While playing pickleball singles is not as popular as playing doubles, it can be just as fun. Playing pickleball singles is a great way to challenge yourself and use your skill in a different way. Here are some pickleball rules for singles if you’re looking to start playing.
Pickleball Rules Singles
Pickleball Serving Rules For Singles
Both you and your opponent will start on the right side of each of your sides of the court. Whichever player starts the game will start serving crosscourt. The person serving must use an underhand serve, contacting the ball with their paddle below the waist. Like in doubles, the service is considered out if it lands in the kitchen, the kitchen line, or is clearly out of the baseline or sideline.
Pickleball Scoring Rules Singles
Like in pickleball doubles, you can only score on your service. Since there are only two total players on the court, you only have to call out your score and your opponent’s score before serving. Once you score, both you and your opponent will move to the other side of the court from where you were.
When you have an even score such as 0,2,4,6,8, and 10, you will always be standing on the right side of your court to serve. Similarly, when your score is an odd number, 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9, you will stand on the left side of your court to serve.
Pickleball Rules Singles Vs Doubles
The basic rules are the same for both pickleball singles and doubles. But there are a few minor differences when it comes to scores and positions on the court. Since there is only one player each for singles, both you and your opponent only get one service. So calling out the score is much easier since you don’t have to say the third number. And the confusion of serving to the correct player is eliminated since there is only one player to serve to.
Another difference is that the receiving player moves sides whether they or their opponent scores a point. This is because the service is always given and received crosscourt. So once your opponent scores, they have to move to the other side of their court. You therefore also have to move to receive the service crosscourt.
At side-outs, you will serve from the side of the court that you left off before your opponent had the serve. It is not like in doubles where the player on the right side of the court always starts the service. If your score is an odd number, you will serve from the left side of the court.
Other rules for the non-volley zone and double-bounce rule also apply for pickleball singles. Players must allow the ball to bounce once a service is returned before making a third shot. A player is not allowed to step into or land in the kitchen or kitchen line before or after hitting a ball in the air.
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