Singles badminton is one player against one. The rules are the same as doubles in most respects, but the court for both the serve and the rally is narrower, and serving order is simpler because there is no partner to rotate with. This guide covers everything that is specific to singles.
Singles rules at a glance
- Court: full length (13.4 m) but only the inner sidelines (5.18 m wide).
- Service court: long and narrow, from the short service line to the back boundary line.
- Serve from the right when your score is even, from the left when it is odd.
- Win the rally: score a point and serve again from the other side.
- Lose the rally: your opponent scores and serves.
- Scoring: rally point to 21, win by 2, maximum 30, best of 3 games.
The singles court
Singles uses the inner sidelines, 0.46 m inside the outer doubles sidelines, so the court is 13.4 m long and 5.18 m wide (44 ft x 17 ft). The side tramlines are out for the whole of a singles match.
The back tramline (the 0.76 m strip at the back) is in for singles, for both the serve and the rally. This is the opposite of doubles, where it is out for the serve.
See our diagram and table of every measurement in badminton court dimensions.
The singles service court
The serve must land diagonally in the opponent’s singles service court:
- front edge: the short service line (1.98 m from the net),
- back edge: the back boundary line,
- side edges: the centre line and the inner sideline.
That makes the singles service court long and narrow, 4.72 m by 2.59 m. A serve that lands on any of those lines is in.
Serving in singles
- The first serve of each game comes from the right service court, because the score is 0.
- When the server’s score is even, serve from the right. When it is odd, serve from the left.
- If the server wins the rally, they score and serve again from the other service court.
- If the receiver wins the rally, they score and become the server, serving from the court that matches their own new score.
There is only one serve per rally: no second serve. All the general serving rules apply, including the 1.15 m height limit, keeping both feet still and in contact with the floor, and hitting the cork first. See badminton serve rules for the full list.
Example
| Score (Ana-Ben) | Event | Next serve |
|---|---|---|
| 0-0 | Start of game | Ana serves from the right |
| 1-0 | Ana wins the rally | Ana serves from the left (1 is odd) |
| 2-0 | Ana wins again | Ana serves from the right (2 is even) |
| 2-1 | Ben wins the rally | Ben serves from the left (his score, 1, is odd) |
| 2-2 | Ben wins again | Ben serves from the right (2 is even) |
| 3-2 | Ana wins the rally | Ana serves from the left (3 is odd) |
When calling the score aloud, the server’s score always comes first, so Ben would call 2-2 as “2 all” and Ana would call the last line “3-2”.
Rally rules in singles
- The shuttle must land inside the inner sidelines and the back boundary line.
- You get one hit per rally turn. Hitting the shuttle twice in succession is a fault, though a frame-and-strings contact in a single stroke is fine.
- Touching the net, reaching over to hit, or having the shuttle touch your body are faults.
- Lets are replayed with no change to the score.
The complete list of faults and lets is in our rules of badminton guide.
Scoring in singles
Singles uses the same scoring as all badminton: rally point scoring to 21, deuce at 20-20 until someone leads by 2, and a cap at 30-29. A match is the best of three games, with a 60-second interval at 11 points and a 2-minute interval between games. See badminton scoring.
How the rules shape singles tactics
Because the court is long and narrow, singles is a game of length and movement:
- The high serve is common in singles because the back tramline is in, so you can push your opponent to the back line from the first shot. Many top players now use a low backhand serve too, to stop opponents attacking the first shot.
- The narrow court makes cross-court smashes less effective than in doubles, so players use clears, drops and net shots to move their opponent to all four corners.
- You cover the court alone, so recovering to the centre after every shot matters more than any single stroke.
Useful next reads: badminton drop shot, badminton smash and badminton drills.
Singles vs doubles: the differences
| Singles | Doubles | |
|---|---|---|
| Court width (rally) | Inner sidelines, 5.18 m | Outer sidelines, 6.1 m |
| Back tramline on the serve | In | Out |
| Side tramline on the serve | Out | In |
| Service court shape | Long and narrow | Short and wide |
| Who serves after winning a rally | Same player, other side | Same player, other side, partners swap |
| Who serves after losing the serve | Opponent | Receiving side player in the correct court |
Singles rules FAQ
Are the side lines in or out in singles?
The inner sideline is in. The outer sideline, and the tramline between the two, are out.
Is the back line in for a singles serve?
Yes. A singles serve may land anywhere up to and including the back boundary line.
Do you change sides during a singles game?
You change ends after each game, and in the third game when the leading player reaches 11 points.
Can you serve to either side in singles?
No. You must serve diagonally, from the court that matches your score, into the opponent’s opposite court.
Playing with a partner? Read badminton doubles rules.
