2022 Pickleball Rule Updates

The Rules of Pickleball Change?

Every year, the USA Pickleball rules committee reviews and revises the rules of pickleball. Usually the changes are minor, and had been mostly unnoticed by all but die-hard rules fans. In 2021, however, there were some fairly significant changes. For the 2022 rule updates, USA Pickleball decided to revise their rule revision process to be more transparent, get more public input, and allow more comment opportunities.

The Must-know Pickleball Rule Updates for 2022

Here the short list of the main rule changes you should be aware of for 2022. More detail and additional less-common rules updates further below.

• Spin Serves
  The updated rules allow for ONLY the use of a single hand to release the ball on a volley serve - nothing else. You will no longer be allowed to use your other hand, your paddle, or anything else to add additional pre-serve spin (or to aid in the release in any way). You also cannot use substances to assist in adding additional spin (like tacky towel).
• Drop Serve
  The Drop Serve is here to stay. It was not changed, but is no longer listed as "provisional".
• Wrong Score Called
  If the wrong score was called, you can no longer stop play at any time during a rally without committing a fault.
• Dropped Ball
  If you carry an extra ball on you during play, and it falls out, it's a fault (in non-reffed games). In reffed games it's a referee-error and is replayed.
• Earbuds
  Earbuds are no longer allowed due to the possibility of coaching (with exception of hearing aids).
• Let Serve
  No change from 2021. Play continues whether the serve clips the net or not. (I know, this isn't a "change", but it's worth mentioning)

Spin Serve Rule Changes for 2022

When hitting what is now called "The Volley Serve" (serving without dropping the ball to the ground first), players may still spin the ball before striking it on the serve, but as of Jan 1st, 2022, only "one hand at a time" can contact the ball before the ball is hit."

This change eliminates the "COVID" serve where a player flips the ball up off the paddle before hitting it. It also, and more importantly eliminates the chainsaw serve, popularized by pickleball pro Zane Navratil, where a player spins the ball off the paddle face and/or handle before serving.

4.A.5. The Volley Serve
The server shall use only one hand to release the ball to perform the serve. If the ball is visibly spun by the server during the release, the part(s) of the hand contacting the ball must be bare. The server's release of the ball must be visible to the referee and the receiver. In matches without a referee, the server's release of the ball must be visible to the receiver. A replay shall be called before the return of serve if the release of the ball is not visible or if the referee (or receiver in non-officiated matches) cannot discern whether an item on the hand contacted a visibly spun ball. Exception: A player who has the use of only one hand may use their hand or paddle to release the ball to perform the serve.

Important Note: The 2022 rule change did NOT remove the spin serve completely! In fact, the original spin serve, popularized by pickleball pro Morgan Evans is STILL allowed. For this serve, you spin the ball with your non-paddle hand before hitting a standard volley serve. Check out this amazing highlight reel of Morgan Evans OWNING people with his STILL LEGAL spin serve.

The Drop Serve

Love it or hate it, the drop serve is here to stay (Rule 4.A.6.). Nothing changed with the drop serve except that they removed the "provisional" wording before the rule.

Wrong Score Called

In 2021, a rule change was made to allow a player to stop the rally prematurely when the score was called wrong. It allowed this only until the third hit. After that, it was a fault to stop play regardless of whether or not the score was wrong.

With the new 2022 rule updates, you may still "stop play to ask for a correction before the ball is served." However, after the serve, you can no longer stop play without committing a fault. Any corrections to the score have to be done after the rally is complete.

4.K. Wrong Score Called.
If the server or referee calls the wrong score, once the serve is made, play shall continue to the end of the rally and the correction made before the next serve. Player comments about the score during the rally shall be ignored. A player who stops play after the serve is made will have committed a fault and shall lose the rally.

The takeaway: Get out of the habit of stopping for a score correction. The margin for asking for a correction prior to the serve is too slim. Just wait until the rally is over, then deal with any score corrections.

Dropped Ball

Until now, if you carried a ball in your pocket, and dropped it during a rally, play continued. However, the other team could call a distraction, and then it'd be up to the referee to decide if it truly was... it was a bit of a mess, and certainly confusing.

Now, with the 2022 rule updates, if you carry a ball in your pocket (or wherever), and it falls out, it's immediately a fault and the rally ends. They also specify that the ball "must not be visible to the opponent".

One fairly big caveat. If you're playing in a refereed match, and you drop the ball, it's actually a replay. "WHAT?!" Yep, it's a replay. The reason is, it's the referee's responsibility to ensure there is only one ball on the court. So the fact that you still had one in your pocket is considered a referee error, causing a replay.

The takeaway: Just don't carry an extra ball. Simple as that.

Headphones / Earbuds

As of Jan 1st, 2022, earbuds and headphones are no longer permitted. This doesn't really matter as much in rec play, though it's usually considered poor etiquette to wear them.

11.P. Electronic Equipment. Players shall not wear or use any form of headphones or earbuds during competition play. Exception: Prescribed or necessary hearing aids are permitted.

The takeaway: Don't wear earbuds during play. It's no longer only rude, it's now also in the rules.

Other Rule Updates

Here are some of the other rule updates that most people (other than refs and rule-nerds like myself) won't really care about.

• Medical Time-outs
  If a referee decides you need a medical timeout, it's not charged to you. You can still use your own medical time out later.
• Verbal Warnings
  Before 2022, referees were only allowed to give verbal warnings for profanity. Now they can throw them at you for more stuff (specifically anything that could result in a technical warning).
• Calling the Score after a 15 second warning
  As of Jan 1st, 2022, after calling the 15-second warning, a referee will call the score only after the players are ready (or should be). This one is actually interesting and is not well known except amongst referees. When you hear the referee give a "15 second warning!" they were supposed to wait 15 seconds, then call the score, and begin the 10-second serve clock. Seems fine, right? Well the thing most people overlook is that in this situation, they did NOT check to see if the server or the receiver is ready! They call the score, and away we go, even if you're not physically at the court! An infamous incident with pickleball pro Jill Braverman serving to an empty court and the following online debate is what likely caused this rule to be updated.
• Technical Warnings and Fouls
  The rule updates clarify that refs should not stop a rally to call a technical warning / technical foul, but instead should do so after the rally has ended.
• Tournament Score for a Retirement
  Instead of not recording a score at all, now, when a player/team "retires" from a match, the rule updates allow the scores to be recorded.

Related Links

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