Pickleball
A paddle sport played with a perforated plastic ball on a badminton-sized court, as singles or doubles. Invented in the United States in 1965, it is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world and is spreading quickly in India.
About pickleball
Pickleball is a paddle sport that mixes elements of badminton, table tennis and tennis. It is played in singles or doubles on a small court, about the size of a badminton doubles court, with a solid paddle and a light plastic ball full of holes. A 7-foot "non-volley zone", better known as the kitchen, on each side of the net stops players from smashing the ball from close range, so rallies swing between hard drives and soft "dinks" that drop just over the net.
The game was invented in the summer of 1965 on Bainbridge Island, near Seattle in the United States, by Joel Pritchard, a Washington state legislator who later served in the US Congress, and his friends Bill Bell and Barney McCallum. It became the official state sport of Washington in 2022. USA Pickleball, formed in 1984, publishes the official rulebook, which other national bodies such as Pickleball Canada also use. There is no single international federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee: the International Pickleball Federation and the World Pickleball Federation merged in 2025, and they have been in talks with the rival Global Pickleball Federation about forming one world body.
The professional game is led by the PPA Tour and the team competition Major League Pickleball (MLP), which merged under one company in 2024. Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns of the United States have won more PPA Tour titles than anyone else.
Sunil Valavalkar, who first played the game in Canada, brought pickleball to Mumbai in the mid-2000s and founded the All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) in 2008. The sport grew fast after 2020, and India now has two franchise leagues, the World Pickleball League (from 2025) and the Indian Pickleball League (from 2025). On 25 April 2025 the Sports Ministry recognised the newer Indian Pickleball Association (IPA) as the National Sports Federation. AIPA challenged this, but the Delhi High Court upheld the recognition in February 2026; AIPA's appeal was still before the court in 2026.
History of pickleball
- 1965Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum invent the game at Pritchard's summer home on Bainbridge Island, Washington, using a badminton court.
- 1967The first permanent pickleball court is built on Bainbridge Island.
- 1968Pickle-Ball, Inc. is incorporated.
- 1976The first known pickleball tournament is held, in Tukwila, Washington.
- 1984The USA Pickleball Association is formed to run the sport and standardise its rules.
- 1999Sunil Valavalkar first plays pickleball while in British Columbia, Canada.
- 2008Valavalkar and others found the All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) in Mumbai.
- 2021Major League Pickleball (MLP), founded by Steve Kuhn, holds its first event in Dripping Springs, Texas.
- 2022Washington makes pickleball its official state sport.
- 2024The PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball complete their merger under one company.
- 2025The Sports Ministry recognises the Indian Pickleball Association (IPA) as the National Sports Federation. The first World Pickleball League (Mumbai) and Indian Pickleball League (New Delhi) are held. The International Pickleball Federation and the World Pickleball Federation vote to merge.
- 2026The Delhi High Court upholds IPA's recognition; AIPA appeals. USA Pickleball's 2026 rulebook lets a receiving side win game point under rally scoring.
Formats
| Format | Players | Court | Usual scoring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doubles | Two a side; the most common form | Full court: 20 ft x 44 ft (6.10 m x 13.41 m) | Side-out scoring, best of three games to 11, win by two |
| Singles | One a side | The same court as doubles | Side-out scoring, best of three games to 11, win by two |
| Mini-singles | One a side, using half the court | Half-court variation of singles | As for singles |
| Rally scoring (provisional) | Singles or doubles | As above | A point on every rally; games to 11, 15 or 21, win by two |
| Major League Pickleball | Mixed teams of men and women playing doubles games | As above | Doubles games to 11 with side-out scoring; a level match is decided by a singles "DreamBreaker" to 21 with rally scoring |
| Wheelchair and adaptive | Wheelchair, adaptive standing and hybrid (one wheelchair and one standing player) | As above | Standard rules, but eligible players may let the ball bounce twice |
Rules
- Scoring
- In standard (side-out) scoring only the serving side can win a point. A game is usually played to 11 points and must be won by two; tournaments also play single games to 15 or 21.
- Rally scoring
- Under USA Pickleball's provisional rally scoring a point goes to whoever wins each rally. Since 2026 a receiving side can win the rally that ends the game, which was not allowed in 2025.
