In singles pickleball you call two numbers before every serve: the server's score first, then the receiver's. If you serve with 5 points and your opponent has 3, you say "5-3". There is no third number, because singles has only one server per side. The rest of this guide covers when to call it, which side to serve from, and how the call changes after a side out. For more calls and rules, see our pickleball scoring guides.
How do you call the score in singles pickleball?
The call is two numbers, server first and receiver second. You say it out loud before each serve, and the server normally does the talking. Say it clearly so your opponent hears it, and finish before the ball is hit.
Here are a few calls and what they mean:
| You say | Server's points | Receiver's points |
|---|---|---|
| 0-0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3-1 | 3 | 1 |
| 5-3 | 5 | 3 |
| 10-10 | 10 | 10 |
If you're serving, start with your own score. If you're receiving and the server forgets to call, ask for it. You'll hear their number first, then yours.
Why is there no third number in singles?
In doubles, each team has two players who can serve, so the call adds a server number, 1 or 2, at the end. A call like 4-2-1 means the serving team has 4, the other team has 2, and the first server is up. If you want the full picture, read our guide on keeping score in doubles.
Singles has no second server. You serve until you lose the rally, and then the serve goes to your opponent. With nobody to hand the serve to, there is nothing to number, so the call stays at two numbers for the whole game.
Which side do you serve from?
Your own score tells you where to stand. An even score serves from the right, an odd score from the left. Zero counts as even, so the first serve of every game comes from the right.
| Server's score | Serve from |
|---|---|
| 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 | Right side |
| 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 | Left side |
One common mistake is to add both scores together. Don't. It is the server's score that matters, not the combined score of server and receiver. At 5-3 you have 5 points, so you serve from the left. At 3-5 you have 3 points, so you also serve from the left. At 4-7 you have 4 points, so you serve from the right, even though the other player is ahead.
The receiver stands in the court diagonally across from the server and does not choose a side. They line up wherever the server's position puts them.
What is the score at the start, and what happens after a side out?
A singles game starts at 0-0. The first server calls "zero zero", serves from the right, and play begins.
Only the serving side can score. If the server wins the rally, they get a point, the call goes up by one for the server, and they switch to the other side for the next serve. If the receiver wins the rally, no point is awarded. That is a side out, and the serve passes to the other player.
After a side out, the new server becomes the first number in the call. Here is how it looks:
- You serve at 5-3 and lose the rally.
- It is a side out, so no point is scored and your opponent now serves.
- Your opponent calls 3-5, their 3 first and your 5 second.
- Your opponent has 3, an odd number, so they serve from the left.
Notice that nobody's score changed. The same two numbers simply swap places because the call always puts the server first. This is where new players slip, so train yourself to think of the first number as "the player about to serve" and not as "the player I am".
Games are usually played to 11, and you must win by 2. Some events use a win by one to speed up play, and tournament games can also go to 15 or 21. Ask before you start if you are not sure which one applies. In a one-game match to 11, players also switch ends when the first player reaches 6 points. The score call does not change when you switch ends, and the server's score still decides the serving side. A quick check before each serve keeps everyone honest: say the call, glance at the server's number, and step to the matching side.
Try it with Pickle Call
If you want the call kept for you, Pickle Call does it. You pick singles when you start a game, and the app uses the singles rules: the two-number call, one server, and the serving side that goes with your score. You tap once per rally, and Pickle Call updates the call and shows which side the server stands on. Singles games to 11 can be scored without the Pickle Call Unlock. Finished matches are saved in History with each game's score. Pickle Call is coming to iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. You can read how it handles singles and doubles on the feature page.
Bottom line
Call two numbers before every serve, server first, receiver second. Start at 0-0, serve from the right on an even score and from the left on an odd one, and swap the numbers after a side out. Play to 11 and win by 2 unless the event says otherwise.
Questions
- Who calls the score in singles pickleball?
- The server calls it, loud enough for the receiver to hear, before the serve. If the server forgets, the receiver can ask for it.
- Do you say the receiver's score first or second?
- Second. The server's score always comes first, so the number you say first changes after a side out.
- What is the score at the start of a singles game?
- 0-0, called as zero zero. The server serves from the right side.
- Do you call a server number in singles?
- No. Singles has one server, so the call is only two numbers. The third number belongs to doubles.
