What are the main Pickleball rules in 2021?

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Comprehensive Guide to Pickleball Rules

Pickleball, a rapidly growing sport, combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, offering an accessible and engaging experience for players of all ages.

Played on a court with a net, using a perforated plastic ball and solid paddles, pickleball can be enjoyed as singles or doubles.

The following guide details the main rules of pickleball, based on the official standards set by USA Pickleball, the governing body for the sport in the United States.

These rules ensure fair play and consistency across recreational and tournament settings.

1. Court and Equipment

Court Dimensions: The pickleball court is 20 feet wide and 44 feet long, identical for both singles and doubles. A 7-foot non-volley zone, often called “the kitchen,” extends from the net on both sides.
Net Specifications: The net is 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center.
Ball: The ball must have 26-40 circular holes, be of uniform color, and be on the USA Pickleball-approved list.
Paddle: Paddles must be on the USA Pickleball Approved Paddle List, with a maximum length of 17 inches and a combined length and width of no more than 24 inches.

2. Serving

Position: The server must stand behind the baseline, with at least one foot behind it and neither foot on or inside the baseline or outside the serving area.
Serve Types:
- Volley Serve: The arm moves in an upward arc, with the paddle head below the wrist at contact, and the ball struck below the waist.
- Drop Serve: The ball is dropped and hit after bouncing, with no restrictions on motion.
Serve Direction: The serve must be diagonal, landing in the opponent’s service court and clearing the non-volley zone and its lines.
Attempts: Only one serve attempt is allowed per turn.
Timing: The score must be called before serving, and the serve must be made within 10 seconds, or it’s a fault.

3. Scoring

Scoring System: Only the serving team can score points when they win a rally or the opponent faults.
Game Points: Games are typically played to 11 points, with a minimum 2-point lead to win. Tournaments may extend to 15 or 21 points, still requiring a 2-point lead.
Score Calling:
- Doubles: The score is announced as three numbers: serving team’s score, receiving team’s score, and server number (1 or 2). For example, “4-2-1” means the serving team has 4 points, the receiving team has 2, and it’s the first server.
- Singles: The score is two numbers: serving player’s score and receiving player’s score, e.g., “4-2.”
Server Position: The first server starts on the right-hand court for even scores (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) and the left-hand court for odd scores (1, 3, 5, 7, 9).

4. Service Sequence

Doubles: Both players on a team serve before the serve passes to the opponents, except at the start of a game, where only one player serves until a fault.
Switching Sides: After scoring a point, the server switches sides, serving from the right court for even scores and the left for odd scores.
Side Out: If both servers fault, the serve passes to the opponents, starting from their right-hand court.
Singles: The server serves from the right court for even scores and the left for odd scores.

5. Two-Bounce Rule

The receiving team must let the serve bounce once before returning it.
The serving team must let the return bounce once before hitting it back.
After these two bounces, players can volley (hit the ball in the air) or play a groundstroke (hit after a bounce).

6. Non-Volley Zone (The Kitchen)

The non-volley zone is the 7-foot area on both sides of the net.
Volleying (hitting the ball before it bounces) is prohibited while standing in this zone or if any part of the player’s body, paddle, or clothing touches the zone during a volley.
Players may enter the non-volley zone to hit a ball that has bounced but must exit before volleying again.
A fault occurs if a player’s momentum carries them into the zone after volleying.

7. Faults

A fault stops play due to a rule violation, resulting in a point for the serving team or loss of serve for the serving team. Common faults include:

Serve landing outside the proper service court or in the non-volley zone.
Ball hitting the net on a serve unless it lands in the correct service court.
Volleying from within the non-volley zone.
Ball bouncing twice on one side before being hit.
Hitting the ball out of bounds.
Player, paddle, or clothing touching the net or opponent’s court while the ball is in play.
Exceeding the 10-second serve time limit.

8. Line Calls

A ball is “in” if it lands on any court line, except the non-volley zone line on a serve, which is “out.”
Players make line calls on their side, giving the benefit of the doubt to opponents.
Calls must be prompt, signaled by voice or hand, and can be appealed to a referee in officiated matches.

9. Determining Serve

At the game’s start, any fair method (e.g., coin toss) determines which team serves first and which chooses the court side.

10. Game Variations

Singles vs. Doubles: Rules and court size are identical, but singles involve one player per side, while doubles have two.
Rally Scoring: An optional format where points are scored on every rally, regardless of who serves, but this is not standard in most play.

Comparison of Key Rules

Rule Category	Key Details
Court Size	20 ft x 44 ft, with 7 ft non-volley zone on each side.
Serve	Underhand, diagonal, clears non-volley zone, one attempt, 10-second limit.
Scoring	Serving team scores, to 11 points, win by 2; tournaments may use 15 or 21.
Two-Bounce Rule	Serve and return must bounce once each before volleying.
Non-Volley Zone	No volleying in 7 ft zone; fault if player volleys while touching zone.
Faults	Includes out-of-bounds, net faults, non-volley zone violations, double bounce.

Conclusion

These rules form the foundation of pickleball, ensuring a fair and enjoyable experience. For detailed scenarios or tournament-specific rules, consult the official USA Pickleball Rulebook. Pickleball’s emphasis on sportsmanship encourages players to respect opponents and enjoy the game’s social and competitive aspects.