Pickleball Balls

In pickleball, all serves must be executed using an underhand motion. The paddle must strike the ball below the waistline (considered the level of the navel), and the contact point must also be below the wrist.

Note: Underhand motion means the server's arm must follow an upward arc, and the paddle's highest point (excluding the handle) must remain lower than the wrist at the moment of contact with the ball.

Pickleball incorporates a "double bounce rule" to promote longer rallies and fair play.

• After the serve, the receiving team must allow the ball to bounce once before returning it.
• Similarly, the serving team must also allow the return to bounce once before hitting it again.

Only after these two bounces can the ball be volleyed (hit in the air before bouncing). This rule prevents players from rushing the net immediately after the serve.

When serving, the server must stand behind the baseline with both feet in contact with the ground and outside the court.

• The ball must be hit in the air without touching the ground.
• A valid serve must land diagonally into the opponent's service court and may not touch the non-volley zone (commonly known as "the kitchen") or its line.

Before play begins, a coin toss or similar method determines which side will choose either to serve/receive or select a court side.

• The winner of the toss chooses one option, and the other team chooses the remaining option.

After each game, players switch sides, and serving order is reversed to ensure balance and fairness throughout the match.

Pickleball balls are uniquely designed with holes and lightweight plastic construction to ensure consistent bounce and flight. Always choose balls that meet official size and weight standards for competitive play.