* A fun sport blending badminton, tennis, and table tennis. Played indoors or outdoors on a badminton-size court with a modified tennis net, two or four players use solid paddles to hit a perforated polymer ball over the net.

Pickleball FAQ | Sports Direct

Pickleball FAQs

Pickleball is one of the world's fastest-growing sports, blending elements from various racket-and-ball games for a fun and engaging experience. Played on a badminton-sized court with a net similar to tennis and paddles resembling those in table tennis, it's easy to pick up and offers a fantastic workout for all skill levels. Check out our Pickleball guide to learn more!

Pickleball: A Beginner’s Guide

What Is Pickleball?

A fun sport blending badminton, tennis, and table tennis. Played indoors or outdoors on a badminton-size court with a modified tennis net, two or four players use solid paddles to hit a perforated polymer ball over the net.

How Did Pickleball Originate?

What Are The Basic Rules Of Pickleball?

Court Setup: The pickleball court is 20 feet wide and 44 feet long for doubles, with a 7-foot non-volley zone near the net called the "kitchen."
Serving: The serve must be underhand, made diagonally across the court, and land in the opponent's service box.
Scoring: Only the serving team can score points, and games are typically played to 11, 15, or 21 points, requiring a 2-point lead to win.
Double Bounce Rule: After the serve, the receiving team must let the ball bounce once before returning it, and the serving team must also let it bounce before playing it.
Volleys: Players cannot hit the ball out of the air (volley) while standing in the kitchen. They must be behind it.
Team Play: In doubles, each player on a team serves until they lose a point, after which the serve switches to the other team.

Pickleball Essentials: Must-Have Gear for Your Next Match

Essential Pickleball Gear

The pickleball paddle: Your trusty companion in the heat of battle
Pickleballs: An important element of the sport (choose wisely!)
Comfortable shoes: Your feet's best friends on the court
Athletic attire: Dress for success (and sweat)
A positive attitude: The most important equipment of all!

Choosing Your Pickleball Paddle

Indoor vs. Outdoor Pickleballs

Shoes for Pickleball Success

Pickleball 101: Easy Rules & Play Tips

Serving Up The Action

The game kicks off with a serve, but hold your horses! It's not just any serve.
The server must keep one foot behind the baseline and strike the ball with an upward arc.
Fun fact: Unlike tennis, Pickleball serves must be done underhand. No power serves here

The "Kitchen" - Not For Cooking, But For Strategy

Scoring - A Numbers Game With A Twist

In traditional scoring, you may only earn a point when you or your teammate is serving.
However, in rally scoring, a point is awarded after each rally, regardless of which team served.
Matches are typically played in a best-of-three format, meaning the first player or team to win two games wins the match
Games are typically played to 11 points, but you must win by 2
Quirky rule: In doubles, each player on a team gets to serve before the serve switches to the opponents.

Serving Rules - It's All In The Details

Faults - The "Oops" Moments Of Pickleball

A fault occurs when a rule is broken, resulting in a lost rally or serve.
Foot faults: Server must have at least one foot on the ground when serving. No foot can touch the baseline!
Illegal serving motion: Serve must be underhand with contact below the waist
Wrong players serve: Make sure you remember whose turn to serve.
Serve lands out of bounds: Serve must land diagonally on the opponent’s court.
Amusing fact: A serve that touches the net and lands in the correct service court is called a "let" and the play still continues.

Tips and Tactics

Basic Pickleball Shots

The Dink: It’s used near the net at the kitchen, a gentle but precise stroke that hinders your opponent from returning the shot.
The Drive: Drives are meant to be hard, fast and unstoppable and should be used as a tool and not a shot to use regularly.
The Lob: A shot where you hit it high up into the air and over the heads of your opponents which forces them to turn around quickly to run the ball down in backcourt
The Drop: A soft shot that arc upward then lands softly into the kitchen which will force your opponent to dink the ball instead of drive it