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More than 90 suggested rule changes were reviewed this year by the Rules Committee . There were 21 passed on to the board for review and approval or rejection , and all were approved except for one . The changes would generally only impact tournament play .
Here is the list of proposed changes forwarded to the board :
1 . Rally scoring for singles and doubles would be at a tournament director ’ s discretion . [ This may be approved as a “ Provisional Rule ” but it is uncertain at this moment .]
2 . Clarification of the definitions of a ball being “ live ” vs . “ in play .”
3 . Rule 13 . F . 3 added to clarify that an appeal can only be made after a rally-ending line call has been made .
4 . Single elimination bracket formats could be added to pro brackets in sanctioned tournaments .
5 . Rule 11 . E may be revised to enable a ref , or the players , to replace a degraded ball after a rally ends but without a replay .
6 . If a wrong score has been called , any player could stop play until the return of serve has been made . Stopping play if the correct score was called is , of course , a fault .
7 . Players should change ends , even when a required end change was missed , when the error is recognized .
8 . A replay should occur when a ball goes over a net and strikes a billowing net that “ deflects ” the ball . This applies to a ball even if it has bounced .
9 . Players in non-officiated matches should be able to ask for the head referee or tournament director if they suspect that a non-approved paddle is being used by an opponent .
10 . In a tournament match where game one has been forfeited , no mid-game end change should be required in game three , since there is no actual third game being played . by BOB UNETICH
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11 . Mini-Singles was approved by the board late in 2022 and it should be listed as an approved format in the Rulebook .
12 . Medical time-out rules would make it clear that only a player can call a medical time-out . A referee cannot . The time to transport a player does not deduct from the 15-minute medical time-out break .
13 . A player in a non-officiated match can make a “ Hinder ” call . This is not clear in the current rules .
14 . The word “ should ” in Rule 6 . D . 9 Out Calls would be replaced by the word “ must .”
15 . A ball hitting the top of the net post is out of bounds , even if it only strikes the cable on top of the net post .
16 . Rule 12 . F that defined retirements and withdrawals would change to clarify the difference between them by adding Rule 12 . G concerning withdrawals .
17 . Calling a time-out immediately after a medical time-out would be permitted .
18 . Drop serves would permit dropping the ball from a hand or the paddle face , and it would be clarified that it cannot be propelled in any manner .
19 . Under a new rule , 11 . Q , coaching would be permitted during a match but not during a rally . This rule change request was rejected by the board of USA Pickleball .
20 . In the past , players who disagreed with line judges to their detriment could be granted a replay . Under new recommended rules , they could overturn the ruling of the line judges . 21 . Rule 7 . L that prohibits a “ carry ” would have the word “ deliberately ” removed to make it clear that a carry is a fault .
These are the 2024 rules changes made by the USA Pickleball Board and they are effective Jan . 1 , 2024 .
A special thank-you to the head of officiating , George McCulley , for his contributions to this article . •
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