Badminton Singles Rules: Court Boundaries, Serving and How Singles Differs from Doubles
6 June 2026 · Badminton Fans
In singles the court is narrower — the side alleys are out — but full length, so the back boundary is the real back line on the serve and in rallies. Scoring and serve height are identical to doubles; only the boundaries and serve target change.
The singles habit that drives doubles players mad
Players who grew up on singles instinctively treat the side alleys as out — then carry that instinct into doubles, where the alleys are very much in, and get caught flat-footed when a wide shuttle they've "left" drops good. The reverse is worse: a doubles regular dropped into singles keeps drifting wide and gifting clears into the alley for free errors. The court is the same rectangle; only the width you're allowed changes. The quick reset when you switch formats — singles is the tall, narrow court (use the back line, leave the alleys); doubles is the full, wide court (use the alleys, but respect the back alley on serve). For a full breakdown of every line and fault that can catch you out, see What Is a Fault in Badminton? Every Fault That Loses You the Rally.
Singles boundaries
- Width: the inner sidelines — the side alleys (tramlines) are out.
- Length: the full court to the back boundary, including on the serve (there's no doubles back-alley cut-off in singles).
- Serve: diagonally into the opposite service court, even score → right, odd → left. For the complete list of legal serve requirements — height, position, and contact point — see the Badminton Service Rules: The Complete Guide to a Legal Serve.
Singles vs doubles in one glance
| Singles | Doubles | |
|---|---|---|
| Width used | 5.18 m (17 ft), alleys out | 6.1 m (20 ft), alleys in |
| Serve back limit | back boundary | doubles long service line (0.76 m short) |
| Players | 1 | 2 |
| Scoring | 21, rally | 21, rally |
FAQ
- Q: Are the side alleys in for singles? No — they're out; singles uses the narrower inner court.
- Q: Is the back line different in singles? No — singles uses the full back boundary, including on the serve.
- Q: Is singles scored differently from doubles? No — both are 21-point rally scoring.
- Q: Where do I serve in singles? Diagonally; right court on an even score, left on odd.
- Q: What's the singles court width? 5.18 m (17 ft).
Badminton singles uses the narrower inner court (alleys out) but the full length — including on the serve. Learn which lines are in, how the serve direction works, and the key ways singles differs from doubles in court width and serving rules.