Article: Singles vs Doubles Strategy in Pickleball—Stop Playing One Like the Other
Singles vs Doubles Strategy in Pickleball—Stop Playing One Like the Other
Title: Singles vs Doubles Strategy in Pickleball—Stop Playing One Like the Other
When it comes to strategy, singles and doubles pickleball are completely different games. Yet, you'd be surprised how often players blur the lines—charging the kitchen in singles or dropping thirds in doubles like they're doing a choreographed dance.
Let’s break down the biggest strategic differences so you can stop leaking points and start winning more rallies.
🎾 SINGLES: Movement, Depth, and Precision
In singles, it's you versus the world. Court coverage is everything, and your best friend is depth.
Core Strategies:
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Hit deep corners (back left and right) to push your opponent off balance and open up the court.
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Stay centered: Position yourself near the baseline until you’ve got a real opening.
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Serve aggressively: Power and placement beat spin. Make them chase. Fun fact: 57% of serves come from the right side, where return error rates are slightly lower.
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Avoid the kitchen: Charging the net on returns is a death sentence unless you're Federer reborn.
“Singles pickleball has become mini tennis… there is no point in going to the net of the return.” —Federico Staksrud
That sparked a bit of controversy this week. Zane Navratil chimed in:
“Watching the French Open, I can’t help but think singles tennis has become macro pickleball… Drop shots, cat and mouse, and lobs.”
So yes, the vibe is tennis-lite. Long rallies, angle work, and fewer kitchen battles. And with error rates climbing as rallies go on (21% of errors come after the 6th shot), finishing earlier is often better.
👥 DOUBLES: Communication, Control, and Court Position
In doubles, teamwork is everything. The court is smaller (well, sort of) because you’ve got help—but that doesn’t mean less thinking.
Core Strategies:
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Drop to the kitchen: The third shot drop is your #1 weapon. It’s used far more than drives and gets you into the NVZ quickly. However, it's tricky: 3.5-level players miss 11.08% of their third shot drops.
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Target gaps: Go for seams between players or aim at their feet.
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Stay side by side: Shift together like a dance team. If one crashes, both should.
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Patience wins: Force the pop-up, then pounce. Notably, 49% of rally-ending errors happen on the fourth shot.
And don’t discount the drive either—while it's riskier, drives account for 43% of rally winners vs. 39% from drops. High reward, high risk.
📊 Summary: Stop Cross-Pollinating Bad Habits
| Singles | Doubles | |
|---|---|---|
| Key Shot | Deep groundstroke | 3rd shot drop |
| Movement | Cover entire court | Synchronized side-by-side |
| Mental Game | Isolation and endurance | Communication and anticipation |
| Net Play | Rare and risky | Crucial and constant |
A few bonus insights:
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Unforced errors account for 63.7% of points—clean execution beats risky tricks.
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35.8% of shots happen near the NVZ, while 38.6% occur behind the baseline—court awareness is everything.
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Most common winners: forehand strokes (36.1%) and backhand strokes (30.5%)—know your weapon.
Don’t let your singles instincts sabotage your doubles game—or vice versa.
Play the right strategy. Pickle smarter.
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