Whatever the reason for your interest, you’ve come to the right place! Read on to find out what a ‘let’ is in pickleball.
What Is A Let?
A ‘let’ in pickleball refers to a ‘let’ serve. This occurs when you have played a serve in the game and the ball touches the net but still makes it to the other side of the court.
When this occurs, it is known as a let serve. This means that you will have a chance to redo the serve again without it being considered a fault or a penalty.
In order for a ball that touches the net to be considered a let it has to land in the correct part of the court. If the serve lands in the kitchen then it won’t be considered a let serve as this is incorrect.
Is A Let Allowed In Pickleball?
A let is no longer allowed in pickleball. In 2021, the rules were assessed and the rule that allowed let serves was eliminated.
Before this happened, you were allowed as many let serves as occurred in the game, there were no limits to the amount.
This was similar to the way that tennis works now. You can have as many let serves in tennis as occur as long as the serve meets the let criteria.
Why Did They Change The Let Rule In Pickleball?
The let rule was removed from the game in 2021. If you hit the net during a serve during the game now, you will just need to continue playing as if nothing has happened.
Some players were not happy with this change, but some saw it as a positive.
This rule was removed for a number of different reasons, and when the committee removed the let rule, they explained the reasons for this change. These reasons were:
To Preserve The Integrity Of The Game
Pickleball is a very friendly game which is based on cooperation. Removing the let rule from the game allows it to continue being fun and fair.
The committee is very careful to not allow any of the rules to harm the integrity of the game.
It is easy to pass off a fair serve as a let in a game of pickleball, giving the team another chance to serve. This means that points can be lost due to inaccurate calls.
This is why removing the let rule altogether protects the integrity of the game.
For Players
The let rule does not increase or improve the players’ experiences. Instead, it just causes more problems as it can cause tension between the players. It is better for the players that the let rule has been removed.
It often occurs that the teams do not agree on whether a let serve occurred or not, and it makes people feel as if their opponents are cheating. Removing the rule improves the experience of the game for the players.
For Officials
It is also better for the officials if the let rule is not in play. This is because this rule often causes conflict between the players and the referees.
Sometimes the players may stop the game thinking that a let serve had occurred, only to have the referee not detect this serve. This will put the team at risk of losing a point.
In some cases, the referee would move forward during play to check the net to see if it was a let serve. This can be very distracting for the plays and can affect the integrity of the game.
What Are The Benefits Of Removing The Let Rule?
Some players are not happy with the change to the rules. However, most of the players think that it is a positive change for the game. It benefits the game in lots of ways including:
The game remains fun and the risk of cheating is eliminated from the game
You will save time during the game which would have been spent on deciding if a serve was a let serve or not
You will also save time because you will not have a need to redo a serve
Why Is It Called A Let Serve?
There are many theories as to the etymology of this term. Pickleball has many links to tennis and table tennis games, so it is believed that this word was taken from the let rule in these games (Check out Is Pickleball Easier Than Tennis?).
Some people believe that it is called a let because it comes from the French word ‘filet’ this word means net.
What Is A Legal Pickleball Serve?
Pickleball is a sport that is very similar to badminton, tennis and table tennis. It is a racquet sport. This game has some very unique traits that differ from some of these other games.
We have spoken about some of the things that occur during a serve in this game but we haven’t explored the best way to ensure that you are serving well. These rules will help to ensure that you’re serving well in the game.
Hit the ball underhand rather than overhand. Although in tennis you would hit the ball over head, this is not the case in a game of pickleball.
When you hit the ball with the paddle during a serve, your hand must be below the hip.
The top of your paddle must be under your wrist.
When you serve the ball, you will need to hit the ball diagonally across the court. When you do this, the ball must land in the opposite diagonal box of the court.
Final Thoughts
If you were wondering what a let serve was in pickleball, you should now have your answer!
Although this is not a rule that is played anymore, it is very important to be aware of the rule in case you encounter it during your game.
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!
