Pickleball Doubles Rules

Pickleball doubles is the most common and popular mood of the game. According to the USA Pickleball Association, about 70 to 80% of the players want to play pickleball doubles. This way of game analyses the real players’ talent.

As being a pickleball doubles player, it is the matter of time that you have to educate yourself about pickleball doubles rules. It is all about the awareness regarding rules of pickleball doubles.

At Bests pickleball website, We have covered the rules for doubles pickleball which can help you to perform on the court more confidently. The pickleball doubles rules about serving, doubles scoring and it’s strategy along with rules for double and kitchen thing are also discussed here.

What is pickleball doubles?

The version of pickleball in which the team of two or more than 2 players will compete with each other is called pickleball doubles. It means that there will be a team of players to perform on court. Its main focus is teamwork and their stretegic moves.

There will be a team of 2 or more players on the rectangular court with a net in the middle of court. its main objective is to hit the ball and it will cross the net after that the opponent will repeat it. In pickleball doubles the rules says that you serve underhand diagonally. Each player in the team will serve untill they make a mistake.

Basic Pickleball Doubles Rules- Explained

There are dedicated rules for every step in the pickleball doubles. It can provide you a safe side of the match. Here we will go through the Pickleball Doubles Scoring rules, doubles kitchen, doubles serving rules, Faults in Doubles and doubles pickleball strategy.

Pickleball Doubles Serving Rules

As like the pickleball singles, the serves will be performed underhand. At the serving time the ball should be hit when you observe that it is below my waist. The serves should be made diagonally opposite to the opponent side.
After the toss, one player in the toss winner team will be granted with a serve until it make a fault or score. The other player of the same team can serve in case they make a score or win a rally after fault.
The serving team will continuously change their sides with each other on each score until they lose the serve. While the receiving team can not change their side until they win a serve and make a score from it.

Both teams can play a shot of a rally off the bounce. It is called the double bounce rules. After getting done it successfully then they are allowed for volleying.

You may also ask who serves first in pickleball doubles?

The winning team of a coin toss will serve first. After that this team has also an authority to make a decision that they want to play as a serving team or a reciever team first. It is his own choice and decision.

Let’s suppose that the toss winning team chooses to serve first. In this case the servig team begins to serve from the right-hand side of the court serving to the court opponent team diagonally over the net.

The Serving sequence in pickleball doubles is the very first serve of the game, only one player from the initial serving team serves before the serve passes to the opponents. After that, both the players of a team will serve until they make a fault and lose the serve.

How to score in pickleball doubles?

Accoding to the Pickleball Doubles Scoring rules, these are the some points to keep in your mind while playing pickleball doubles.

The points can only be scored by the serving team while the recieving team can not make a score untill they win a serve first.
The serving team scores a point by winning a rally, which happens when the receiving team makes a fault (e.g., hitting the ball out of bounds, into the net, or committing a double bounce).

Both players on the serving team get a chance to serve before the serve is passed to the opposing team.

Example:

Player 1 on Team A serves first. If they win the rally, they score a point and switch sides with their partner, continuing to serve.
If Player 1 loses the rally, the serve goes to Player 2 on Team A.
If Player 2 loses the rally, the serve switches to Team B.

According to the pickleball doubles rules the server announces the score before each serve, indicating the serving team’s score first, the receiving team’s score second, and the server number (1 or 2) last.

Example: If Team A has 3 points, Team B has 2 points, and it’s the first server’s turn on Team A, the score would be called “3-2-1”.

There are a total of 11 points to finish the game. You have to make 2 more scores than 11 then you will be the winner of that game. Exceptional cases, In some tournaments, games may be played to 15 or 21 points, still requiring a 2-point margin to win.

What is the Starting Score of a Doubles Pickleball Game?

The starting score of a doubles pickleball game is 0-0. When calling the score, the server will announce “0-0-2” to indicate that it’s the start of the game and the first server is serving (the “2” denotes the second server because, in the first service sequence, only one player serves before the serve switches to the opponents).

