What is Pickleball?
Pickleball is a racquet sport which combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis.
It was devised by two friends at a private home in Washington State, USA, in 1965. Being without racquets to play badminton, they improvised with some table tennis bats and a perforated tennis ball.
Explanations for the name vary but it is widely thought to have been named after the family dog; another explanation is that it was thought reminiscent of a pickle boat, where oarsmen are chosen from the 'leftovers' of other boats.
During the last ten years the popularity of pickleball has grown stratospherically and it is now the fastest growing racquet sport in both the UK and North America
Basic Rules - Overview
Pickleball is almost always played in doubles, although singles is also popular. The same size playing area and rules are used for both singles and doubles
Pickleball is played on a badminton-sized court: 20’ x 44.’ The ball is served diagonally (starting with the right-hand service-square), and points can only be scored by the side that serves.
Players on each side must let the ball bounce once before volleys are allowed, and there is a seven-foot zone on each side of the net within which volleying is not permitted.
The Serve
Service is normally determined by the toss of a coin: the winner may elect to serve or pass to the opposing side.
Serves are made diagonally, starting from the right-hand service-square and then alternating each time. The serve must clear the seven-foot non-volley-zone in front of the net and land in the diagonal service court.
Serves should always be made underhand with the paddle below the waist, and the server must keep both feet behind the back line when serving. The ball should be hit into the air without being bounced. The serving side continue to serve until the there is a fault on the service, at which point the service will pass to the opposing side.
Only one serve attempt is allowed.
Double-Bounce Rule
The ball must bounce on either side of the net following a serve; thus the receiving team must let the serve bounce and the serving team must let the return of the serve bounce, before playing it. Once these two bounces have occurred, the ball can either be volleyed or played off the bounce.
Faults
A fault is committed when the ball:
• Touches any part of the non-volley zone on the serve (including the line).
• Is hit out of bounds
• Does not clear the net
• Is volleyed from the non-volley zone
• Is volleyed before a bounce has occurred on each side
Scoring
Points are scored only by the serving team.
Games are normally played to 11 points. If the score reaches 11:11, it is necessary to win by two clear points
Tournament games may be to 15 or 21; win by 2.
Check: when the serving team’s score is even (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) the player who was the first server in the game for that team will be in the right-side court when serving or receiving; when odd (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) that player will be in the left-side court when serving or receiving.
Non-Volley Zone
• The non-volley zone is the court area within 7 feet on both sides of the net.
• Volleying is prohibited within the non-volley zone. This rule prevents players from executing smashes from a position within the zone.
• It is a fault if, when volleying a ball, the player steps on the non-volley zone, including the line and/or when the player’s momentum causes them, or anything they are wearing or carrying, to touch the non-volley zone including the associated lines.
• It is a fault if, after volleying, a player is carried by momentum into or touches the non-volley zone, even if the volleyed ball is declared dead before this happens.
• A player may legally be in the non-volley zone any time other than when volleying a ball.
• The non-volley zone is commonly referred to as “the kitchen.”
Line Calls
• A ball contacting any line, except the non-volley zone line on a serve, is considered to be “in.”
• A serve contacting the non-volley zone line is short and a fault.
Pickleball is a racquet sport which combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis.
It was devised by two friends at a private home in Washington State, USA, in 1965. Being without racquets to play badminton, they improvised with some table tennis bats and a perforated tennis ball.
Explanations for the name vary but it is widely thought to have been named after the family dog; another explanation is that it was thought reminiscent of a pickle boat, where oarsmen are chosen from the 'leftovers' of other boats.
During the last ten years the popularity of pickleball has grown stratospherically and it is now the fastest growing racquet sport in both the UK and North America
Basic Rules - Overview
Pickleball is almost always played in doubles, although singles is also popular. The same size playing area and rules are used for both singles and doubles
Pickleball is played on a badminton-sized court: 20’ x 44.’ The ball is served diagonally (starting with the right-hand service-square), and points can only be scored by the side that serves.
Players on each side must let the ball bounce once before volleys are allowed, and there is a seven-foot zone on each side of the net within which volleying is not permitted.
The Serve
Service is normally determined by the toss of a coin: the winner may elect to serve or pass to the opposing side.
Serves are made diagonally, starting from the right-hand service-square and then alternating each time. The serve must clear the seven-foot non-volley-zone in front of the net and land in the diagonal service court.
Serves should always be made underhand with the paddle below the waist, and the server must keep both feet behind the back line when serving. The ball should be hit into the air without being bounced. The serving side continue to serve until the there is a fault on the service, at which point the service will pass to the opposing side.
Only one serve attempt is allowed.
Double-Bounce Rule
The ball must bounce on either side of the net following a serve; thus the receiving team must let the serve bounce and the serving team must let the return of the serve bounce, before playing it. Once these two bounces have occurred, the ball can either be volleyed or played off the bounce.
Faults
A fault is committed when the ball:
• Touches any part of the non-volley zone on the serve (including the line).
• Is hit out of bounds
• Does not clear the net
• Is volleyed from the non-volley zone
• Is volleyed before a bounce has occurred on each side
Scoring
Points are scored only by the serving team.
Games are normally played to 11 points. If the score reaches 11:11, it is necessary to win by two clear points
Tournament games may be to 15 or 21; win by 2.
Check: when the serving team’s score is even (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) the player who was the first server in the game for that team will be in the right-side court when serving or receiving; when odd (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) that player will be in the left-side court when serving or receiving.
Non-Volley Zone
• The non-volley zone is the court area within 7 feet on both sides of the net.
• Volleying is prohibited within the non-volley zone. This rule prevents players from executing smashes from a position within the zone.
• It is a fault if, when volleying a ball, the player steps on the non-volley zone, including the line and/or when the player’s momentum causes them, or anything they are wearing or carrying, to touch the non-volley zone including the associated lines.
• It is a fault if, after volleying, a player is carried by momentum into or touches the non-volley zone, even if the volleyed ball is declared dead before this happens.
• A player may legally be in the non-volley zone any time other than when volleying a ball.
• The non-volley zone is commonly referred to as “the kitchen.”
Line Calls
• A ball contacting any line, except the non-volley zone line on a serve, is considered to be “in.”
• A serve contacting the non-volley zone line is short and a fault.
An abbreviated summary of the rules can be found at
http://www.usapa.org/rules-summary/
A more detailed version, issued by the world governing body for the sport - International Federation of Pickleball (IFP) - can be found at http://www.usapa.org/ifp-official-rules/
IFP Member Organisations
https://www.pickleballengland.org/
All India Pickleball Association (AIPA)
Pickleball France (assoc. member)
Pickleball Canada Organization
Pickleball Spain Organization
USA Pickleball Association (USAPA)
http://www.usapa.org/rules-summary/
A more detailed version, issued by the world governing body for the sport - International Federation of Pickleball (IFP) - can be found at http://www.usapa.org/ifp-official-rules/
IFP Member Organisations
https://www.pickleballengland.org/
All India Pickleball Association (AIPA)
Pickleball France (assoc. member)
Pickleball Canada Organization
Pickleball Spain Organization
USA Pickleball Association (USAPA)