An easy sport to learn
Pickleball is played with a paddle and a perforated ball on a court the size of a badminton court. Here are the essential rules for playing your first matches.
The court and the net
The court measures 13.4 m by 6.1 m, with a net at 91 cm in the center. On each side of the net is a 2.13 m area called the non-volley zone (often nicknamed the "kitchen"): you cannot hit the ball in the air there.
The serve
The serve is done diagonally, underhand, and the ball must bounce once in the opponent's area. Only one attempt is allowed (unless the ball hits the net and lands in the correct area: the serve is then replayed).
The two-bounce rule
This is THE rule to remember: after the serve, the ball must bounce once on each side before volleys are allowed. In practice: the receiving team lets the serve bounce, the serving team lets the return bounce, then the game continues normally.
The non-volley zone
You can only hit the ball on the volley (without a bounce) if you are behind the non-volley zone. You can enter this area to play a ball that has bounced, but you must exit it before hitting a volley.
Scoring
Only the serving team scores points. A match is generally played to 11 points, with a minimum 2-point lead. The score is announced in three numbers: the serving team's score, the receiving team's score, and the server number (1 or 2).
Your turn to play!
With these five rules, you are ready for your first rallies. To equip yourself easily, take a look at our pickleball sets: paddles, balls, and a carrying bag—everything you need to play.