Pickleball

Pickleball originated in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, created by Joel Pritchard, William Bell, and Barney McCallum. Looking for an activity to entertain their children, they improvised a game using a perforated ball and table tennis paddles on a badminton court. That informal pastime evolved into a codified sport now played by millions worldwide, with remarkable growth across the United States and Europe.

How to Play Pickleball

Pickleball can be played in singles or doubles, using the same court dimensions. A point begins with a diagonal serve that must bounce once in the opponent’s service box before it is returned. Serves may not land in the so-called “kitchen” or no-volley zone—the area near the net where volleys are not allowed.

After the first two shots of the rally (one per side) have each bounced once—the two-bounce rule—the ball may be played either out of the air or after a single bounce, provided you still respect the no-volley zone. A rally ends when a team commits a fault: hitting the ball out, into the net, or violating any of the sport’s rules.

Pickleball Rules

Here are the fundamental pickleball rules:

• The serve must be underhand, below waist height, and hit diagonally. The ball must make exactly one bounce in the opponent’s court before it’s returned.
• Only the serving team can score points.
• After each point won, the server switches sides (right/left) before serving again.
• Volleys are not allowed in the no-volley zone (the “kitchen”), the 2.13 m area in front of the net.

Simple rules make the game accessible, while strategy and speed deliver intense, high-quality rallies.

Pickleball Scoring

• Games are typically played to 11 points, and you must win by 2.
• You can score only while serving.
• Tournaments may use best-of-2 or best-of-3 sets, as well as special formats like round robin or challenge courts where winners stay on until they lose.

Pickleball Court

The pickleball court is smaller than a tennis or padel court, measuring:

• 13.41 m in length
• 6.10 m in width (for both singles and doubles)

The central net stands 86 cm high. In front of each side of the net is a 2.13 m no-volley zone (the “kitchen”) where volleys are not permitted. The court is divided into service boxes similar to tennis for accurate, diagonal serving.

What You Need to Play Pickleball

To start playing pickleball, you only need a few essentials:

• Paddle: flat and solid—originally wood—now made from advanced materials like carbon, graphite, or composite polymers.
• Ball: lightweight, perforated plastic, with a diameter of 7–7.5 cm, typically a uniform color.
• Net: 6.7 m wide and 86 cm high at the center.
• Court: indoor or outdoor, set to official dimensions.

Many clubs provide equipment, making the sport even more accessible.

Pickleball Apparel

The ideal pickleball clothing is similar to tennis or padel:

• Breathable technical T-shirts or polos
• Sports shorts, leggings, or sport skirts
• Court shoes with outsoles suited to indoor or outdoor courts, offering strong lateral stability
• Cap or headband if playing outdoors

Focus on freedom of movement, lightness, and breathability.

Pickleball vs. Beach Tennis

Beach tennis is played on sand, and the ball must never bounce: every shot is taken in the air. Beach tennis paddles are solid, perforated, and engineered for lightness and quick handling, producing a fast, reflex-driven rhythm.

In pickleball, the ball bounces on a rigid court and is a perforated plastic ball. Play is more positional and tactical, the rules align more closely with tennis, and interaction with the court surface is integral to the game.

Pickleball vs. Padel

There are major differences between pickleball and padel, starting with the court:

• Padel is played on an enclosed court with walls that are part of play. Padel rackets are thicker, and play is generally faster and more powerful.
• Pickleball is played on an open, smaller court with no walls, using very light balls that bounce less.

In padel, players often hit volleys with pace and use wall rebounds. Pickleball rewards precision, positioning, and strategy, with a more moderate pace that is highly technical.