How to Play Singles Pickleball

However, all previously awarded points (whether with the players were in the correct or incorrect positions) will stand. Further, if the fault is called after the subsequent serve, then the Blog awarded point to the server will stand. If the fault occurs on the last point of a pickleball match, then the result will stand unless the fault is called prior to returning the scoresheet to the pickleball tournament operations personnel.

Singles pickleball is very similar to doubles pickleball; however, there is only one player on each side of the pickleball court, and the strategy of singles pickleball is very different than doubles pickleball.

Most pickleball players probably have a love-hate relationship with singles pickleball. This may result from how rigorous and enduring singles pickleball can be. Singles pickleball can be quite the workout (even more than doubles pickleball), as you will need to cover the entire pickleball court on your own. It could also stem from the fact that singles pickleball can be quite isolating as you are the only one on your side of the court. In other words, you do not have a partner to lean on or to pick you up.

Rules for Singles Pickleball
Singles pickleball generally has the same rules as doubles pickleball, with a few exceptions. For instance, the pickleball rules for serving, the Non-Volley Zone, line calls, and faults all apply to singles pickleball in the same manner as doubles pickleball.

Where singles pickleball differs from doubles pickleball is that (1) each player only has one serve and (2) there is no need for the third number in the score for singles pickleball, as there is no concept of server #1 or server #2. As a result, the score in singles pickleball will only be two numbers – the first number will be the server’s score and the second number will be the receiver’s score.

Player Positioning for Singles Pickleball
The first serve will always start on the even/right-hand side of the pickleball court. If the server wins the point, then the server will keep the serve and switch to serve on the other side of the pickleball court.

The server will always serve crosscourt/diagonally and will keep the serve until the opponent wins the rally or the server commits a fault. If the opponent wins the rally or the server commits a fault, then there will be a side out and the opponent will now serve.

Similar to doubles pickleball, player positioning is important on the serve and the return of serve. The correct server must serve the pickleball from the correct side of the pickleball court, and the correct receiver must return the serve from the correct side of the pickleball court. The correct side of the pickleball court is dictated by the score of the pickleball game:

If the server’s score is even (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, etc.), then the serve must be from the even/right-hand side of the pickleball court and served to the receiver’s even/right-hand side of the pickleball court.

If the server’s score is odd (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, etc.), then the serve must be from the odd/left-hand side of the pickleball court and served to the receiver’s odd/left-hand side of the pickleball court.

If the server in singles pickleball is found to be in the wrong position, then a fault will occur and the server will lose the rally. A fault can be called upon contact of the serve or up until the point of time that the next serve occurs. If a fault is called prior to the subsequent serve, then the server will lose the rally and no point will be awarded.

However, all previously awarded points (whether with the players were in the correct or incorrect positions) will stand. Further, if the fault is called after the subsequent serve, then the awarded point to the server will stand. If the fault occurs on the last point of a pickleball match, then the result will stand unless the fault is called prior to returning the scoresheet to the pickleball tournament operations personnel.