Pickleball Round Robin for 5 Players on 1 court
For 5 players on 1 court, play 5 rounds of rotating-partner doubles: 4 play and 1 sits out each round. Everyone plays 4 games and sits out 1 time, with no repeat partners, in about 1 h 15 min with games to 11.
Pickleball Round Robin for 5 Players on 1 court · www.elcodev.com/apps/paddlerack/round-robin/5-players-1-court
Everyone plays 4 games · zero repeat partners
The schedule: 5 rounds
Give each player a number from 1 to 5 (write names in the key when you print). Each row is one round; each cell is one game, partners joined by "&". Times assume games to 11.
| Round | Court 1 | Sitting out |
|---|---|---|
| 1 0 min | 3 & 5 vs 4 & 2____ : ____ | 1 |
| 2 15 min | 2 & 3 vs 4 & 1____ : ____ | 5 |
| 3 30 min | 3 & 1 vs 2 & 5____ : ____ | 4 |
| 4 45 min | 3 & 4 vs 1 & 5____ : ____ | 2 |
| 5 60 min | 2 & 1 vs 5 & 4____ : ____ | 3 |
Name key
Sit-out distribution
1 of 5 players sit each round, so each player sits 1 round in 5. Over 5 rounds that's 5 sit-outs shared 5 ways: everyone sits 1 time. Who sits:
- Round 1: 1
- Round 2: 5
- Round 3: 4
- Round 4: 2
- Round 5: 3
| Player | Games | Sit-outs | Different partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| 5 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
How long it takes
Rec doubles to 11 with side-out scoring runs about 13 minutes plus a couple of minutes to rotate. Your group may be faster or slower; the court time guide shows how to estimate it.
| Format | Per round | 5 rounds |
|---|---|---|
| Games to 11 | 15 min | 1 h 15 min |
| Games to 15 | 20 min | 1 h 40 min |
| Games to 21 | 27 min | 2 h 15 min |
In a 2-hour booking (8 rounds to 11), each player gets about 6–7 games.
Tips for 5 players on 1 court
1 sits out each round. Each player sits 1 round in 5. That's a short, friendly break, and a good moment to keep score or refill water. Rotate the sit-outs by the schedule, not by who volunteers, or the same polite people sit every time.
Short by 3? With 3 more players you could fill 2 courts and nobody would sit (8 players on 2 courts).
Odd number? That's fine for a rotating-partner round robin: partners change every round, so nobody needs a permanent partner. For fixed teams you'd need an even count.
Frequently asked questions
How many rounds should 5 players play on 1 court?
Plan 5 rounds, about 1 h 15 min with games to 11. 5 rounds is enough for each player to partner as many different people as possible.
How many players sit out each round with 5 players on 1 court?
1 player sits out each round, because 1 court holds 4. A fair rotation spreads it so each player sits 1 round in 5 and no one sits twice before everyone has sat once.
Will everyone partner with everyone?
Yes. Each player plays 4 games and there are only 4 possible partners, so this schedule covers every partner.
How long does a 5-player round robin on 1 court take?
About 1 h 15 min for 5 rounds to 11 points (side-out scoring, roughly 15 minutes per round including changeover), 1 h 40 min to 15, or 2 h 15 min to 21. Rally scoring is faster.
What if someone arrives late or leaves early?
A printed schedule can't adapt, so you'd regenerate it for the new count (the free generator takes seconds). The Paddle Rack app handles it live: late arrivals join with a fair games count and early leavers drop out without breaking the rotation.
Other group sizes
4 players, 1 court · 6 players, 1 court · all court options for 5 players · every schedule
Schedule generated by the Paddle Rack rotation (the same engine as the app); fairness counted independently. How the rotation works.