Tennis singles and doubles: the differences

As you probably know, tennis has different disciplines. When you're ready to hit a ball, you can choose between singles or doubles. Essentially, you do the same thing in both formats – you hit the ball and aim it to score a point – but they're still very different games. In this article, we'll explain the differences between doubles and singles in tennis, so you might just know which one you prefer!

Singles

Let's first take a moment to calmly explain what singles and doubles are in tennis. Singles is played one-on-one. The right and left sides of the court, also known as the "tram rails," are not involved in a singles match. Player A serves first, and when the game is over, player B serves. This continues alternating until the match is over.

Double game

A tennis doubles match is played with four players, not two. You can play men's doubles (two men versus two men), women's doubles (two women versus two women), or mixed doubles (men and women versus men and women). It's worth noting that in tennis doubles, the tram rails are still in play, and according to the official version, they hang slightly lower than in singles. Serving, as in singles, is alternated. Player A of team 1 serves first, then player A of team 2 serves, after which player B of team 1 and player B of team 2 also take turns serving.

Biggest differences in tennis singles and doubles

Now that you know how singles and doubles work in tennis, it's also important to understand the key differences between them. Naturally, different disciplines also present different challenges. Looking at singles, for example, it's crucial to be mentally alert. You're playing all by yourself, and you don't have a teammate to cheer you on between points. Lost a point? Then it's crucial to be able to switch gears immediately and refocus on the next ball. If that one lost point lingers in your mind for a little too long, it could be disastrous for the next points in the match, potentially losing those points—and the match as well.

In doubles, you play with a buddy. They can help you boost your spirits when things aren't going your way, so you can confidently play the next points and ultimately snatch the win. It's important to have a lot of confidence in your partner and to maintain good communication to avoid unnecessary mistakes. You can discuss tactics with each other to beat your opponent, so it's wise to practice frequently. When you practice together frequently, you'll get used to each other, and player A will eventually know exactly what player B can or will do in every situation. This ultimately helps you achieve the best results!

Single specialists, double specialists and all-rounders

There are tennis players who excel at singles, but there are certainly also doubles specialists. Given that singles is more often televised, the singles specialists—think Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Iga Swiatek, for example—are often better known. However, there are also many tennis players who specialize in doubles and therefore often don't play singles matches at all. Dutchman Wesley Koolhof is a good example. Together with his partner Neal Skupski, he tops the ATP Rankings in doubles, while playing virtually no singles matches.

Of course, there are also players who are proficient in both singles and doubles tennis. Serena Williams is a prime example. The American not only won 23 Grand Slam singles titles but also achieved numerous doubles victories. For example, she won three gold medals at the Olympic Games with her sister Venus.

Just do what you prefer

Now that you know exactly what singles and doubles are in tennis and what they entail, you probably know which one you enjoy most. Of course, you can also choose to do both. We recommend practicing both disciplines and finding the one that suits you best. Then you can always reevaluate later!