Server Number (1 or 2)
Also known as: server 1, server 2, second server
The server number identifies which of the two partners on a doubles team is currently serving, and is called out as the third number in the score — for example, "4-3-2" means the team's second server is serving.
In doubles, because each team gets two servers per turn before a side out (except at the very start of the game), the score is called with a third number identifying which partner is currently serving: 1 for the first server of that team's turn, 2 for the second. A score called as "4-3-2," for instance, means the serving team has 4 points, the receiving team has 3, and the team's second server is currently serving.
The server number resets to 1 every time a team newly wins the serve — the first partner to serve on that new turn is always server 1, regardless of which partner served first the previous time the team had the serve. Whichever partner started serving that turn retains the "1" designation until a fault passes it to their partner.
Singles play does not use a server number in the score call at all, since there is only ever one server per team and no partner to rotate to. The server number becomes relevant specifically in doubles scoring and rotation.
Example
A doubles team calls their score as "6-2-2" before serving, indicating six points for the serving team, two for the receivers, and that their second server is currently up.
Why it matters
Calling the server number correctly avoids the common doubles dispute of forgetting whether a fault has already passed the serve to the second partner.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting to update the server number after a fault passes the serve to the partner
- Calling a server number in a singles match, where it does not apply
Frequently asked questions
Do singles matches use a server number in the score?
No — singles only calls two numbers (server's score and receiver's score) since there is just one server per side and no partner to rotate the serve to.
Does the server number always start over at 1 when my team gets the serve back?
Yes — whichever partner begins serving on a newly won turn is designated server 1 for that turn, regardless of who served first the previous time your team had the serve.
Related terms
- Serve Rotation (Doubles)In doubles, a team keeps serving with each partner taking a turn as the server, switching service courts after every point won, until the team faults and the serve passes to the opponents.
- Side OutA side out is the moment the serve passes from one team to the other, which happens under side-out scoring when the serving team has no server left in its rotation who has not yet faulted.
- Rally Scoring vs Side-Out ScoringSide-out scoring only awards a point to the serving team, while rally scoring awards a point to whichever team wins the rally regardless of who served — both formats exist in pickleball depending on the event.
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