While most people may think of doubles when it comes to playing pickleball, singles can also offer a different type of challenge and fun. But how different is playing the two? Let’s go over all the similarities and differences between playing pickleball doubles vs singles.
Similarities Between Pickleball Doubles Vs Singles
Pickleball Court
The pickleball court is exactly the same for singles as it is for doubles. There is a variation of a singles game called “skinny singles” where you utilize half of the court with an imaginary line to close off the portion of the kitchen. The pickleball ball used is also the same.
Pickleball Rules
Pickleball rules are the same for singles and doubles. The serve must start on the right side of the court for both players at the beginning of the game. The serve must still be an underhand serve with the paddle contacting that ball below the waist. And the served ball must land on the opposite side of the main court, clear of the kitchen line.
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Scoring is the same with games being played to 11 or 15, win by 2. In singles, once a point is scored, the player that earned the point will serve from the other side of the court. They will continue to do so until a side-out.
In singles, if a player is serving from the right side of the court, the score will always be an even number. If a player has moved position to the other side, the score will always be an odd number. In doubles, the two players would switch sides.
The two-bounce rule applies to both singles and doubles. And the line rules are the same for both pickleball doubles and singles with balls landing on the baseline, sidelines, and middle lines being in. The kitchen rules are also the same. The ball must bounce first to step in the kitchen.
And both doubles and singles give advantages to the players that approach the kitchen line, instead of staying at the back of the court.
Differences Between Pickleball Singles Vs Doubles
While both pickleball doubles and singles are part of the same sport, they can be totally different games. Most rec players prefer to play doubles and that is because pickleball singles require a player to cover the whole court. A game of singles is a lot more physically demanding, requiring both forward and lateral movements.
The strategy for playing singles vs doubles is also different. In doubles, shots to the middle can be a great strategy. Whether it is a drive or a drop, a shot to the middle can cause confusion among the two opponents.
However, since there is only one player in singles, they normally stand in the middle of the court to be ready for either side. So a drive or drop shop to the middle right to them would not make sense.
Instead, passing shots down the sidelines or across is a lot more common in singles. This is to move the player away from their stable, ready position to reach for the ball. Once they’re out of position to return the ball, it makes the ball easier to place in parts of the court that they’re not in.
Dinking is not as common in singles as it is in doubles. You may not find long points with the two players dinking back and forth in singles, even at the pro level. Ball placement and shot selection are a lot more important for playing pickleball singles.
A player may not have to run around the court as much if they can place the ball to make their opponent run. For more in-depth strategies behind both pickleball singles and doubles, check out the next few articles.
Read Next: Pickleball Strategy For Singles
Read Also: Pickleball Strategy For Doubles
Last Tips
While most people can play pickleball doubles, not everyone can or want to play singles. In addition to extra physical movement, a game of singles means the player can only count on their own skills, shot selections, and hustle. However, playing singles can be extremely rewarding and can give you the confidence to play better at pickleball doubles.