Singles pickleball uses the same 20 by 44 foot court, the same net and the same rules as doubles, with three differences. You serve from the right side when your score is even and from the left when it is odd. You get one serve per turn, so losing a rally on your serve is an immediate side out. And the score is two numbers, your score then your opponent's, starting at "0-0". The two-bounce rule and the kitchen apply exactly as in doubles. This guide covers the singles rules from the 2026 USA Pickleball Official Rulebook, the half-court version called mini-singles, and the strategy that makes singles a different game.
Quick answer: singles vs doubles rules
| Rule | Singles | Doubles | 2026 rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Court size | 20 x 44 ft | 20 x 44 ft (same) | 3.A.1 |
| Servers per side out | One | Two (one on the first turn of the game) | 5.A, 5.B |
| Which side you serve from | Right on an even score, left on odd | Server switches sides with partner after each point won | 5.A.1, 5.B.5 |
| Score call | Two numbers: server, receiver. Starts 0-0. | Three numbers. Starts 0-0-2. | 6.B.1, 6.B.2 |
| Two-bounce rule | Yes | Yes | 10.A |
| Kitchen (no volleys within 7 ft of the net) | Yes | Yes | 11.A |
| Line calls | You call every line on your side | Either partner may call | 8.A |
| Games | Usually to 11, win by 2 | Same | Section 1 |
Singles rules in detail
Serving position follows your score
When your score is zero or even, you serve from the right serving area into your opponent's right service court. When it is odd, you serve from the left into their left service court (Rule 5.A.1). The receiver lines up by the same rule: your score decides which side both of you are on. Because of this, a glance at where the server is standing tells you whether their score is even or odd, which makes it easy to catch a wrong score.
One serve per turn
You keep serving, switching sides after each point you win, until you lose a rally. Then it is a side out and your opponent serves (Rules 5.A.2 and 5.A.3). There is no second server, so there is no third number in the score.
Calling the score
The server calls two numbers before serving: their own score first, then the receiver's (Rule 6.B.1). "7-4" means the server has 7. Every game starts at "0-0". The server then has 10 seconds to serve (Rule 6.D).
Scoring
Only the server scores in standard scoring (Rule 4.A). If you win a rally while receiving, you win the serve, not a point. Games usually go to 11, win by 2. In rally scoring, a provisional option in 2026, every rally scores a point (Rule 14.A). More in our guide to pickleball scoring.
The serve
Singles uses the same serve rules as doubles: a volley serve with an upward arc, paddle head below the wrist and contact below the waist, or a drop serve off a bounce; feet behind the baseline; diagonal, past the kitchen line, into the correct service court (Section 7). See pickleball serving rules for every detail.
Two-bounce rule and the kitchen
The serve must bounce before you return it, and your return must bounce before the server hits it (Rule 10.A). No volleying while touching the 7-foot kitchen or its line, and both feet must be back outside it before you volley (Rule 11.A). These rules matter more in singles, as the strategy section below explains.
Line calls when you are on your own
You call every line on your side of the net (Rule 8.A). The same rules apply as in doubles: a ball on the line is in, except a serve on the kitchen line; only call it out if you clearly saw space between the ball and the line; and if you are not sure, it is in (Rules 8.B to 8.E). If you did not see it, you may ask your opponent's opinion before the next serve (Rule 8.I).
Faults
Every fault is the same as in doubles. If you are serving, a fault means a side out. If you are receiving, your opponent scores. The full list is in our complete guide to pickleball rules.
Mini-singles (skinny singles)
The 2026 rulebook includes a half-court version of singles, called mini-singles (Rule 14.B). Players often call it skinny singles. Each player covers only half the width, so there is less running than in full-court singles.
- Same court, half in play. For each rally, only the right or left half of each player's side is in play, based on that player's own score (Rule 14.B.1.a).
- Boundaries. The in-play half is bounded by the baseline, its sideline and the centerline. The other half is out (Rule 14.B.1.b).
