understanding pickleball

Pickleball is played with a paddle and plastic ball on a badminton-sized court with a slightly modified tennis net. The game was invented in 1965 by three fathers in Washington state as a backyard diversion for their bored children. While the origin story is filled with whimsy, pickleball has evolved into a serious sport with professional tournaments and official rulebooks. The objective of pickleball is simple – use your paddle to hit the ball over the net and into the opponent’s court. You score a point if the opponent fails to return the ball or hits it out of bounds. Matches are typically played to 11 points with a two-point cushion. Pickleball can be played in singles (one player per side) or doubles (two players per side). Doubles are the most common style of play. Players take turns serving and only the serving side can score points. The serve must be made underhand and diagonally into the proper service court. There are a few unique rules that distinguish pickleball from other ...