How Skinny Singles Works
The rules are simple. You and your opponent each take one half of the court, divided diagonally. Serves go cross-court as usual. The entire point is played within those two diagonal boxes, with the centerline and sideline defining your boundaries.
Some players do straight skinny singles instead, where you play the right or left half of the court. Both variations work. Diagonal tends to be more popular because it mimics the cross-court patterns common in doubles.
Serving Rules
Serve from behind your baseline into the diagonal service box. Standard serving rules apply. The serve must clear the kitchen line and land in bounds on the opposite diagonal. Faults include hitting the ball out, into the net, or into the wrong half of the court.
Why Play Skinny Singles
There are several good reasons to add skinny singles to your routine:
- Improves cross-court shot accuracy
- Less physically demanding than full court singles
- Works on dinking and kitchen play
- Can be played on half a court when space is limited
- Excellent warmup before doubles matches
The reduced court size means more rallies and fewer unforced errors from reaching for balls you cannot get. You actually hit more balls in a 15-minute skinny singles session than in an hour of regular play.
Key Strategies for Skinny Singles
The narrow court changes everything about shot selection. Here is what works:
Control the Kitchen Line
Get to the kitchen line after your third shot and stay there. In skinny singles, whoever controls the line usually wins the point. The narrow court makes it hard to pass an opponent at the line, so your goal is being there first.
Use Angles, Not Power
The court is too narrow for big power shots. Sharp angles that force your opponent off the court are more effective. A well-placed dink that pulls your opponent wide opens up the court for a winning shot.
Work the Backhand
In diagonal skinny singles, most shots come to your backhand side. Use this to practice backhand dinks and drives. By the time you return to doubles, your backhand will feel automatic.
Common Skinny Singles Mistakes
Watch out for these errors I see regularly:
- Playing too far from the kitchen line on defense
- Trying to hit winners too early in the rally
- Forgetting to reset after getting pulled wide
- Using power shots that go out on the narrow court
The winner is usually whoever makes fewer unforced errors, not whoever hits the hardest. Keep the ball in play and wait for your opponent to make mistakes.