- Calling the score
- In doubles the score is called as three numbers: the serving side's score, the receiving side's score, then the server number (1 or 2). Each game starts at "zero-zero-two".
- Serving order
- In doubles both partners serve before a side out, except at the start of each game, when only one player serves. The server starts from the right when their side's score is even and from the left when it is odd.
- Serving
- The serve is hit diagonally to the opposite service court and must clear the kitchen. It may touch the net on the way over; there are no service lets. A serve that lands on the kitchen line is out.
- Volley serve
- The paddle must be moving in a clear upward arc, the paddle head must clearly be no higher than the wrist, and the ball must clearly be no higher than the waist at contact.
- Drop serve
- The server drops the ball from a natural height without throwing it and hits it after it bounces. There is no limit on how many times or where it bounces first.
- Feet when serving
- At least one foot must be on the ground behind the baseline, and neither foot may touch the court or the area outside the correct serving zone.
- Two-bounce rule
- The serve and the return of serve must each bounce before they are hit. After that, players may volley or play off the bounce.
- Kitchen
- Players may not volley while touching the non-volley zone or its lines, or if their momentum carries them into it after a volley. They may stand in the kitchen at any other time and play a ball that has bounced there.
- Faults
- Hitting the ball out, into the net or under it; a volley from the kitchen; failing to let the serve or return bounce; letting the ball bounce twice; a player or their paddle touching the net or net post while the ball is live.
- Line calls
- A ball landing on any line is in, except a serve landing on the kitchen line. Players call the lines on their own side and give opponents the benefit of the doubt.
- Around the post
- A ball may be returned around the outside of the net post and does not have to pass over the net.
Court and equipment
| Item | Size |
|---|---|
| Court size | 20 ft (6.10 m) wide and 44 ft (13.41 m) long, for singles and doubles |
| Non-volley zone (kitchen) | 7 ft (2.13 m) deep on each side of the net, across the full width |
| Centre line | Runs from the kitchen line to the baseline and splits the right and left service courts |
| Lines | 2 in (5.08 cm) wide; measurements are taken to the outside edge of the lines |
| Playing area | At least 30 ft x 60 ft (9.14 m x 18.29 m); 34 ft x 64 ft (10.36 m x 19.5 m) recommended for tournaments |
| Net height | 36 in (91.44 cm) at the sidelines and 34 in (86.36 cm) at the centre |
| Net posts | 22 ft (6.71 m) apart, inside to inside |
| Ball diameter | 2.87 to 2.97 in (7.29 to 7.54 cm) |
| Ball weight | 0.78 to 0.935 oz (22.1 to 26.5 g) |
| Ball holes | 26 to 40 round holes; indoor balls usually have fewer, larger holes than outdoor balls |
| Ball bounce | 30 to 34 in (76.2 to 86.4 cm) when dropped from 78 in (198.1 cm) onto granite |
| Paddle | Length plus width at most 24 in (60.96 cm), and length at most 17 in (43.18 cm); no limit on thickness or weight |
| Paddle surface | Must not be rough or textured, or use rubber, sandpaper or any material that adds extra spin |
Records
| Milestone | Held by | Year |
|---|---|---|
| All India Pickleball Association founded | Sunil Valavalkar and others | 2008 |
| First World Pickleball League | Bengaluru Jawans beat Pune United 3-1 in Mumbai | 2025 |
| Recognised as National Sports Federation | Indian Pickleball Association | 2025 |
| Medals in all three events at a PPA Tour event | Vanshik Kapadia: men's doubles and mixed doubles gold, men's singles silver, PPA Malaysia Open | 2025 |
| First Indian Pickleball League | Mumbai Smashers beat Hyderabad Royals in New Delhi | 2025 |
| Player | Titles | Triple Crowns |
|---|---|---|
| Anna Leigh Waters (USA) | 194 | 44 |
| Ben Johns (USA) | 185 | 21 |
| Record | Held by | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| Most Triple Crowns in a career | Anna Leigh Waters | 44 |
| Mixed doubles | Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns | 15 golds in 16 events |
| Men's doubles | Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio | 16 titles in 17 events |
Records as of 11 November 2026.