For example, if Team A is serving first, the server from Team A will call out “0-0-2” before making the first serve. The first “0” represents Team A’s score, the second “0” represents Team B’s score, and the “2” indicates that it’s the starting serve sequence where only one player from Team A serves before the serve switches to Team B. If Team A loses the point, the serve goes to Team B with the score still at 0-0.

What are the kitchen rules for pickleball doubles?

In pickleball doubles, the kitchen, also known as the non-volley zone, is a critical area on the court located 7 feet from the net on both sides.

The kitchen rules for pickleball doubles

Thse are specially designed for the purpose that the players should not perform the volley near the net. This non volley zone keeps the game strategic and fair.

No one is allowed to volley in the kitchen zone.
The only volley is allowed in the kitchen zone if the ball bounces within the kitchen area.
It will be a fault if you volley a ball in the kitchen or you hit the shot without bouncing a ball from the kitchen area. This will be a fault in both cases.
Fault in the kitchen will result in loss of the serve.
Stepping into the kitchen right after the volleying will also be consider as a fault.
According to the pickleball doubles rules, anything which is physically related to the player touching the kitchen line or the kitchen itself will be considered a fault.
Violating the kitchen rule results in a fault, potentially causing the loss of a rally or a side-out.

What is the double bounce rule in pickleball?

The double bounce rule in pickleball states that the ball must bounce once on each side of the net before players are allowed to volley it, ensuring fair play and strategic positioning.

How to play doubles pickleball: A Step-by-Step Guide

The gameplay of pickleball doubles is the same as it is for singles. It needs paddles, a court and a perforated ball. The only thing different from pickleball singles is that there will be a team of 2 or more players.

Court positioning in pickleball double

The serving team starts with one player serving diagonally from the right-hand court and the serve will underhand. To apply the rules of pickleball doubles here you are bound to play a shot from crosscourt to the opponent’s right-hand service court.

The player rallies for the aim to make a score or they will lose the serve if they can not secure the score and it is called a fault. Only the serving team scores points; they score if the receiving team faults.

Rotate servers after each score. Games are played to 11 points, with the serving team needing to lead by at least 2 points to win.

7 pickleball doubles strategy

These are some usefull points which can improve your gameplay. These are tested and tried strategies and designed in the light of pickleball doubles rules. Follow these ideas and dominate the court.

Communication is Key
Maintain constant communication with your partner to coordinate movements and strategies effectively during rallies. This will also help you to dotch the opponents by playing differently.
Cover the Middle
Position yourselves to cover the middle of the court, minimizing gaps and maximizing court coverage to reduce the opponent’s chances. This thing is to cover the whole court and not to do any fault which are discuused in the above pickleball doubles rules.
Use the Lob
Employ lobs strategically to move opponents back and create opportunities to regain court positioning or set up a winning shot.
Target the Weaker Opponent
Identify and exploit the weaker opponent’s vulnerabilities through targeted shots and strategic positioning. You have to keep a cat eye on the opponent where they go to their comfort zone. This is the right time to play a shot and make a score.
Mix Up the Pace
Vary shot pace and placement to keep opponents off balance and unable to anticipate your next move. This strategy is for that the opponent team will not track your foot prints of your next move on the court.
Net Dominance
Control the net by strategically moving forward to volley and intercept shots, putting pressure on opponents and limiting their options.
Adapt to Opponents
Adjust your strategy based on opponents’ strengths, weaknesses, and playing style throughout the match to maintain a competitive edge. Follow the opponents and play against them.

Faults in Doubles

This is an action taken by a player which violates the pickleball doubles rules called faults in doubles. These are common faults whcih often occur from the pickleball players.

Serving Faults

Foot Fault
Stepping on or over the baseline or the sideline while serving.
Underhand Serve Violation
Failing to execute an underhand serve, including serving above the waist.
Failure to Serve Diagonally
Serving straight to the opponent’s court instead of diagonally crosscourt.
Service Out of Sequence
Serving out of turn, not starting from the correct serving position, or serving before the opponent is ready.

