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

Quick Answer: Yes, you can play pickleball singles, one player per side on the same 20-by-44-foot court. The rules are mostly the same as doubles, but scoring is simpler (you call just two numbers, your score and your opponent’s), and you serve from the right side when your score is even and the left when it is odd. Singles is far more physically demanding than doubles because you cover the whole court alone, so it rewards fitness, speed, and serving.

Pickleball is best known as a doubles game, but singles is a great option when you have just two players or want a tougher workout. Here is how singles works and how it differs from doubles.

Can you play pickleball with just two people?

Yes, that is singles pickleball. With only two players, you play singles, one person on each side of the same court. It uses the same court and most of the same rules as doubles.

The basics:

• One player per side, on the standard 20-by-44-foot court.
• The full court is in play, same dimensions as doubles.
• Same core rules, including the kitchen, the two-bounce rule, and serving underhand.
• You cover the whole court, which changes the game significantly.

Singles is the same sport with a very different feel. The rules barely change, but covering the court alone makes it a completely different physical challenge.

How does singles scoring work?

You call two numbers instead of three. Scoring is where singles is actually simpler than doubles, since there is no partner and no second server to track.

How it works:

1. Call two numbers: your score, then your opponent’s score (for example, “5-3”).
2. Only the server scores, as in doubles (side-out scoring).
3. Serve from the right when your score is even, and from the left when your score is odd.
4. Games go to 11, win by 2, as usual.

That serving rule is a handy trick: your score tells you which side to serve from. Even score, right side; odd score, left side. For the full scoring picture, see our guides on how pickleball scoring works and the scoring cheat sheet.

How is singles different from doubles?

It is more demanding and rewards different skills. While the rules are similar, the experience and strategy differ a lot. Singles is a workout and rewards a different skill set.

The key differences:

• Court coverage: you cover the entire court alone, demanding far more fitness and speed.
• Scoring: two numbers in singles versus three in doubles.
• Strategy: singles rewards a strong serve, deep returns, and moving your opponent side to side.
• The kitchen game: less dink-heavy than doubles, with more drives and passing shots.
• Intensity: singles is a much harder cardio workout.

Singles is excellent for fitness and sharpening your shots, while doubles is more social and strategic. Both formats reward different strengths. To build the fitness and skills singles demands, see our guide on how to improve fast, and find a coach in our coaches directory.

Frequently asked questions

Can you play pickleball with just two people? Yes. With two players you play singles, one person per side on the same 20-by-44-foot court, using most of the same rules as doubles but with simpler scoring.

How does singles pickleball work? One player per side covers the whole court. You call two numbers when scoring (your score, then your opponent’s), serve from the right when your score is even and the left when odd, and play to 11, win by 2.

Is singles scoring different from doubles? Yes, and simpler. In singles you call two numbers (your score and your opponent’s), while doubles uses three numbers because of the two servers per side.

Is singles harder than doubles? Physically, yes. You cover the entire court alone, making singles a much tougher cardio workout that demands more fitness, speed, and a strong serve.

Which side do you serve from in singles? Serve from the right side when your score is even and the left side when your score is odd. Your own score tells you which side to serve from.

Is singles or doubles better? Neither is better; they suit different goals. Singles is a harder workout that rewards serving and speed, while doubles is more social and strategic. Many players enjoy both.

Singles is a great way to get a workout and sharpen your game with just two players. Master the scoring with our guides on how scoring works and the cheat sheet, and find a coach in our coaches directory.

Written by the Pickler Junction Team.