Tournaments
| Tournament | Held | First | Champions and notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Pickleball League (India) | Franchise league in Mumbai, January-February | 2025 | Bengaluru Jawans (2025); Dilli Dillwale (2026), beating Chennai Super Champs 3-2 |
| Indian Pickleball League | Franchise league backed by the IPA, New Delhi | 2025 | Mumbai Smashers (2025) |
| PPA Tour | Season of Opens, Cups, Majors, the World Championships and the PPA Finals, with stops in Asia, Europe and Australia | 2020 | The World Championships carry the most ranking points |
| Major League Pickleball | Team season in the United States, Premier and Challenger levels | 2021 | Team BLQK won the first event, in November 2021 |
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Glossary
- Kitchen
- The popular name for the non-volley zone: the 7-foot area on each side of the net where players may not volley.
- Non-volley zone
- The official name for the kitchen. Its lines count as part of the zone.
- Dink
- A soft shot from near the kitchen line that drops just over the net into the opponent's kitchen.
- Volley
- Hitting the ball in the air before it bounces.
- Two-bounce rule
- The serve and the return must each bounce once before being hit.
- Side out
- The serve passing to the other side after the serving side loses a rally.
- Side-out scoring
- The traditional system in which only the serving side can score.
- Rally scoring
- A system in which a point is won on every rally, whoever served.
- Drop serve
- A serve hit after the ball has been dropped and allowed to bounce.
- Volley serve
- A serve hit out of the air with an upward, underhand swing, below the waist.
- Third-shot drop
- A soft third shot by the serving side, aimed to land in the kitchen so they can move up to the net.
- Erne
- A volley hit from beside the kitchen, outside the sideline, by a player who has jumped or stepped around the zone.
- ATP
- "Around the post": a shot hit around the outside of the net post instead of over the net.
- Paddle
- The solid, flat bat used to hit the ball, with no strings.
- DreamBreaker
- The rally-scored singles tie-break used in Major League Pickleball when a match is level.
- Triple Crown
- Winning the singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles at the same PPA Tour event.
Questions people ask
What is the size of a pickleball court?
20 feet (6.10 m) wide and 44 feet (13.41 m) long, the same for singles and doubles. That is about the size of a badminton doubles court.
How high is a pickleball net?
36 inches (91.44 cm) at the sidelines and 34 inches (86.36 cm) at the centre.
What is the kitchen in pickleball?
The non-volley zone: a 7-foot (2.13 m) area on each side of the net. You cannot volley the ball while standing in it or touching its lines, but you can enter it to play a ball that has bounced.
How does pickleball scoring work?
In standard scoring only the serving side can win points. Games are usually played to 11 and must be won by two. In doubles the score is called as three numbers, for example "4-2-1": serving side, receiving side, then server number. Some events use rally scoring, where every rally wins a point.
What is the two-bounce rule?
The serve must bounce before the receiver hits it, and the return must bounce before the serving side hits it. After those two bounces either side may volley.
Does the serve have to be underhand?
Yes. A volley serve must be hit with an upward swing, with the paddle head no higher than the wrist and the ball no higher than the waist. Players can also use a drop serve, letting the ball bounce first.
What ball is used in pickleball?
A plastic ball with 26 to 40 round holes, 7.29 to 7.54 cm across and weighing 22.1 to 26.5 grams. Outdoor balls usually have more, smaller holes than indoor balls.
Is pickleball in the Olympics?
No. It is not on the Olympic programme, and it does not yet have an international federation recognised by the IOC, which is the first step towards becoming an Olympic sport.
How is pickleball different from tennis and padel?
A pickleball court (13.41 m x 6.10 m) is much smaller than a tennis court (23.77 m long), the paddle is solid rather than strung, and the ball is plastic with holes. Serves must be underhand and there is a no-volley kitchen by the net. Padel is played on a 20 m x 10 m court enclosed by walls that the ball can be played off; pickleball courts have no walls.
Who governs pickleball in India?
The Sports Ministry recognised the Indian Pickleball Association (IPA) as the National Sports Federation on 25 April 2025. The All India Pickleball Association (AIPA), founded in 2008, challenged the decision; the Delhi High Court upheld the recognition in February 2026, and AIPA's appeal was still before the court in 2026.
Our pickleball guides
Facts checked on 11 November 2026.
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