FAQs

Pickleball is a racket/paddle sport that was created by combining elements of several other racket sports. Two or four players use solid paddles to hit a perforated polymer ball over a net. The ball is much like a wiffle ball, with 26–40 round holes. The court, similar to badminton, has a net similar to tennis, and the paddles are similar to those in table tennis.

The regulation size of the court is 20 feet (6.1 m) by 44 feet (13 m) for both doubles and singles. Lines on a pickleball court are similar to a doubles badminton court, except the front service line is seven feet from the net, six inches further than the badminton front service line. In pickleball, the front service line is called the non-volley line, or “kitchen line” and the back service line is called the baseline. The area bounded by the non-volley line, the sidelines, and the net, inclusive of the lines, is known as the non-volley zone, or “kitchen”. The centerline runs from the non-volley line to the baseline, bisecting the rest of the court into the right and left service courts. Each service court includes the lines enclosing that service court, except the non-volley line, which is part of the non-volley zone.

Net: The net is 36 inches (0.91 m) high on the ends and 34 inches (0.86 m) high at center. The net posts should be 22 feet (6.7 m) from the inside of one post to the inside of the other post.

Ball: The original ball used when the game was invented was a wiffle ball. USA Pickleball (USAP) and the International Federation of Pickleball (IFP) have since adopted specific ball standards unique to pickleball. Balls must be made of a durable molded material with a smooth surface, and must have between 26 to 40 evenly spaced circular holes. They must weigh between .78 and .935 ounces (22.1 and 26.5 g) and measure between 2.87 and 2.97 inches (73 and 75 mm) in diameter. Tournaments sanctioned by the USAP and IFP must choose from a list of preapproved balls found on the USAP and IFP websites.

Balls with smaller holes are generally used for outdoor play to minimize the effects of wind, but any sanctioned ball can be used for either indoor or outdoor play.

Paddle: For sanctioned games USAP and IFP paddle size standards say the combined length and width of the paddle shall not exceed 24 inches (0.61 m), and the length cannot exceed 17 inches (0.43 m). There are no requirements regarding thickness or weight. The paddle must be made of a non-compressible material and the surface of the paddle must be smooth with no texturing. Paddles must be on the list of preapproved paddles found on the USAP and IFP websites.