Pickleball Magazine 3-4 Courtesy of Pickleball Guru | Page 45

Faults

A fault is an
y action
because of a rule viol that stops play
44’
ation.
A fault by the re
ceiving team re
sults in a
point for the se
rving team.
A fault by the se
rving team resu
lts in the
server’s loss of
serve or side ou
t.
20’ Receiving
Some of the m
Serving
ost common fa
ults…
• Hitting the ba
ll into the net or
B
out of
A
bounds.
S
•
E
Hitting a volley
from inside the
L
NVZ.
• A player (incl
I
LEFT/ ODD
RIGHT/ EVEN
uding clothing,
N
COURT
COURT
paddle,
etc.) touching
E
the net or post
NET
when the
ball is in play
.
• A ball strikin
g a player.
• A ball strikin
Two-Bounce Rule
until his/her team commits a fault
g a permanent
object
before boun
• When the ball is served, the
and loses the serve to the opposing
cing on the cour
t.
• A serve that
receiving team must let it bounce
team.
doesn’t land in
the
receiver’s se

before
returning,
and
then
the
• Once the service goes to the
rvice court. Se
rv
es must

cl
ear the NVZ, in
serving team must let it bounce
opposition (at side out), the first
cluding the NVZ
line.
• Hitting a volle
before returning—two bounces.
y after a serve.
serve is from the right/even court
A bounce
must occur
on each side be
• After the two bounces occur, players
and both players on that team have
fore anyone
can hit a volle
y. (See two-boun

can
hit
volleys
or
groundstrokes.
the opportunity to serve and score
ce rule.)
• Stepping on
the baseline be
• The two-bounce rule applies at the
points until their team commits two
fo
re
hitting a serv
e.
start of every point.
faults.
• A server strik
ing the ball befo
• When playing singles, the server
re the
referee calls
th
e score, in an of
Non-Volley
Zone
(NVZ/Kitchen)
serves from the right/even court
ficiated
match.
The court area that extends 7 feet
when his/her score is even and from
from each side of the net.
the left/odd when the score is odd.
• Volleying is prohibited within the
NVZ.
*At the beginning of each new game,
• You may enter the NVZ any time
only one partner on the serving team
Dink—a soft shot hit on a bounce
EXCEPT when hitting a volley.
has the opportunity to serve before
from the NVZ. Dinks are made with
• It is a fault if, when hitting a volley,
faulting, after which the service passes
the intention of placing the ball in the
you step onto the NVZ (line
to the receiving team (side out).
opposing NVZ either straight across or
included) and/or when your
diagonally crosscourt.
momentum causes you to touch the
Scoring
Drop Shot—a soft shot hit off a bounce
NVZ. “You” includes anything you
• The first team to score 11 points,
from deep in the court. It’s intended to
are wearing/carrying, as well.
with a two-point lead, wins the game.
land in the opposing NVZ.
• It is a fault if, after hitting a volley,
• Matches are usually played two out
Fault—any action that stops play
momentum carries you or anything
of three games.
because of a rule violation.
you’re wearing/carrying onto the
• Points are scored ONLY by the
Groundstroke—a ball hit after a
NVZ (line included). It is a fault even
serving team.
bounce.
if the volleyed ball is declared dead
• When the serving team’s score is
Let on a Serve—when the ball
before this happens.
touches the net on a serve but lands in
even (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10), the player
the receiver’s proper service court. A
who was the first server in the
serve is replayed in the event of a let.
Line
calls—A
ball
that
lands
on
any
game for that team will be in the
Lob—a lofted shot that sends the ball
line,
except
the
NVZ
line
during
a
right/even court when serving or
high overhead and deep.
serve,
is
in.
If
a
serve
hits
the
NVZ
line,
receiving; when odd (1, 3, 5, 7, 9),
Overhead Smash—a hard overhead
it’s
a
fault.
•
that player will be in the left/odd
shot directed downward into the
court when serving or receiving.
opposing court, usually as a return of
an opposing lob, high return or high
Adapted from the official rules/rules summary that can be
found on the USAPA’s website at usapa.org.
bounce.
Side Out—when service passes to the
Brighten someone’s day—take ’em out for a game of pickleball.
receiving team.
Form teams and liven up a family reunion. Get the kids away from their
Volley—a ball hit in the air before it
electronics. Invite a few friends over for some fun. Coordinate a get-to-
bounces.
know-your-neighbor and/or club member pickleball tournament.
LEFT/ ODD
COURT
2
1
RIGHT/ EVEN
COURT
NON-
VOLLEY
ZONE
3
4
Pickleball Vocab
JULY/AUGUST 2018 |
MAGAZINE
43