Pickleball 101: Rules, Tips, and Why Everyone’s Loving This Sport

Pickleball blends the best of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong into one exciting, social, and easy-to-learn game. Whether you’re new to the court or looking to sharpen your skills, here’s a clear breakdown of the essential rules—the way players love it in the US and beyond.

I. The Basics

1. Court Size & Players

• The court is 13.4m long and 6.1m wide—the same for both singles and doubles.
• Doubles (4 players) is the most popular format, but singles is just as fun!

2. Serving

• Swing Motion: Serve underhand—contact the ball below your waist, with the paddle head below your wrist.
• Foot Position: Keep at least one foot behind the baseline; don’t step on or over the line during contact.
• Serve Placement: Aim diagonally into the opposite service box. The ball can land on the line (in!), and if it hits the net and goes over (a “let”), play continues—no re-serve.
• Faults: Only one serve attempt per point. Missed serves result in a side-out or loss of point.

3. Two-Bounce Rule

• After the serve, the returning team must let the ball bounce once.
• Then, the serving team must also let it bounce once before hitting it back.
• After these two bounces, you can volley the ball (hit it in the air) or play it off the bounce.

4. No-Volley Zone (“The Kitchen”)

• This is a 7-foot (2.13m) zone on both sides of the net.
• You cannot volley (hit the ball in the air) while standing in the kitchen.
• Stepping into the kitchen after volleying is also a fault.

II. Scoring & Match Format

1. Scoring

• Pickleball uses rally scoring—points can be won each rally.
• Singles: Score is called as “Serving Player Score – Receiving Player Score.”
• Doubles: Three numbers are used (e.g., 8-6-2 means the serving team has 8, receivers have 6, and it’s the second server’s turn).

2. Winning a Game

• Most matches are best of three games to 11 points (must win by 2).
• If the score reaches 10-10, play continues until one team leads by 2.

3. Common Faults

• Serving out of bounds
• Not clearing the net
• Volleying from the kitchen
• Hitting the ball out
• Double bounce (not allowing the required bounces)
• Touching the net or net post with body or paddle

III. Serving Order & Positioning

1. Doubles Serving

• The first serve of the game is from the right side.
• After each point, the server switches sides.
• When the serving team loses a point, the serve moves to the opponents. Both players on a team serve until they fault (except at the start of the game).

2. Singles Serving

• Serve from the right side when your score is even, and from the left when it’s odd.

IV. Pro Tips for Beginners

• Try a bounce serve (dropping and hitting the ball after a bounce) for better control.
• Always be mindful of the kitchen—it’s easy to step in accidentally during volleys!
• Rally scoring keeps the game fast and engaging—perfect for social play and quick learning.
• Master the two-bounce and no-volley rules, and you’re already halfway to having great rallies!

Grab a paddle, find a court, and experience the fun yourself!
Feel free to share your pickleball stories or questions below 👇

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