Singles vs. doubles: court lines and player roles

Two ways to play

Singles is one player against one player. Doubles is a team of two against another team of two. The same rules of scoring apply in both. What changes is the width of the court you use, who serves when, and how much teamwork matters. Many young players try both, and each builds different skills.

The court lines

A tennis court has the same markings for both formats, but different lines are in play depending on the format.

Baseline

The line at the back of each end. Servers stand behind it.

Singles sideline

The inner side line. In singles, the ball must land on or inside it.

Doubles sideline

The outer side line. In doubles, the ball is in if it lands on or inside it.

Doubles alley

The strip between the singles and doubles sidelines. It is in play only in doubles.

Service line

The line that marks the back of the service boxes, closer to the net than the baseline.

Center service line

The line that divides the two service boxes.

Center mark

A short mark at the middle of the baseline. The server must stand on the correct side of it, depending on which service box is being served into.

In standard rules the serve goes into the diagonal service box in both formats, and the service boxes are the same size for singles and doubles. Court sizes for young beginners are often smaller, so the layout may look different at your program.

Singles roles

In singles, you cover the whole court by yourself. Most of the game is played from the baseline, with occasional trips to the net. Key skills include consistent groundstrokes, moving side to side, and recovering to the middle after each shot. Singles builds fitness and independence, and it is a good way to learn how the whole court works.

Doubles roles

Doubles players split the court, and the game is faster and more tactical. The common roles are:

• Server: starts each point from behind the baseline. Partners take turns serving, so each player serves every other service game of their team.
• Server's partner: often stands near the net, ready to volley and finish points.
• Returner: receives the serve. Each partner on the receiving team takes one side of the court for the set and returns serves from that side.
• Returner's partner: may stand near the net or back, depending on the team's plan.

After the serve and return, teammates usually move together and try to cover the middle of the court. Many young teams start with one player at the net and one at the baseline, then move to both players at the net as their volleys improve.

Teamwork in doubles

• Talk constantly. Short calls such as "mine," "yours" or "switch" avoid collisions and confusion.
• Cover the middle. The middle of the court is the hardest to defend because both players want it.
• Move as a pair. When one partner moves forward or sideways, the other adjusts.
• Support your partner. A missed shot is the team's miss, so encourage each other.

Serving order in doubles

In doubles, one partner serves the whole first game, and then the other team serves. When the first team serves again, the second partner takes a turn, and the partners keep alternating that way. This keeps the serving fair and gives both teammates equal chances to start points. Before play begins, teams decide who serves first and who receives on which side, so it helps to settle this with your partner before the first point.

Because two players share the court, the doubles game rewards quick reactions at the net, smart placement and good communication. Singles rewards stamina, patience and the ability to build a point from the baseline. Players who try both often find that doubles sharpens their volleys and singles sharpens their footwork.

Which one should my child start with?

There is no wrong answer. Singles is simple for beginners to understand, while doubles can be less tiring and more social. Many programs mix both in the same session. Ask the coach which format they use for new players. For scoring basics, see tennis rules for beginners, and for what to bring to practice, see the youth equipment checklist. Everything we publish about the sport lives on the tennis hub.