Pickleball Terms

Pickleball is a racket sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. It is played on a court similar to a badminton court but uses a wiffle ball; a lower net allows for faster play. The sport takes time to get accustomed to. Knowing some of the terminology may get you used to the sport quicker.

  1. Boundaries

    • The back line of the court is called the baseline and measures 22 feet from the net. The centerline is the line that bisects the courts and extends from the non-volley zone line to the baseline. The cross court is the court diagonally opposite of your court.

    Faults

    • A fault is the infringement of the rules that ends the rally. This may happen by hitting the ball out of bounds. A foot fault occurs when the server fails to keep one foot behind the baseline and touching the ground as the paddle contacts the ball. A foot fault also occurs when stepping into the non-volley zone.

    Volleys and Non-volley Zone

    • A volley rally is an ongoing number of hits between opponents. A half-volley is a type of hit when the player hits the ball immediately after it bounces, similar to scooping the ball. The non-volley zone is a 7-foot area near the net in which a player may not hit the ball. The non-volley zone is marked with lines.

    Serve

    • A serve is an underhand lob or stroke used to put the ball in play at the beginning of a point. A let serve is a serve that touches the top of the net and lands in the service court. It is replayed without penalty or fault. A let serve can be allowed during recreational play but not during a tournament. The server number is either "one" or "two," depending on a let serve or if you commit a fault.

    Line Calls

    • Line calls are made by players on their side of the net. One partner can overrule another. A team can also ask the opponents what they saw and make a ruling from that. If neither team saw a ball regarding an boundary issue, the play is ruled "in."