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As one of the emerging games worldwide, pickleball has been the eyeball for athletes. There are different modes to play the game. Pickleball doubles are the ones that you might see more often. However, can you play pickleball singles? how to play singles pickleball for beginners? Yes, you can, although they are less popular than the doubles.
But a singles game requires fitness and agility to win as you and your opponent hold half of the court on each side of the net. You need to move from here to there to tackle the ball and hit precisely.
This article will focus on how to play pickleball 1v1. How do you serve and get a point in a singles game? All of this is going to be discussed in this article
Can You Play Pickleball Singles?
Pickleball is played between singles and doubles. The singles mode is different from the doubles. The serve methodologies are different; players need to serve from a specific side of the court at different points. Most importantly, playing doubles pickleball is easier and requires less effort from the players.
Singles games push boundaries and require fitness. So, it could offer a great workout as well. Your movement, style of playing, hand-eye coordination, movements and other skills improved to the highest levels while playing singles.
So, you can play the game with two players and have the best experience you would have liked. You might also like it better to play singles rather than doubles if you want to train harder.
Source: https://www.pickleheads.com/
How to Play Pickleball Singles for Beginners?
1v1 pickleball for beginners is a little harder to play as you need to cover more area than in doubles. Regarding exercise, there could be no better option than playing pickleball in singles. In 1 v 1 pickleball, you must bring your A-game to win the match, especially in tournaments. You need to be physically fit and able to sense what your opponent thinks while hitting the ball or how he intends to hit the ball.
So, if you don’t have four players available or you don’t have paddles or other equipment, you can rely on playing singles. There is nothing special needed to bring on the field to play singles.
Service Rule in Singles
The serving player needs to start the match with a first serve from the right side of the court, and the opponent needs to stand on the left side of the court receiving the serve. Once a server gets the point, he needs to switch the serving side, i.e., from right to left, and the receiver must stand on the right side of the court this time. If the server loses the rally, the opposing team or player gets a serve attempt.
The sides must be switched until the server makes a fault or loses a point. The server serves the ball from the right side when the score is even and from the left side when the score is odd. The serving rules are the same as in badminton, table tennis or tennis.
The serving team serves underhand diagonally and below the waist height.
Anything other than that would be considered as a fault. While serving, the ball should land in the volley zone, including the non-volley zone line. If it doesn’t, the receiving team gets a point.
Source: https://www.pickleballmax.com/
1v1 Pickleball Rules in Singles Pickleball Game
Scoring Rules
The scoring rules are different in pickleball than in badminton. Only the serving player gets the point. That’s why the set contains 11 points. The first player to reach 11 points with a difference of two points wins the set. You will not win at 11 points if your opponent is at 10 points. There must be a 2-point difference, and only the server wins the point. A coin toss is used to decide which player will be the first server.
Serving Team Score Points
The scoring calls are different in singles pickleball than in doubles. The singles game usually starts with 0-0, where the first place is for the server and the second for the receiver. Only the server scores the point. However, the doubles scoring calls are tedious.
They are observed just like 0-0-2, where a doubles game starts. Here, the first 0 represents the serving team’s points, and the second represents the point of the opponent team. The third number, which is 2, represents the team that begins serving to start the game.
Double Bounce Rule
The double-bounce or two-bounce rule is applied in pickleball. When a player serves, the opponent must wait for the ball to bounce and then hit back. Now, the server must wait for the ball to bounce once and return to the opponent’s court.
These first two bounces are compulsory; after that, both players can hit the ball off-air if they want to, i.e., without letting the ball bounce off the surface. This rule is called the double bounce or two-bounce rule.
Fault Rules
If a player or his clothes touch the ball, a fault occurs. When a part of the player, his clothes, or even his paddles, touches the net when the ball is in play, it is called a fault. If a player hits the ball to anything like a permanent object or poll, it will be a fault, too, as the ball has never reached the opponent.
Double Hit Rule
If a player unintentionally hits the ball twice, it is considered a legal hit. When a player intentionally changes the paddle’s direction, this will be a fault, and he loses the serve or point.
What is Skinny Singles Pickleball mode, and How is it Different from Singles Pickleball?
Skinny singles pickleball is a less workout where you use only half the court to play the game. There are two possible ways to cut down the playing field into half.
Down the line (One Side of the Court):
In this game, you use one side of the court, 10 feet, and your opponent uses the same side with the same dimensions.
Cross the line:
In this mode, players use diagonal sides of the court. It becomes a kind of doubles Pickleball game and requires less effort.
The skinny singles mode is used to train and practice your shots precisely. Although it isn’t a mode of the game for practice, it isn’t a bad choice.
Reasons You Should Play Pickleball Singles Over Doubles
Good Exercise and Boosts Skill Levels
Playing Singles Pickleball requires movement and speed. You own the courts and move freely while playing singles. A singles game’s first benefit is running more and burning more calories.
Although the size of the pickleball court is smaller, a player has to move approximately 1200-1300 steps in a single game. So, playing pickleball singles could be more fun and a hell of an exercise.
It also hones your game skills and makes you a good player in the game. Most tennis players like to practice on a pickleball field and play as singles.
Useful for Future Doubles Matches
When you play in singles, you can perform better in doubles matches and tournaments. The shot selection in singles matches improves, and you find different ways to tackle the shots by your opponents. You get extra support from your partner in doubles, so a singles game could help you maintain your fitness levels above par.
What Equipment is Needed to Play Pickleball Singles?
Whether you’re playing singles or doubles, the equipment is the same; you need a paddle, a ball, a kit and a pickleball net. The shoes are of great importance as you are committed to running along the court, and you need a good grip to run on the surface. Most regular sports shoes are fine for playing pickleball. However, to pursue pickleball as a career, you must wear medicated shoes for practice and matches.
The paddles are the same size and built with graphite and other materials. The high-quality pickleball paddles are available at reasonable prices and are easy to avail. Just like paddles, plastic pickleball balls can be found in both online and offline markets.
The size of the paddles doesn’t change even if the material is varied. The first paddle used to play the game was made of wood. Most of the players also use wooden paddles these days. It is your choice to use, but the new paddles are of greater quality, like hitting and placing the ball in the right areas while playing the game.
Conclusion
Pickleball is a great game recognized globally and has well-known international players. It is affordable and doesn’t need a spacious area to play. We all need a great paddle, a pickleball ball and a net to play the game. It is for those who love to make their workout more interesting rather than pulling weights in the gym.
This guide taught us how to play pickleball singles, and how they differ from doubles. The rules are almost the same, with minor changes in scoring rules. This game mode helps you be focused and play the game with technique and skills.