When it comes to sports, pickleball is relatively new! Players must hit a Wiffle ball over the net using wooden paddles, and is a very similar game to tennis, table tennis, and badminton.
Because pickleball is such a new sport, there are many people who have likely never played it before.
What’s more, there will be many people who have no idea how to play or what the rules are. Luckily, we are here to help! In this article, we will discuss the 10 key rules of pickleball. So, if you’re interested, read on for more!
Court Dimensions And Rules
Before pickleball can start, the court needs to be set up in the correct way. So, a typical pickleball court needs to measure 20 ft wide by 44 ft long. The net that divides the court, 22 ft by 20 ft, needs to be 36 inches in height.
So, this should result in two, 2 ft baselines and 2, 44 ft sidelines that compose the perimeter of the court. The ball should not be hit outside of this perimeter.
The rest of the court is separated into 4 separate sections that measure 10 ft by 15 ft on either side. The left and right sides are separated by two centerlines, 1 on either side, not including the no-volley zone.
The Rules Of The Serving Sequence
This is commonly referred to as a very complex part of pickleball. Serves begin the pickleball point. At the start of a pickleball, the first player to serve will stand to the right side of the court to serve the ball.
If this serve wins a point for their team, the same server will serve once more from the left side. Any time a point is won in a game of pickleball, the same server who served the ball that won the point will serve again from the opposite side.
Only the team who serves can score a point in pickleball (Check out How Many Points Do You Need To Win Pickleball?). If the opposing team wants to score, then they must serve and win a rally. However, when the team who did not serve wins a rally, the second server must serve the ball.
If a server begins a rally that the team who did not serve started, then the ball will be passed via the net and the team who did not serve will begin serving from the court’s right side These switches happen until the game ends.
The Rules Of Serving
As well as serving sequence rules, there are also specific serving rules that need to be adhered to. Every serve in a game of pickleball needs to drop from a hand and hit with another underhand, without bouncing, under the waist.
It needs to travel over the net, bounce over the non-volley line, and be inside the opposite court, diagonally. If any one of these rules are not adhered to, then the server must give up the serve to either their opponent or teammate, depending on the rules of the serving sequence.
The Double-Bounce Rule
When the ball is served, the opposing team must allow it to bounce before they can rally it. After this initial bounce, the ball needs to bounce once on the serving team’s side, and the rally can begin as normal. During this process, the regular rules regarding the ball landing still apply.
The No-Volley Rule
After the observation of the previous rule, players can begin to volley the ball in a regular rally, with the no-volley rule in play. On both sides of the net are non-volley lines of 7 ft. This is the designated non-volley zone, and players must not set foot in this zone at all.
You can identify this zone by the 20 ft line that separates it from the two playable areas. If the player steps into the no-volley zone at any point, then this is considered a fault.
The no-volley rule is important because it stops the game from ending too quickly. Players need to stand back to hit the ball with this rule in place, which makes pickleball tense and more fun!
The Second-Bound Rule
A common fault made by players in pickleball is the second bounce. But what is the second-bounce rule? Well, all it means is that the ball is not permitted to bounce on one side of the net more than once before being sent to the other side.
The only exception to this rule is a pickleball game played in wheelchairs. The second-bounce rule is very important to pickleball. It ensures the game remains fast and fun.
The Out Of Bounds Rule
During pickleball, every hit needs to stay within the opponent’s perimeter (Find out How Many Hits Is Each Team Permitted). If the ball is hit outside of this perimeter, then this is considered to be a fault. A serve or shot is considered acceptable if it touches any aspect of the inbound line.
You must look at it from a bird’s eye view to do this. So, even if the Wiffle ball bounces inside the line and outside of the court, it will still be counted as an inbound service.
Very skilled pickleball players can use this rule to their advantage, getting the ball as close to the line as they can to make it more difficult for opponents to return it in the correct way.
The Rules Of The Net
The net is one of the most prominent features of pickleball, and it serves a very important purpose. Players must aim to hit the ball high over the net for it to bounce on the opposing side.
Without the net, shots would be easier, making more difficult shots would be easier, and pickleball would not be very fun to play or watch. Players must hit the ball over the net, and not into the net.
The Rules Of Scoring
As previously mentioned, you can only score in pickleball if your team is serving. However, both teams should still attempt to win all of the rallies. This is because, as an opposing team to the serving team, when you win a rally, you gain the opportunity to serve, and then score.
Pickleball is played to eleven points. However, the other side must have nine or fewer points for the game to end here. If a team gains eleven points, but the opposing team has ten, then the game will continue until either side leads by two points.
The Score Call-Out Rules
Finally, there are specific rules for the way the score is called out in pickleball. The call-out is very important because it is a reminder of which side is next to serve.
Unlike other sports, the call-out for pickleball will involve 3 numbers: the score of the serving team, the score of the opposing team, and either the number one or the number two. The third number to be called out is indicative of the serving rotation.
Final Thoughts
Pickleball is a new game in the world of sports, so not many people are familiar with what it is or how to play it.
There are 10 key rules to learn when it comes to pickleball, and we hope you understand them better now that you have read the article above! All that’s left to do is find a wooden paddle and play!
Pickleball has been played for decades, and it is a great way to let off some steam, engage in friendly competition, and improve your fitness levels.
Hi, my name is Joe Polls and my family and I are keen pickleball players. My parents actually met on a pickleball court, and the rest is history.
I have always loved pickleball, no matter how many times I hear that it’s not a real sport. It has helped me get through some challenging times in my life - whether that be a breakup, finals, or even bereavement. The reason I made my website is so that I can teach more people about the wonders of pickleball, and maybe even get them interested in playing.
Pickleball could always use more players, so what are you waiting for?
Please, enjoy my website and I hope it teaches you something of use. Who knows, maybe I’ll catch you out on the court one day!
