How Pickleball Is Played | Paddle2Racket

If you're wondering how pickleball is played, we're here to help. Pickleball is a game that may quickly become your new favorite pastime.

It's not only that pickleball is a lot of fun to play that has fueled its recent growth, but it's also incredibly simple to master the basics.

Pickleball courts have a 20' x 44' size for their court. If you're serving, the ball will be served diagonally, which increases your team's chances of scoring points. In order to avoid competitors from "spiking" the ball prior to attempting a volley, there is a 7-foot zone on both sides of the net.

Pickleball is a basic paddle game played with the help of a perforated ball that travels over a tennis-type net. The rules are basic and the game is easy to master for novices! You don't need any prior experience to get started with this game.

With the help of several pickleball specialists and instructors, we've uncovered the ideal pickleball technique, as well as the most effective pickleball tactics.

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Brief Overview of Pickleball

Court dimensions for pickleball are 20' x 44'. You can earn a score for your own team if you're serving, so the ball should be served in a diagonal direction (through your right-hand square).

A 7-foot with a no-volley area exists on both edges of the playing net in order to avoid all the opponents from spiking their ball in case they may try a volley.

The server alternates serving courts until they commit a lapse of judgment. The prior pickleball team determines the winners to score 11 points and keep a 2-point advantage. Doubles and singles are eligible to play pickleball.

Rule of Double-Bounce

Each team must play their initial shot after the second bounce, also known as the "Two Bounce" rule. Before playing their serves, both the serving and receiving teams must allow them to bounce.

The ball can either be volleyed or played off the bounce after these two bounces.

How to do Serving in Pickleball?

Diagonal serves should be made coming from the direction of the right side of the table to the direction of the left side. In order for the serve to land in the court, it should cross the 7-foot with a non-volley area at the front of the net.

The paddle must be underhand when the players are serving, and the person who is serving should keep both their feet at the back of the backline. The ball must be thrown into the open and not bounced at all.

Serving will continue until it is defective, it will be handed over to the opposite side. In case the ball touches the net, a service must be taken in case it goes in the right court.

It is important that the server should maintain their feet firmly planted on the backline. The paddle touches the ball beneath the waist during serving underhand.

The ball must be served in the open area by the server. You cannot strike a bounced ball off the bounce by the server.

Unless the ball strikes the net while being served or falls into proper service territory (in which case you may take it over), only 1 serve try is allowed.

If the ball touches the net while being served or falls into suitable service territory, that service must be taken over.

Teams that serve first are limited to a single breach at the beginning of each new game. Both players should serve and fault the ball before it is given to the other team.

Right-handed players will always start to play if their team wins a serve.

Volleys

To volley a ball is to strike it into the open area without first letting it bounce off of another object or surface. This can be done only when the player's feet are at the back of the zone line in Pickleball (7 feet from the net).

It is important to remember the rule that it is a foul if the volley follow-through goes beyond the line.

Fault

A fault occurs if:

  • The players throw the ball out of bounds.
  • The net is not emptied.
  • When the ball leaves the volley zone, it is volleyed.
  • When the players volley the ball before both sides have had a chance to bounce.

Scoring

A point will only be given to a team if it serves. A player that is serving should serve until their team makes a mistake.

If the opposite team makes a mistake during doubles play, the service is handed to the opponent team, and so on. A team must win by 2 points to advance to the next round.

What Are the Requirements to Play Pickleball?

It would be best if you got started with pickleball. An overgrip on the paddle, pickleball shoes and a paddle bag are all popular accessories among pickleball players.

The Court to Play Pickleball

To have fun, you'll need a space to practice. As the fastest-growing sport in the United States, pickleball has become a common sight.

In this case, it might behoove you to determine if your locality has a community court. Court dimensions are 44' x 20', with a low net dividing the two halves.

In contrast to the baselines, the sidelines are located on the long sides of the court. Pickleball refers to this court area as the "kitchen" because of the non-volley lines parallel to the centerlines.

There are two courts for service on either side of the centerline at the court's backside.

Dimensions of a Pickleball Court

If you're putting out a pickleball court, you must follow the instructions mentioned below.

When constructing an outdoor pickleball court on top of an already existing court surface that faces north or south, keep in mind that the pickleball courts should not be placed at a straight angle to the existing court.

It's a safety risk if one player has to gaze straight at the sun at the beginning or late hours of the day.

One Pickleball Court for Each Tennis Court

The easiest solution is to lower your tennis net to 34 inches in the middle. Pickleball courts may be marked with tape or painted lines (always check with the facility first).

You may play pickleball and tennis on the same court. A temporary barrier may be necessary because of court size so that the balls don't have to be followed throughout the entire court.

The net may be lowered to 34 inches in the middle using the center strap. If the network cable is too tightly wound, a small adjustment to the ratchet on the post may be necessary.

Two Pickleball Courts for Each Tennis Court

Pickleball courts are made on tennis courts. Tennis court pads are typically 60' x 120' in size. Pickleball courts should be at least 30'x60' in size.

Tennis court pads are around four times the size of this. As a result, excluding the presence of diagonal corners on some tennis courts, four pickleball courts may fit inside the footprint of a tennis court.

It's possible to accommodate two courts side by side if the corners are slanted like the example above.

Temporary conversions to pickleball courts can be made using portable net stands, and tennis nets can be left in place to serve as backstops for two pickleball courts in this case.

Four Pickleball Courts for Each Tennis Court

As you can see, the pickleball courts have been moved two feet to accommodate the tennis court's slanted corners.

After that, the pickleball court, as well as the tennis net, are separated by barely 6 feet. In a pinch, this will do the trick.

Temporary use of a tennis court for pickleball, while the permanent courts are being constructed is a good compromise.

If there are no angled corners on the tennis court, move the courts nearly two feet apart so that the baseline and backstops of pickleball are 8 feet apart.

To ensure that players don't get lost in the maze of lines, the markings must be aligned as closely as possible to the lines on the tennis court.

Also, keep in mind that this design eliminates the possibility of installing fences to separate the adjacent courts. Tennis nets should be extended using netting or any other temporary barrier to protect the balls.

Layouts for Temporary Courts

Shared use and dedicated usage are the two options for turning existing courts into pickleball courts. Add pickleball lines to an existing surface to accommodate both games on the same court.

Initial uncertainty is expected, but adding some additional lines can resolve the issue. Be sure to get authorization from the facility owner before making any changes to an existing surface.

Removed temporary lines may leave behind a sticky residue on the court. Make sure to test in an unnoticeable location first if permission is given.

Pickleball courts may be put upon various existing sports surfaces, including basketball, badminton, volleyball, and inline hockey rinks, but a tennis court is the most often utilized shared-use surface.

About THE AUTHOR

Nancy Stevens

Nancy Stevens

It is a privilege to have been able to play pickleball multiple times a week for the last several years. I’ve played thousands of pickleball matches, and taken just about every lesson that is available. I love mentoring others wherever they are in their pickleball journey.

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