Gameplay Faults

Ball Out of Bounds
Hitting the ball so that it lands outside the boundaries of the court.
Net Fault
Touching the net with any part of the body or paddle during play, including on a follow-through after a shot.
Double Bounce Violation
Volleying the ball before it has bounced once on each side of the net, violating the double bounce rule.
Stepping into the Kitchen and Volleying
Entering the non-volley zone (kitchen) and volleying the ball before it has bounced in the kitchen.

Non-Volley Zone Violations

Volleying from the Kitchen
Volleying the ball while any part of the player’s body is touching the kitchen floor, except when the ball has bounced in the kitchen.
Foot Fault in the Kitchen
Stepping on or inside the non-volley zone line (kitchen) while volleying the ball, even if the ball has bounced within the kitchen.
Faulty Return from the Kitchen
Returning a volley from inside the non-volley zone (kitchen) before stepping out and letting the ball bounce.
Volleying Before the Ball Bounces
Attempting to volley the ball before it has bounced once on each side of the net, which includes volleying from inside the non-volley zone.

Common Misconceptions in Doubles Rules

Here are five common misconceptions in pickleball doubles rules and suggestions to avoid them

Misconception: Both players on a team must alternate serves.

Correction: In pickleball doubles, only one player serves initially. After a fault by the initial server, the server rotates to the partner. Ensure both players understand their serving order to avoid confusion. Communication is key to coordinating serving turns effectively.

Misconception: You can volley the ball from anywhere on the court.

Correction: The non-volley zone (kitchen) restricts volleys. Avoid volleying from inside the kitchen unless the ball has bounced in it first. Practice footwork to move quickly in and out of the kitchen to maintain position while complying with the rules.

Misconception: Players can reach over the net to hit the ball.

Correction: Crossing over the net to hit the ball, except under specific circumstances (like the ball bouncing into your side of the court), is a fault. Stay mindful of your position relative to the net and avoid reaching over it during play.

Misconception: You can serve anywhere in the service box.

Correction: Pickleball doubles require diagonal serves. Serve to the opponent’s crosscourt service box, aiming to initiate play with accuracy. Practice serving angles to maintain consistency and minimize faults.

Misconception: Points can be scored by the receiving team.

Correction: Points in pickleball doubles are only scored by the serving team. The receiving team’s goal is to regain the serve by forcing faults or winning rallies. Focus on strategic placement and consistency to capitalize on opponents’ errors and win points effectively.

Pros and Cons of Pickleball Doubles

Pros
Enhanced teamwork and camaraderie
Dynamic gameplay
Fast-paced and engaging
Supportive environment

Cons
Communication challenges
Compatibility issues
Non-volley zone restrictions
Dependency on a partner’s performance

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding the rules and strategies of pickleball doubles is essential for players aiming to excel in this dynamic and team-oriented sport. From serving techniques to navigating the differences of the non-volley zone, each aspect contributes to a competitive and enjoyable game. Clear communication, strategic adaptability, and adherence to the rules for pickleball doubels ensure fair play and enhance overall gameplay experience.

By following these principles, players can enhance their skills and enjoyment on the pickleball court, whether competing at a recreational level or in organized tournaments.

FAQs about rules of pickleball doubles

Does pickleball doubles burn more calories?

Yes, pickleball doubles can burn more calories compared to singles because of increased movement and strategic play involving both players. It offers a dynamic workout that engages more muscle groups and requires continuous movement across the court.

How many serves in doubles pickleball?

In doubles pickleball, each team serves twice consecutively (once per player) before the serve switches to the opposing team.

How does double elimination work in pickleball?

Double elimination in pickleball is a tournament format where players or teams are not immediately eliminated after their first loss. Instead, they move to a separate bracket, often called the consolation bracket.

Teams must lose twice to be completely eliminated from the tournament. This format allows for more opportunities to compete and can provide a clearer indication of overall skill and performance.

Is always pickleball doubles?

No, pickleball is not always doubles. While doubles is the most common format, pickleball can also be played in singles, where each player competes individually on the court. Both formats have their own rules and strategies unique to the game.

What is pickleball doubles?