Pickleball is not too complicated to play but is very attractive with the combination of tennis, table tennis and badminton. This is a great choice for you to entertain and exercise without requiring many complicated skills. In this article, Bet86 shares detailed instructions for you to easily participate in this sport!
A Brief Overview of Pickleball
Recently, Pickleball has been introduced and created a fever in the Philippines with an increasing number of participants. This is a sport that combines tennis, badminton and table tennis, born in the US in 1965 by Joel Pritchard, Barney McCallum and Bill Bell.
This sport is played on a court smaller than a tennis court with a low net and a plastic ball with holes. Players can play singles or doubles as they like. Overall, it is simple to play and suitable for both beginners and those who want to exercise.
Pickleball Guide for Newbies
To start playing Pickleball, you need to understand the characteristics of the playing field, the necessary equipment and some basic rules. Below is specific information on how to play Pickleball that you should not miss:
Pickleball Court
Pickleball courts are smaller than tennis courts. They are 20 feet (6.1 m) wide and 44 feet (13.4 m) long. The court is divided into two equal halves, separated by a net 34 inches (86.4 cm) high in the middle and 36 inches (91.4 cm) high on each side.
In the rules of the game, the Pickleball court will have 3 main areas:
- The non-volley zone is located 7 feet (about 2.1m) from the net.
- 02 Service areas are located behind the Non-volley zone.
Pickleball Equipment
In the way of playing Pickleball, learning about the competition equipment is a factor that you must definitely understand. Accordingly, the competition equipment will include a flat, compact racket, made of plastic or composite along with a light, holed plastic ball. These tools are often lightweight, helping you easily control the force when competing.
Basic Pickleball Rules
Pickleball rules require players to hit the ball over the net. The ball must land in the opponent’s court without touching the ground twice in their own court. Can be played as singles or doubles, with each side attempting to score points by preventing the opponent from returning the ball successfully.
Serve Rules
In Pickleball, to ensure fairness, the serving rules are specifically regulated as follows:
- Underhand Serve: The ball must be hit underhand, meaning the point of contact with the ball is no higher than the player’s waist, ensuring the serve is not too powerful.
- Foot position: Both feet of the server must be outside the end line.
- Cross-court serve: The ball must be served diagonally and fall into the service box in the opponent’s court.
- Drop serve: The player can drop the ball to bounce and then hit it to control the force better.
Rules for hitting and returning the ball in Pickleball
The rules for hitting and returning the ball are established to ensure the pace of the game as well as create fairness between players. Specifically:
- Two-Bounce Rule: After serving, the receiver must bounce the ball once on his court before returning it. On the other hand, the server must also bounce the ball once after receiving it back.
- No-Volley Zone: You may not stand in the No-Volley Zone to hit the ball in the air.
- Limited number of touches: Each side can only touch the ball once to get it over the net.
- Legal Ball: The ball must land on the opponent’s court, including the boundary line. If the ball goes out or touches the net and lands on the wrong side of the court, the point goes to the opponent.
How to Play Pickleball – Scoring Rules
In Pickleball, scoring has some basic rules as follows:
Score in singles match:
- The score has only 2 numbers (eg: 0 – 0).
- The first number on the scoreboard is the server’s score.
- The second number on the scoreboard is the receiver’s score.
Score in doubles match:
- The score is represented by 3 numbers (eg: 0 – 0 – 2).
- The first number on the scoreboard will be the score of the team serving.
- The second number on the scoreboard will be the score of the receiving team.
- The third number is the number of the person serving (1 or 2).
Scoring rules:
- Only the team or player serving can score points.
- The game usually ends when a team/player reaches 11 points with a difference of at least 2 points over the opponent.
How to call out the score:
- The server must call out the score loudly so that everyone can hear clearly.
- The score is called when both sides are ready to play.
Some important notes on how to play Pickleball
When playing Pickleball, to create comfort, you need to pay attention to the outfit and equipment. Below are some important notes to help you have a great experience when participating in this sport:
Competition attire
Pickleball clothing should be comfortable, sweat-absorbent and not hinder movement. You should choose shoes with good grip to ensure safety and increase flexibility when moving on the court as well as avoid unnecessary injuries.
Competition Equipment
You should choose a Pickleball racket with a size and material that fits your grip for easy control of force. Pickleball balls need to be light, have holes, and be durable to create the right bounce when playing.
Above, Bet86 has explored with you from A to Z how to play Pickleball for beginners. Try starting with this exciting sport right away to experience relaxing moments and useful exercise!
