RUL
THE ES Q
REF questions and answers
Is it a fault when the server holds the ball in the hand that is also holding the paddle and then drops the ball to serve?
A No, that’ s legal for both volley and drop serves. Consider someone who has use of only one hand. They can either roll the ball off the paddle or release it from their grasp before striking it for a serve. Rule 7. B. 1 of the USA Pickleball 2026 Official Rulebook declares that“ the server must release the ball using only one hand or only the paddle.”
There are two wrinkles, however: First, the ball release must be visible to both referee and opponent. If the paddle obscures the release, the referee or receiver can call for a re-serve. Second, the ball must not be touching the paddle when released from the hand. That would be considered a simultaneous release, which would be a fault— as would releasing the ball from two hands, from both hand and paddle, or with spin.
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by GLENN JORDAN
Glenn Jordan was a sportswriter for 38 years and is a senior pickleball pro and USA Pickleball L2 referee. Send your rule questions to rules @ pickleballmagazine. com.
During rec play, a friend whiffed on a drop serve attempt and wondered if it was a fault. Should that happen in a tournament, would the swing-andmiss be considered a fault?
A No. Pickleball rules require the serve to be struck within 10 seconds after the score call is completed. There are no limits as to how many swings it takes to actually strike the ball.
In an officiated match, if this happens( or something similar such as accidentally bouncing the ball off your foot and having it roll away), here’ s a tip: Ask the referee a question about the score or positioning, or remaining time-outs. Referees will stop play and announce that they will re-call the score, but not until all players are ready, giving you time to retrieve the ball. The new score call starts a new 10-second clock.
Q
I recently saw video footage of a player reaching in close to the net, popping up a dink and then blowing the ball into the opponent’ s court. Is this legal?
A Any attempt to physically alter the flight of a ball other than striking it with your paddle is against the spirit of pickleball rules. Although blowing on a ball is not yet expressly prohibited in the 2026 rulebook, the USA Pickleball Rules Committee has determined that referees should call a fault on any player who does so in an attempt to alter a ball’ s flight path.
The committee reasoned that a player’ s ability to physically influence the ball is limited to legally striking it with a paddle.“ Any subsequent action to alter the flight of the ball is the functional equivalent of a double hit,” according to a notice issued to referees in late May. Rule 10. D says that“ balls can be hit more than once, but the stroke must be continuous in a single direction by one player.” Blowing on the ball, whether successful or not, is a no-no. So save your breath! Note: Pleading with a ball to land inbounds after hitting too long or too wide doesn’ t constitute an attempt to physically alter its flight path. It also doesn’ t work. And yet, I can’ t help myself.
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