Pickleball Singles Rules: How the One-on-One Game Works

Singles pickleball is the one-on-one version of the game, played on the same court as doubles under nearly all of the same rules.

The court

The same one. Under the 2026 USA Pickleball rulebook, Section 3 sets the court at a rectangle 20 feet wide and 44 feet long for both singles and doubles. The net stays at 36 inches at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center under Section 3, and the non-volley zone still covers 7 feet on each side of it under Section 11.

That surprises players coming from tennis, where the singles court narrows. In pickleball you defend the full width alone, which makes singles far more physical than doubles.

Where you serve from

Your own score tells you. Section 5.A sends the serve from the right service area when your score is zero or even, and from the left when it is odd. Serve into the diagonal court, as always. The serve itself can be struck forehand or backhand, as the guide to serving backhand in pickleball explains.

That makes the score a positioning system. If a server is standing on the right at 3, someone has lost track of the score. Singles uses one server per side under Section 4, so losing the rally on your serve means an immediate side out, and your opponent serves next.

Scoring

Two numbers, not three. Section 6 requires the score to be called as two numbers: your score first, then your opponent’s. The third number in doubles identifies which partner is serving, and with one player per side there is nothing left to identify. Section 4 sets standard games to 11 points, win by 2, with points scored only on your serve, the same target as doubles. Tournament formats can also use a single game to 15 or 21 points, under Section 15.C.1.

The rest carries over whole. The serve and the return of serve must each bounce, under Section 10.A. The non-volley zone rules apply exactly as they do in doubles, under Section 11. Line calls and faults work the same way too, under Section 8.

Skinny singles

Half court singles, and the rulebook lists an official version of it too, Mini-Singles under Section 14.B. Only the right or left half of each side is in play, decided by each player’s own score, the same logic that sets the serving side in full singles. It keeps the chess of singles while cutting the sprinting roughly in half, which is why coaches lean on it for drilling.

The informal game has been around far longer than the official version. The guide to what skinny singles is covers how players set it up casually, and how it compares with Mini-Singles.

How singles strategy differs

Serve deep, return deep, and take the net first. With no partner, the whole court is your problem, so depth buys you time and the net position wins rallies. Third shot drives make more sense in singles than doubles, because a drop that sits up leaves you defending 20 feet of width alone.

One competitive singles game costs the legs roughly what two or three games of doubles do. Plan your legs accordingly, and lean on the timeout rules if you need a break to reset. If you are new to the format entirely, start with whether you can play pickleball as singles and graduate to singles strategy once the rules feel automatic.

FAQ

Do you get two serves in pickleball singles?

No. Section 4 gives each side one server in singles, so losing the rally on your serve means an immediate side out. The second server used in doubles does not exist in singles.

What are the serving rules for singles pickleball?

Section 5.A sends you to the right service area when your score is zero or even and the left when it is odd, serving diagonally into the opponent’s service court. Section 7 also requires the paddle to move in a clear upward arc, stay below the wrist, and contact the ball below the waist.

How do you call the score in singles?

Two numbers, your score then your opponent’s, called before every serve under Section 6.

Is the court smaller for singles?

No. Section 3 sets one court size, 20 feet by 44 feet, for both singles and doubles. Nothing about the lines, net, or kitchen changes.

Does the two-bounce rule apply in singles?

Yes. Section 10.A requires the serve and the return of serve to each bounce before either player volleys. Volleys are live outside the non-volley zone after that.

What is a game of singles played to?

Section 4 sets standard games to 11 points, win by 2. Section 15.C.1 also lets tournaments play one game to 15 or 21 points instead.

Is singles harder than doubles?

Physically, much harder. You cover the full 20 foot width alone, and rallies demand constant movement. Tactically it is simpler, since there is no partner to coordinate with.

Singles rewards fitness and a reliable serve more than almost anything else in the sport. A session with one of the pickleball coaches in the directory can sharpen both faster than another month of open play.

Written by the Pickler Junction Team.