That single rule replaces the more layered doubles system, where each partner starts on a different side and the serving sequence tracks two servers instead of one. For the full picture, including how doubles differs, see how pickleball scoring works and this dedicated breakdown of pickleball singles rules.

How singles differs from doubles

Singles and doubles share a rulebook, but they play like different sports. Three things change the most: how much court you cover, how serving rotates, and which shots win points.

Court coverage. In doubles, you and your partner split the court, so each of you typically owns about half. In singles, you alone are responsible for the full 20 by 44 foot rectangle, so a passing shot a partner might reach in doubles lands as a clean winner in singles.

Serving sequence. Singles gives each side exactly one server under the rulebook. Rule 5.A.2 has you keep serving, alternating right and left after every point you win, until you lose a rally, and then serve passes to your opponent. Doubles works differently under Rule 5.B: both partners on a team serve before the ball goes to the other side, except at the very start of the game, when the first server only gets one turn before the side out.

Shot selection. Singles rallies favor a strong serve, deep returns that push an opponent behind the baseline, and shots down the sideline, while doubles spends more time in the kitchen trading soft dinks at the net. Singles gives you nowhere to hide a weak groundstroke, since there is no partner to cover for you, which is why singles games can sharpen the serve and return a player will later rely on in doubles.

Singles rewards fitness, serving power, and consistent groundstrokes. Doubles rewards net play, communication, and shot placement between two people. For a full side-by-side comparison, see pickleball singles versus doubles, and to build the speed and stamina singles demands, use the guide on how to improve at pickleball fast.

Frequently asked questions

Can you play pickleball with just two people? Yes. Under the USA Pickleball rulebook, two players use the same 20 by 44 foot court as doubles, following most of the same rules with a simpler way to call the score.

How does singles pickleball scoring work? Under the rulebook, one player covers the whole court and calls two numbers, the server’s score first and then the receiver’s score, per Rule 6.B.1. The server switches sides based on score under Rule 5.A.1, and standard games are played to 11, win by 2, with tournament options of 15 or 21 under Rule 15.C.

Is singles scoring different from doubles? Yes. Under the rulebook, singles players call two numbers, while doubles calls three, because both partners take a turn serving before a side out under Rule 5.B.

Is singles pickleball harder than doubles? Physically, singles is more demanding because one player covers the entire court alone, with no partner to share the net or the baseline. That makes it a tougher cardio workout and puts more weight on a strong serve.

Which side do you serve from in singles? Under Rule 5.A.1, serve from the right side when your score is zero or even, and from the left side when your score is odd.

How many times in a row do you serve in singles? Under Rule 5.A.2, you keep serving and switching sides after each point you win until you lose a rally, then serve passes to your opponent.

Is singles or doubles better for a beginner? Neither format is required to start. Doubles shares the court with a partner and is a common entry point, while singles builds the fitness and serve that carry over to doubles. Singles drills can develop the serve and footwork doubles later rewards.

Singles is a straightforward way to test your fitness and sharpen your serve against a single opponent. Once you have the scoring and the serving side memorized, the format runs itself. If you want personalized help building your singles game, find a coach in the Pickler Junction coaches directory.

Written by the Pickler Junction Team.