Essential Guide to Singles vs Doubles
Juan
Singles and doubles share the same shots, the same ball, and the same strings, yet can sometimes feel like two different sports.
Singles is one against one on a 27 ft wide court. Doubles is two against two on a 36 ft wide court, and the tactics that win each format are very different.
In this guide you will learn how the court and rules change between formats, how to win in each, which is more challenging, and why playing both can make you a stronger all-around player.
| Format | Players | Court Width | Alleys | Rally Length | Main Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singles | 1 vs 1 | 27 ft (8.23 m) | Out of bounds | Longer | Baseline |
| Doubles | 2 vs 2 | 36 ft (10.97 m) | In play during rallies | Shorter | Net |
Court and Rule Differences
The most immediate difference is the court you play in. The singles court is 27 ft (8.23 m) wide. The doubles court opens up to 36 ft (10.97 m) by bringing the alleys into play.
The alleys are live during doubles rallies, but stay out of bounds on the serve. The extra width gives doubles teams access to sharper angles that a singles player never has to worry about.
The serve rotation also changes. In doubles, each team decides its serving order at the start of the set, and the serve then rotates through all four players game by game.
Receiving sides are fixed too. Each partner chooses to receive in either the deuce or the ad court, and they stay on that side for the whole set.
Scoring is the same in both formats, though many doubles matches use a ten-point tiebreak in place of a third set, and some use no-ad scoring where the next point decides a game at deuce.
How to Win in Singles
Singles rewards a physically demanding baseline game.
With the whole court to yourself, your movement has to be sharp so you can cover the ground and stay in points that stretch you side to side.
Strong fundamentals from the back of the court are a huge advantage, because that is where most of the modern game is played.
However, even if you are not an aggressive baseliner who generates a lot of power and spin, there is room for your specific playing style to win in singles matches.
Counter punchers win with consistency, anticipation, and timing rather than raw pace, absorbing their opponent's power and redirecting it into spots that force errors and open the court.
All-court players lean on versatility and tennis IQ rather than one specific tactic, winning by outmaneuvering opponents rather than overpowering them.
How to Win in Doubles
Doubles is quicker, and it leans far more on a strong serve along with play at the net. This complements big servers and serve-and-volley playing styles.
As a general rule, the advantage sits with the team that moves forward together and cuts off the angles at the net. The pace is faster, but the format is every bit as tactical as singles.
Most teams set up one player at the net and one at the baseline, then move as a unit from there. When one of you shifts to cover a wide ball, the other slides across to protect the middle.
In doubles, strong communication and team play are important throughout the whole match.
Which Format Is More Challenging?
Singles is the more physically demanding format, as we covered above. Doubles is more challenging in other areas.
Doubles tests your reflexes and your decision speed at the net. The exchanges come faster and you have far less time to read the ball and react.
For that reason, once your shots and overall skill set are solid, a doubles match will generally feel easier on the body than a singles match.
Why Playing Both Makes You Better
Singles develops your endurance, your consistency, and your all-court skills, which makes you a more complete doubles player.
Doubles works the other way. It pushes you to be more aggressive, sharpens your serve, and builds confidence at the net, all of which carry straight back into your singles game.
Moving between the two means recalibrating your mindset, from individual point construction and covering every ball yourself to team play and shared court coverage.
reString athlete and WTA player Cristina Bucsa is a good example of a player who competes across both.
In 2026 she reached career highs of rank 30 in singles and rank 16 in doubles, using reString Zero as a cross string in her hybrid setup.
Summary
Singles rewards endurance, patience, and a strong baseline game. Doubles rewards teamwork, net play, and quick hands. Neither is harder, they just ask different things.
Both singles and doubles can shape your string setup too, from spin and durability through long baseline rallies to feel and control at the net.
If you want help matching a string to how you play, our String Finder is the best place to start.
About the Author: Juan is the co-founder of reString. He was born in Argentina, raised in Japan, and moved to the US to pursue college tennis. He now plays as an ATP & WTA hitting partner.
