Doubles vs. Singles

Many pickleball players play doubles while others prefer to keep control of their side of the court. Although they are both the same game, there are aspects of the game that differ between doubles and singles. Let’s dive into some of these differences now!

Playing singles means covering more area on the court and moving faster to prepare for each hit. In doubles you have less court to cover but communication with your partner is necessary, especially for those balls that come right down the middle. When announcing the score for a doubles game there are 3 numbers that you have to remember: your score, the other teams score and the server number. In singles there is only one player on each side of the court, which means you only announce your score and the other player’s score.

Another important difference is your court awareness. In singles, you focus on the movement of the ball, shifting and moving around the court accordingly. When playing with a partner, you have to observe their movement on the court and respond to it. If your partner is moving forward, the best strategy is to follow their movement and keep the space between you and your partner from getting too big and giving your opponents an open shot. It may take time to adjust to playing with a new partner, but with time you’ll find strategies that work great for both of you!

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