How to Play Singles Padel on a Standard Court

While padel is typically played in doubles format, it’s also possible, and increasingly popular, to play singles matches. Here’s how it works when playing singles on a standard (doubles) court, which is the most common setup:

Court Setup

  • Singles matches are usually played on standard padel courts (10m x 20m), with no modifications to the court layout.
  • The game is played diagonally, using only the two service boxes on one half of the court.
  • Some clubs may have dedicated singles courts (6m wide instead of 10m), but these are rare.

We suggest the following adaptations to ensure fair and balanced singles play:

1. Alternate Sides After Each Point

  • Players start the first point on the right-hand side (deuce side).
  • After every point, both players switch to the opposite side.
  • This rotation ensures that both players play equally on both sides of the court, balancing out any strengths or weaknesses.

2. Second-Bounce Rule

  • The second bounce must occur within the active diagonal playing zone to be valid.
  • If the first bounce is outside the diagonal zone (e.g., on the unused side), but the second bounce is in the correct zone, the point is valid.
  • If the second bounce falls outside the diagonal zone, the point is invalid, regardless of where the first bounce occurred.
  • Some examples: if we make a drop-shot with a lot of spin and the first bounce falls on the side we’re not playing on, but the second bounce does fall on the side that we are, it’s considered a point. In another instance, if we play a shot where the first rebound comes off our side wall and then off the back wall, and the second bounce eventually falls on our opponent’s side, it would not be considered valid.

3. Single Service Rule

  • Only one serve is allowed per point (instead of the usual two).
  • This reduces server advantage and keeps the match competitive.
  • It also increases tension and strategic thinking during serves.

These suggestions are not part of the official rules by the International Padel Federation but are widely used when playing singles informally on standard courts.

For official padel rules (doubles format), you can download the official rulebook here.

Have fun, and feel free to use these rules as your base when you want a quick and competitive 1-on-1 game!