Pickleball Rules

The serve is a "let" and will be replayed if: [Rules 4.A.9. & 4.O.1.]

A. The serve strikes the top of the net and is otherwise good.

Your opponent hits a powerful overhead to the sideline. You suspect that it might have been "out," but you're not certain. What are your options? [Rule 6.D.3.]

All of the above are correct

If a served ball hits the net and bounces on the non-volley zone line, a replay shall be called. [Rule 4.M.8.]

False

If the ball is served by the correct team member from the wrong court, the service will be replayed with the server now serving from the correct court, without a penalty. [Rule 4.M.1.]

False

A fault shall be declared if a player, or anything the player is wearing or carrying, crosses the plane of the net, or the extended plane of the net, before striking the ball. [Rule 11.I] If a ball has bounced and crosses back over the plane of the net, then a player may cross the plane of the net without first contacting the ball. [Rule 11.I.1]

True

A hinder is any element or occurrence that affects play, such as a stray ball that enters the court or people who disrupt play by walking across the court. Any player may call a hinder. [Rule 3.A.15.]

True

A receiver who attempts to return the serve is considered to have been ready. [Rule 4.E.3.]

True

A serve landing on any correct service court line, except the non-volley zone line, is considered in play and should be returned by the receiving team. [Rule 6.A.]

True

Any player on the receiving team may call a time-out after the score has been called, but, the time-out must be called before the service motion has started. [Rule 10.A.3]

True

If, while the ball is in the air, you yell "out," "no," "bounce it," or any other word/phrase to communicate to your partner that the ball may be out, it shall be considered a line call and play should stop. [Rules 6.D.11. & 6.D.12.]

False

In a singles match, when the server has an odd score, they will serve from the right hand court. [Rule 4.B.5.b]

False

In singles play, when the score is 7 - 10, the server will serve from the right-hand court. [Rule 4.B.5.b.]

False

It is not a fault on you if, during a rally, the ball grazes your hat on its way out headed out of bounds. [Rule 7.H.]

False

Team B's 2nd server, serves into the net. The referee says, "Side Out". Team A is now about to serve at 9-8-1. The starting server for Team A (the player wearing the visible form of identification) should be serving from the right court. [Rule 4.B.6.b.].

False

The server is allowed 2 lets in a row; the third will be considered a fault. [Rule 4.O.]

False

When your team has an odd score number, your team's starting server (the player wearing the visible form of identification) should serve from the right-hand court when they are serving. [Rule 4.B.6.b.]

False

You make a line call, but your partner disagrees. The ball should be declared "out" because you were closer to the ball. [Rule 6.D.9.]

False

You legally volley the ball, then begin to lose your balance. To avoid stepping into the non-volley zone (NVZ), you jump up and over the corner and into the out-of-bounds area adjacent to the NVZ. While the ball is still in play, your momentum then carries you into the net post, which is also out of bounds. [Rule 7.F.]

This is a fault because you cannot touch the net or net post while the ball is in play.

"Out" line calls should be promptly signaled by voice and may include a hand signal, regardless of how obvious they may seem. [Rule 6.D.10.]

True

A ball can be hit twice, but only during an unintentional, continuous, single-direction stroke. If the stroke is not continuous, not single-direction, or if it is a definite second push, the hit is illegal. [Rule 11.A.]

True

During the serve, when the ball is struck, the server's foot/feet shall not be touching the area outside the imaginary extension of the sideline, or outside the imaginary extension of the center line, or be touching the court, including the baseline. [Rule 4.A.3.]

True

During the side switch, you have up to 1 minute to switch sides and get in the ready position to resume play. No coaching is allowed during the side switch. [5.B.6.]

True

If a served ball hits the net and strikes the receiver or the receiver's partner before hitting the court surface, it is a point for the serving team. [Rule 4.A.9.]

True

If a technical foul has been issued, a subsequent technical warning, for any reason, will result in a match forfeiture. [Rule 13.H.1.b]

True

If you ask your opponent's opinion about whether a ball was "in" or "out," you must accept their opinion. [Rule 6.D.6.]

True

If your paddle touches the non-volley zone during a volley swing, it is a fault regardless of whether the touch occurred before or after contacting the ball. [Rule 9.B.2.]

