Pickleball is an exciting game inspired by tennis, table tennis, and badminton. The sport is playable indoors during the winter and outdoors. Pickleball athletes play on a badminton court and use paddles that resemble those used by ping pong players but are larger. The balls they use have holes around the surface.
In the last ten years, pickleball courts have been busy because of the rising popularity of this underdog sport. The secret to its newfound success is its simplicity because the learning curve is short, and you don’t need to spend much on gear. Depending on if you want to play pickleball against an opposing team or one on one, all you need to get started to learn how to play is knowledge of the basic rules below.
How To Start a Game On A Pickleball Court
Step 1: Locate A Pickleball Or Badminton Court Near You
Both courts have the same shape and size. The only difference is that pickleball service courts come equipped with lower nets that are an official height of 34 in. tall. To find one, search for “pickleball course near me” on Google, and you should have some options. If there aren’t any nearby, you can still find a badminton court but make sure you modify the net to the height requirements stated above.
Step: 2 Choose To Play A Singles Or Doubles Game
When two individuals play against each other, it’s a singles game. When two people play against an opposing team, it’s a doubles exhibition. Each game type uses the same proper service court, must score 11 points, and get the same number of faults before the next server. Most service courts prefer doubles when holding tournament games.
Step 3: Must Have 1 Pickleball And 1 Paddle Per Player
The founder of pickleball designed the pickleball paddle specifically for pickleball. These sports paddles are not as big as tennis rackets but bigger than table tennis paddles. And the pickleball resembles a whiffle ball while coming in various colors.
How To Serve a Pickleball
1. Serving Team Stands Behind The Baseline Of Right Service Court
The game starts when the serving team strikes the ball behind the baseline (A 20-foot line) in the volley zone. Always keep yourself on the right service court when serving these volleys. After the serve attempt, players will stand in either the right or left service court. They can switch between each square depending on the rules and their preference.
2. Position Paddle In Underhand Position And Hit The Ball At Waist Level
You have only one serve attempt; if you fail, the opposing team’s service court gets its turn. Always keep your paddle still with the pickleball in the other hand and drop it when you want to hit it.
3. Make it Across the Net So Ball Bounces Once On the Other Side Of The Court
The goal is to target the opposite diagonal court when you hit the ball. The ball must bounce only once and cannot make any contact with the net. To score points, the ball must bounce once on the right service court of the opposing team if you are also serving passes from your right-hand service square. If your ball touches the net or goes to the left side of the court, it’s a fault; the next serve goes to your opponents.
4. Go To The Opposite Service Court When You Score
At this point, players will hit the ball back and forth until someone misses, which is called a fault. If it’s the opposing team’s fault, your team scores a point. Also, you must alternate from the left to right-hand service square if you keep scoring. One last thing to remember is that only serving teams score points, not the receiving team.
5. The Other Player Or Team Serves After you Get 2 Faults
Once you or your team commit two faults, pickleball rules state the other team can serve next. The same restrictions apply to the new serving team when they commit two faults, and if it’s a doubles game, players must take turns serving the ball.
6. Follow The Two Bounce Rule
The double bounce rule is observed after you hit the ball. Every person must protect their volley zone at this point, hitting the ball back and forth to keep the game going until someone faults. If the ball touches the net or goes over the line while you serve, your team commits a fault and can’t score. Never forget the double bounce rule when playing because it’s the difference between winning and losing.
Volleying The Pickleball
1. Ball Must Bounce Once On Your Service Court Before You Can Volley It
Hit the ball with your paddle once it bounces once on your end. You can aim for it to land on either side of your opponent’s volley zone. The same one-bounce rule applies to returning shots, but it’s a fault if it doesn’t land on either the right or left service court.
2. What You Can Do After Two Bounce Rule Is Followed
Now you can volley the ball before and after it hits the ground as long as it stays within the lines and no contact is made with the net.
3. Don’t Stand In The Kitchen When Hitting The Ball
Players know this area as the non-volley zone. It’s shaped like a rectangle, and it is against the rules to volley the ball here. You commit a fault if at least one foot is there while taking a shot. Lastly, you also commit a fault when your ball lands in this non-volley zone.
How to Win the Game
1. Your Team Must Have 11 points To Get the Victory
Always keep score to ensure everyone plays fairly and follows the rules. One prerequisite you need to win is a minimum 2-point lead by the time you hit the 11-point mark. If you don’t have this 2-point lead by hitting the required score, you must continue playing until you do how baseball players play extra innings.
2. To End the Match, You Must Win 3 Games
Since a game ends fast in pickleball the way they do in tennis, to win the match, your team must win three games until it’s over. The pro circuit changes the requirement to 5 games to win a match.
