Pickleball Rules – Learn How to Play Pickleball

Pickleball is a fusion of badminton, tennis, shuttlecock, or table tennis, in which two players hit the ball using paddles. It is also called paddle ball sport. It is a fact that every sport needs practice, effort, and time, but one can become a pro player only if he has virtuous knowledge of rules and international standards. In this blog, we will talk about how to play pickleball with the correct rules!

What is Pickleball?

Pickleball is played in a court, somehow similar to that of badminton. It is typically played between players like two players, four players, and so forth. Players have to hit the ball using a paddle which is made of composite material. There is a net between players with 25 to 40 holes over it that divides the playing area of each player.

Pickleball Court
Like double badminton court, the pickleball court has two service areas: left and right divided by a net. A pair of sidelines and baselines (painted as orange) and a blue centerline on each side; that suitably specifies the player’s side and edge.

The standard size of the court is 20 x 44 feet which is compatible with singles and doubles. The net hung in the middle of the court is 36 x 34 inches. The serving line is seven feet away from the net, where players stand. The pickleball court in white paint is called a boundary.

Pickleball Rules and Playing Guide

The directions are pretty simple, but clarity is essential to win it. You can’t afford a single mistake during the game! Don’t fret! After going through these trivialities, you’ll be all set to step into the court. So, chin up, and let’s get started with the introductory overview.

Each player diagonally hits the ball in pickleball, and points will be awarded to the serving side. There is a seven-foot non-volley area on each player’s side. Before volleys, a player or server should wait for the ball to bounce at least once to avoid spiking. The serving continues until a player makes a fault; subsequently, they switch sides.

The Pickleball Serve
As I said before, the pickleball serves are made diagonally, so it has to be started with the right hand. The serve must land by clearing the seven ft. no volley area after the net. While serving the ball, the participant should stand in arrears of the serving line, and the ball should fly in the air without hitting the ground. A player should stroke the ball by keeping both toes at the back of the serving line to avoid any mistake.

If you’re on the service side, then you’ll be allowed to do that until you’ve made a mistake. If there is a single fault addressed, the service side will be switched to your opponent. If you’re playing in teams (i.e., four players in total), then the serving and fault chance will be given to both players of each team. And, after failing the shot, the service is turned to the competitive team.

Return of The Serve
The diagonal direction of the service is substantial here! Once you have served the ball, there comes the return hit from the other side. On the return of the service, a ball should bounce at least one time. This is also known as the “Double Bounce Rule.”

The Volleys
Volley is characterized as the Wiffle ball hitting in the air, with no bounce. A player should stand behind the no volley area to volley in the pickleball. Even if a player steps over the line, it’ll be considered as a fault. Hence, you have to be extra careful of your position and area.

Double-Bounce Rule
At first serving, the ball should hit the floor at once on the receiving edge. At the return of the serve, the ball should bounce again before being struck. In other words, the ball should have bounced on each team’s side. Later, you can hit it without bouncing unless you are not in the no volley area.

Non-Volley Zone
The no volley zone is a seven ft. region on both edges of the net. Volleying is not allowed in that area. This rule is made to avoid smashes within the area. When volleying, if a player steps in the non-volley area, it’ll be counted as a fault.

Even your bag or clothes are prohibited from touching this area while you’re volleying. You can legally enter this area while you’re not volleying. The non-volley or no volley area is also called Kitchen.

Faults
A fault occurs due to a violation of any service rule. Suppose the ball doesn’t land in the receiving court, if a served ball meets the net, if you volley a ball from a non-volley zone if you hit the ball out of bounds, etc. All of these actions are considered faults.

In other words, a Fault in pickleball is a rule violation that will stop the game. If a receiving team makes a fault, it will resultantly give a score to the serving team. However, if a serving team makes a fault, it will lose the chance of serving.

Para Pickleball

Para Pickleball is also called wheelchair pickleball and adaptive pickleball. It was officially established by the American Pickleball Association in 2016. In para-pickleball, the wheelchair is considered the player’s body; other rules and directions, such as boundary line, serving line, etc., are similar to the classic game.

A para-pickleball player has leverage because of disability to stand. They are allowed to wait for double bounces instead of single. While serving the ball, the player’s wheelchair must stand in a stationary position. Before serving the ball, a single push is allowed to them.

The game in which standing or disabled both types of players are playing is possible. In this case, there are applicable rules for all respectively. For instance, standing players will follow standard pickleball rules, and wheelchair players will follow para-pickleball rules.