True

In a match with a referee, after a time-out has expired and the referee calls the score, the server must serve within 10 seconds, even if the receiver is not ready or not positioned in the receiving court. [Rule 10.A.6]

True

In a match without a referee, the starting server (the player wearing the visible form of identification) for each game, starts from the right-hand court, and should state the score as "zero-zero-two."[Rule 4.B.6.b.]

True

In doubles play, the starting server may be changed before the start of any game with notice given to the referee. [Rule 5.A.3]

True

In games to 21, each team is allowed 3 time-outs. [Rule 10.A]

True

In sanctioned play without a referee, a player is allowed to call a service foot fault on the opponent.[Rule 13.D.1.b]

True

In sanctioned play without a referee, players may call service foot faults and non-volley zone faults on the opponents.[Rule 13.D.1.b]

True

Once the choice of serve, receive, side or to defer has been selected, it may not be changed. [Rule 5.A.2]

True

Once the score has been called, the receiver cannot become "not ready" unless there is a valid hinder. [Rule 4.E.2]

True

Players are responsible for line calls on their side of the net. If the opponents hit a ball close to a line, the player or team that is supposed to make the line call may appeal to the referee without making a call. (6.D.3)

True

The correct receiver is the only player who may return a served ball. If the wrong player returns the ball, it is a point for the serving team. [Rule 4.N.1.]

True

There is no rule which states that during the serve, the server must release the ball before paddle contact. [Section 4.]

True

To be considered legal, a serve must be made so that contact with the ball is made below waist level (the navel), and the arm must be moving in an upward arc, and the paddle head must be below the server's wrist when it strikes the ball. [Rule 4.A.5., 4.A.6. & 4.A.7.]

True

When an incorrect server or player position is discovered after a rally, the offending team can be faulted until the next serve occurs. Once the next serve occurs, any previous points scored by the incorrect server, or incorrect server position, will stand. [Rule 4.B.11.]

True

When making a close line call, you always give your opponent the benefit of the doubt. [Rule 6.D.3.]

True

When your right-handed partner serves from the left service court, he stands very near the court center line. His feet are within the proper service area, but when his paddle contacts the ball, the paddle is slightly across the imaginary extension of the center line, above the playing surface of the right-hand court. Your opponents protest that this is not allowed. This is allowed. [Rule 4.A.3.]

True

While near the non-volley zone (NVZ), you swing to return a shot and completely miss the ball. Your partner, who is near the baseline behind you, cleanly returns the ball. This is legal since a ball remains in play until it bounces twice or until any other fault has occurred. [Rule 8.B.]

True

Yelling, "It's going to be out!," when your opponent is about to return your lob, could be considered a distraction and a fault could be called on you. [Rule 11.J.]

True

You hit a ball at a sharp angle toward the sideline; it bounces in your opponent's court and travels beyond the sideline. Your opponent manages to return the ball, hitting a low shot (below net level) outside and around the post that lands in your court, and you are unable to return it. This is a legal shot and ruled in your opponent's favor. [Rule 11.M.]

True

You may step on the non-volley zone line or enter the non-volley zone at any time except during the act of volleying the ball. [Rule 9.E.]

True

You volley a ball from just behind the non-volley zone (NVZ) line. During the follow-through, your paddle strikes your partner's shoulder. This is a NVZ fault because your partner's right foot was on the NVZ line when you struck him. [Rule 9.C.]

True

Your opponent hits a shot low over the net. You are positioned just behind the non-volley zone (NVZ) line and stretch to return the ball before it bounces. In the process your paddle scrapes the NVZ court surface just before you volley the ball. This is a non-volley zone fault because your paddle touched the non-volley zone during the act of volleying swing. [Rule 9.B.]

True

Your partner notices that your opponent has committed a non-volley zone fault, so he calls it. This is permissible. [Rule 9.I.].

True

The service motion begins: [Rule 3.A.33.]

When the arm of the player moves backward or forward initiating the swing to contact the ball.

During an extended exchange of crosscourt dinks, your opponent suddenly steps in the non-volley zone and then onto the adjacent out-of-bounds area so he can get closer to the net to smash a volley return. Is this legal? [Rule 9.D.]

Yes, as long as both feet make contact with the area outside the non-volley zone before the ball is struck.