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Pickleball is a fun sport that is like a mix of tennis, badminton, and ping pong. The first game was played in 1965, and during the outbreak, it became the most popular sport in the United States.
To play pickleball, you need to know the basic rules, like how to score, serve, and where the court lines are. There are many places where people who are new to pickleball can learn more about the game and start playing this fun and open sport. Here you learn about the basic rules to get started!
Understanding Pickleball
A lot of people say that pickleball is like tennis, badminton, and ping pong all mixed. Tennis is more of a moving game, but badminton is played on a court the size of a tennis court with a net. Hard paddles and hollow plastic balls are used in this game, which can be played alone or with a partner.
Former Washington State Representative Joel Pritchard and investor Bill Bell came up with the idea in 1965. When they couldn’t find badminton gear, they used ping-pong paddles, a wiffle ball, and a court that had been changed. Later, they added Barney McCallum and made the rules for the event.
Pickleball became very popular during the pandemic because it could be played outside with little gear. USA Pickleball says that the number of players will almost double to 8.9 million in 2022, making it the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. for three years in a row.
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Playing Pickleball: Rules and Basics
The court for pickleball is 44 feet long (with lines) and 20 feet wide (with lines). It can be used for both singles and teams.
Like tennis, the game starts with a serve from the right side of the floor. The serve has to go over the net and land in the other square’s lines. If the ball hits the net, goes out of bounds, or falls in “The Kitchen,” which is close to the net, that’s a fault.
The ball has to bounce once on each side of the net before it can be volleyed. People can hit the ball again after it bounces or while it’s in the air, but only in the service area. “The Kitchen” is a no-volley zone to keep people from getting unfair benefits.
Someone hits the goal, the ball goes out of bounds, or there is a double bounce. You lose the point.
Scoring in Pickleball: Only Servers Earn Points
The side that serves can only score points in tennis. The side that receives can’t. There are people who serve the ball and people who accept it. You only get points during the serve.
When the score is 0-0-Start in doubles pickleball, one player from each team serves first on the right side of the court, which is the even side. The serve goes directly at the other player. People who serve move to the left side to serve again if they score. With each good point, they keep switching sides.
When the server makes a mistake or breaks the rules, the serving process is over. The next person on the team serves. The serve goes to the other team if the second player makes a mistake.
After the first mistake in solo pickleball, the other player gets the ball and serves until they make a mistake. The serve then goes back to the first player.
Understanding the ‘Start’ in Pickleball Scoring
You might wonder why the word “start” appears in the score, such as 0-0-Start. This term is specific to doubles pickleball and isn’t crucial for your first game, but here’s a brief explanation if you’re curious.
In doubles, three numbers are announced when serving: the serving team’s score, the receiving team’s score, and a number indicating the server. The server number shows whether the first or second server is serving.
Typically, the first server on a team is represented by the number 1, and the second server by the number 2. However, at the start of the game, the first server may say “Start” instead of “1.”
This is linked to the First-Server Exception rule, where “Start” can also be used instead of “2.” For beginners, it’s enough to know that the first server can say “Start” or “2,” and once they finish serving, it’s called a side out.
After the first server, the serving sequence continues normally, with each player on each side serving in turn.
The Two-Bounce Rule
The ball has to bounce twice on each side of the net before it can be hit during a rally. This is called the “two-bounce rule.”
This rule is used at the start of the game, after the serve, to make sure that both the player and receiver get two bounces. If this rule isn’t followed, like letting the ball bounce twice on one side before hitting it, a fault is made.
The rule says that players can hit the ball after it has bounced once on each side. They can hit it off the bounce or throw it. It used to be called the “double-bounce rule,” but the name was changed to avoid confusion because the ball can’t bounce twice on the same side.
Mastering the Underhand Volley Serve in Pickleball
A lot of tennis players who switch to pickleball need to change how they serve. You can serve in two different ways in pickleball. The most popular and traditional is the underhand volley serve.
Here are the most important rules for a valid volley serve when the paddle ball hits the court:
- The arm of your paddle needs to move up in a circle.
- You have to hit the ball below your waist.
- You should not be able to reach the paddle head above your wrist.
- The serve has to land in the other player’s service area, which is diagonally across the court to the other side. It’s a fault if the ball doesn’t go over the net, falls short, or lands in the other team’s kitchen or on the kitchen line.
Every player gets one serve. If the first player in doubles makes a mistake, their partner gets to serve. If the second server makes a mistake or if you’re playing singles, the serve goes to the other player, which is called a “side out.”
Deciding the First Server in Pickleball
Pickleball has an easy and fun part where you have to decide who serves first. It’s helpful to know how things are done, even if they don’t help you get better at them.
A coin flip is often used to pick the first server. The player or team that flips the coin first (heads or tails) serves.
You can also spin a paddle instead of a coin, or you can play a rally for the first point to choose who serves.
Serving in Pickleball: Staying Behind the Baseline
To serve in pickleball, you need to know the baseline, which acts as your support. Along the net, the baseline goes across the width of the court on both sides.
Both feet must be behind the baseline and at least one foot must be on the ground at the time of the serve for it to be valid.
The serving line is made up of two lines: the centerline, which runs through the middle of the court, and the fence, which runs across the width of the court. The computer can’t go near or cross these lines, whether they are real or not.
To make sure you don’t step over the baseline when you serve, stand about a foot behind the baseline, between the centerline and the fence.
You might have trouble placing your feet at first, especially if your motion takes you over the baseline or if you’re trying a new serve. Pay close attention to where your feet are early on to make sure you serve legally.
Keeping the Ball In Bounds
The lines on a pickleball court are important for more than just hitting; they show where the game ends.
If you hit the ball out of bounds, you will get an instant fault, which could cost you a point and give your partner or opponent the serve.
Pay attention to the kitchen, which is the non-volley zone that is seven feet from the net on both sides and goes across the width of the court. During a serve, if the ball hits in the non-volley zone, that includes the line that marks the kitchen’s edge, it’s a fault.
When the game is going on, you can hit the ball into the kitchen, but you can’t serve while standing in it.
Dive into Pickleball: A Fun and Inclusive Game for Everyone!
Pickleball is a thrilling and approachable sport that caters to both casual and competitive players of all ages and abilities. Learning the fundamentals of pickleball sets the stage for embracing this rapidly expanding activity.
For newcomers to pickleball, numerous resources are available to explore valuable tips and essential gear, paving the way for a rewarding experience in the sport!
Ready to dive into pickleball with your newfound knowledge of the basic rules? Click the link to join in on the action!
Confident in your understanding of pickleball’s fundamentals? Explore our related articles for deeper insights.
