Yes, you can play padel singles. It just isn't in the rulebook. The International Padel Federation (FIP) rules are written for pairs, and there's no singles court or singles format anywhere in them. Some clubs have built narrower singles courts, and on a normal court you can still have a proper game with two or three of you.
So if your fourth drops out an hour before you're due on court, don't cancel. Here's the singles court size, then six games for two or three players, each with a way to keep score.
The singles court vs the doubles court
A doubles court is 10 m wide and 20 m long inside the walls, with the net at 0.88 m in the middle. That's straight from the FIP rules.
A singles court keeps the same 20 m length and cuts the width to 6 m. The FIP doesn't set this size. It's how singles courts are built, and The Padel Paper, Padel Addict and Padel Market all give the same 6 m by 20 m. Padel Addict says the rest of the court's structure is the same as a doubles court, just narrower.
DOUBLES SINGLES
10 m wide 6 m wide
+----------+ +------+
| | | |
|----+-----| | |
| | | | |
|====+=====| net |======| net
| | | | |
|----+-----| | |
| | | |
+----------+ +------+
20 m long 20 m long
| Doubles court | Singles court | |
|---|---|---|
| Size inside the walls | 20 m by 10 m | 20 m by 6 m |
| Players | 4 | 2 |
| Width each player covers | 5 m | 6 m |
| Set by the FIP rules? | Yes | No |
The width row is the one to look at. In doubles you cover about half of 10 m. On a singles court you cover 6 m alone, so you'll run a bit more side to side, but it's still a court sized for two. Singles courts are rare, so ask your club before you book. Our London, Manchester and Essex club guides flag which clubs list one.
Three ways to split a doubles court for two
Most of the time you'll be on a normal 10 m court. Shaded areas are where the ball has to bounce first.
DIAGONAL STRAIGHT FULL
+----+----+ +----+----+ +---------+
|####| | |####| | |#########|
|####| | |####| | |#########|
|====+====| |====+====| |=========|
| |####| |####| | |#########|
| |####| |####| | |#########|
+----+----+ +----+----+ +---------+
The centre service line stops just past the service line (the FIP asks for at least 20 cm beyond it). Behind that, agree an imaginary line straight back to the glass. The FIP rules already use an imaginary extension of the centre line for the serve, so nobody will think you made it up.
Games for two players
1. Diagonal singles
You each take the same-hand half of your side, which puts you diagonally opposite each other. It feels closest to real padel, because the padel serve already travels diagonally.
- Serve: as the FIP rules say. One foot behind the service line, bounce the ball, hit it at or below the waist, into the box diagonally opposite. The one change: you always serve into the same box rather than alternating.
- In or out: the first bounce has to land in your opponent's shaded half. After that, any glass is in play.
- Score: a four-game mini set, which is one of the FIP's own alternative formats. Golden point at deuce, tie-break at 4-4. Then swap to the other diagonal for the next set, so you both practise both sides.
2. Straight half-court
You both play down the same half, lengthways, in a 5 m strip. It's great for the side wall, because one wall is always in play.
- Start: a diagonal serve can't land in a straight strip, so start each point with an underarm feed straight down your half instead.
- Score: rally points. First to 11, win by two, swap the feed every two points.
3. Full-court singles
The whole 10 m court each. This one is a workout. You each cover 10 m of width, against 6 m on a singles court, so keep it short.
- Serve: normal FIP serve, alternating boxes after every point.
- Score: a super tie-break, first to 10, win by two. Best of three if you've still got legs.
Games for three players
4. Two against one, rotating
Padel Market's suggestion for three is one against two, with the strongest player on their own, or rotating one person out each game. This version keeps all three of you on court and passes the solo spot round instead. To make it fair on everyone, add one rule: the pair has to hit into the solo player's diagonal half, while the solo player can aim anywhere on the pair's side.
- Score: normal games with golden point. The solo player rotates every game. Keep your own tally. Win a game on your own and you take 2 points. Win one as part of the pair and you each take 1. Play nine games, so everyone is solo three times, and the highest total wins.
5. Winner stays on
This works best on the diagonal layout. It isn't the multi-court King of the Court format you'll see at socials, where pairs move up and down courts. This is a one-court game for three. One side of the net is the holder's side. One player holds it, one is the challenger, and the third waits off court by the door.
- The challenger starts the point with a normal serve.
- If the holder wins the point, the holder scores 1. Only the holder can score.
- If the challenger wins, they take the holder's side. The old holder goes off and the waiting player comes on as the new challenger.
- First to 7 points wins. It keeps all three of you moving, and there's always someone resting.
6. Two play, one calls
Two of you play diagonal singles while the third calls the score and the out balls. Every mini set, rotate. Use a tie-break to 7, win by two, so the rotations come round fast. It's the gentlest option of the six, and good if one of you is new and wants to watch for a bit first.
Same game, a bit of a different kit list
Fewer players means more running and more shots each. With two of you, every ball on your side is yours.
That's where the small stuff earns its keep. Our grip socks have grip pads on the sole, to stop your foot moving inside the shoe when you stop and turn. They're £14, in UK 4-7 and UK 8-11, and the grip socks guide covers sizing and washing. And with more shots each per hour, your overgrip gets sweaty faster, so keep a spare in your bag. A 3-pack of Padelism overgrips is £7. Everything else for your bag is in accessories.
When you've got your four back, the padel rules guide has the full doubles game in one place.
FAQ
Is there an official singles version of padel? No. The FIP rules don't mention singles at all, and there's no singles court size in them. Official competition is doubles. Singles courts exist because clubs build them, usually 20 m by 6 m.
What's the best padel game for three people? For a match feel, two against one, with the solo player rotating every game and the pair aiming at one half. For a fast, sociable session, winner stays on, played on the diagonal layout, keeps everyone moving.
Do the walls still count when there are only two or three of you? Yes, in all six games. The ball has to bounce in the agreed area first, then it can come off the glass. If it hits the opponent's glass or mesh before bouncing, the point is lost, the same as Rule 13 in the FIP rules for doubles.
Is padel singles harder than doubles? It's more running. On a singles court you cover 6 m of width alone, against roughly 5 m each in doubles. On a full doubles court with two players, it's the whole 10 m. Short scoring formats, like a four-game mini set or a super tie-break, help keep it fun.