- An extra line. The centerline is extended through each kitchen so players can see the boundary up to the net. It does not have to be the same color as the other lines, so tape works (Rule 14.B.1.c).
- Positions by each player's own score. The server's position is set by the server's score and the receiver's by the receiver's score (Rule 14.B.2). That means the two players can be on the same side of the court, so the serve can go straight ahead instead of across.
- Every shot lands in the half that is in play, the serve and every return (Rule 14.B.3).
Singles strategy
The rules are almost the same as doubles, but singles is a different game. One player has to cover 20 feet of width alone, and the two-bounce rule hands the receiver a head start to the net. The points below follow from that; they are common coaching advice, not rules.
When you serve
- Serve deep. The receiver has to let the serve bounce. A deep serve keeps them back at the baseline, which makes it harder for them to hit a return and run to the net.
- Get the serve in. You only have one serve and one server. A missed serve hands the serve straight to your opponent, so a reliable serve matters more than a hard one.
- Expect to stay back. The return must bounce on your side before you can hit it, so you start the rally behind the receiver in the race to the net. Your third shot has to buy time: a deep drive or a passing shot, or a soft drop into the kitchen if you can move up behind it.
When you receive
- Hit the return deep and move up. After your return, the server has to let it bounce. That is your chance to get to the kitchen line first.
- Aim the return at a corner. A deep return to the side makes the server move and gives you more time to move forward.
During the rally
- Use the width. With only one player covering 20 feet, shots down the sideline and sharp cross-court angles win more points than in doubles.
- Passing shots beat dinking. Long dink rallies are a doubles habit. In singles, a player at the net can be passed down the line or lobbed, so look for the open space instead.
- Recover to the middle. After each shot, move back toward the center of your side, so the next ball is never too far away.
- Watch the kitchen when you rush forward. If you run up to volley, your momentum can carry you into the kitchen, which is a fault even after the ball is dead (Rule 11.A.2).
Fitness
Full-court singles means much more running than doubles. If you play doubles most days and want singles practice without the running, try mini-singles first.
Singles in tournaments
- USA Pickleball sanctioned tournaments have men's and women's singles events, plus wheelchair and adaptive standing singles (Rule 15.A).
- Formats are the same as doubles: best 2 of 3 games to 11, or one game to 15 or 21, all win by 2 (Rule 15.C.1).
- Rally scoring may be used for singles where the tournament director chooses it (Rule 15.C.2).
For the player who calls every line alone
We make pickleball gifts. In singles there is no partner to share the close calls, which is what this design is about:
- For the player who has to make every line call on their side alone: the It Was Out Respectfully Hat ($32), T-shirt ($27) or towel ($28).
Frequently asked questions
Is a singles pickleball court smaller?
No. Singles uses the full 20 by 44 foot court, the same as doubles (Rule 3.A.1). Only mini-singles uses half of it.
How do you serve in singles pickleball?
From the right side when your score is even, from the left when it is odd, diagonally into the opponent's matching service court, past the kitchen line (Rules 5.A.1 and 7.E).
How do you keep score in singles pickleball?
Call two numbers before each serve, your score then your opponent's, starting at 0-0. Only the server scores in standard scoring (Rules 4.A and 6.B.1).
Does the two-bounce rule apply in singles?
Yes. The serve must bounce before it is returned, and the return must bounce before the server hits it (Rule 10.A).
Is there a kitchen in singles pickleball?
Yes. The 7-foot non-volley zone works the same as in doubles (Rule 11.A).
What is skinny singles in pickleball?
The common name for mini-singles, a half-court version of singles in the 2026 rulebook. Each rally is played on one half of each player's side, chosen by that player's score (Rule 14.B).
How many serves do you get in singles pickleball?
One. If you lose the rally on your serve, it is a side out (Rule 5.A.3).
Sources
- 2026 USA Pickleball Official Rulebook, Sections 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14 and 15.