Based on the USA Pickleball Official Rulebook (the global standard). Full details:
- Official Rulebook PDF → https://usapickleball.org/docs/rules/USAP-Official-Rulebook.pdf
- Quick Rules Summary PDF → https://usapickleball.org/docs/rules/USAP-Rules-Summary.pdf
Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world – easy to learn in minutes but endlessly strategic. It combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong on a smaller court. Played in doubles (most common) or singles, all ages and abilities welcome.
Official Court Dimensions
- Length: 44 ft (13.41 m)
- Width: 20 ft (6.1 m)
- Net height: 36 inches at sidelines, 34 inches at center
- Non-Volley Zone (“The Kitchen”): 7 ft on each side of the net
- Quick Tip: The kitchen forces smart, soft shots – no volleying inside it!
Key Rules Every Player Must Know
- Serve: Underhand, upward arc, below waist level. Paddle head below wrist at contact. Drop serve allowed. Must land diagonally in opposite service box. Only one serve attempt.
- Two-Bounce Rule: Serve must bounce once on receiver’s side, then once on server’s side before anyone can volley.
- Non-Volley Zone (Kitchen): You may stand inside it, but you cannot volley (hit in the air) while your feet are in or touching the zone. Momentum carries count as a fault.
- Scoring: Traditional “side-out” scoring (only serving team scores) to 11, win by 2. Some tournaments use rally scoring (point every rally).
- Faults: Ball out of bounds, double bounce, volley from kitchen, serve into net, etc.
Games are usually to 11 (win by 2); tournaments may go to 15 or 21. Doubles is most popular – both partners get to serve before side-out (except the very first serve of the game).
Pro Tip: Call lines honestly – “If you can see a gap between the ball and line, it’s out.”