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Pickleball Rules In Australia: Your Complete Guide

Pickleball Australia Rules

The Rules Of Pickleball In Australia

Whether you’re brand new to pickleball or looking to brush up on the finer details, understanding the rules is key to having more fun and fair play on the court. At The Pickleball Collective, we’re all about growing the game in Australia, so here’s your go-to guide on how to play pickleball, Aussie style!

We’ve broken it down into easy sections so you can jump straight into what you need.

General Play:

How Pickleball Works?

  • Pickleball is played either as singles (1 vs 1) or doubles (2 vs 2), with doubles being the most common format in Australia.
  • The game is played on a badminton-sized court using solid paddles and a plastic ball with holes (a bit like a wiffle ball). The court has left and right service areas, and the middle area close to the net is known as “the kitchen” (more on that soon).
  • Players serve diagonally across the court and must follow specific rules to keep the rally fair and flowing. It’s fast-paced, addictive, and brilliant for all ages.

The Two Bounce Rule:
To begin a point there is the “Two Bounce” rule, this means both the serve and the return must bounce before any volley’s can be taken.

What’s The Score:

Pickleball Scoring

There are two main scoring systems in pickleball:

1. Traditional Scoring (most common):

Only the serving team can score points.
Games are typically played to 11 points, and you must win by 2.
When a point is scored, the serving player switches sides and continues serving.

2. Rally Scoring (used in some formats):

Every rally counts, whoever wins the point, regardless of who served.

Keeping Track Of The Score:

A typical callout for doubles scoring might sound like: “4-2-1”
That’s: 4 (your team’s score) – 2 (opponent’s score) – 1 (server number).
Pickleball Serving Diagram - TPC

Where It All Starts:

Pickleball Serving Rules

  • You must serve underhand, with your paddle moving in an upward arc.
  • The ball must be struck below waist level.
  • You can also use a drop serve, where the ball is dropped and allowed to bounce before being hit (great for beginners).
  • Serve diagonally crosscourt, and it must land in the opponent’s service area (excluding the kitchen line).
  • Only one serve attempt is allowed per turn, no second chances like in tennis!
  • In doubles, both players on a team get a chance to serve before the serve switches sides, except for the very first turn of the game, where only one player serves.

What’s Cooking:

The Kitchen Rules (Non-Volley Zone)

One of the most unique and misunderstood rules in pickleball is the non-volley zone, affectionately called “the kitchen.”

What you need to know:

  • It’s the 7-foot zone on either side of the net.
  • You can’t volley (hit the ball in the air) while standing in the kitchen.
  • You can step into the kitchen at anytime, but can only hit after the ball bounces.
  • If your momentum carries you into the kitchen after a volley, it’s a fault.Yes, that includes your paddle, your hat, or even your shoelace touching the line!

Pickleball No-No’s:

Pickleball Faults

A fault is anything that stops play because of a rule violation. Here are the most common ones:

  • Serve lands out or in the kitchen.
  • Ball is hit into the net.
  • Volley from inside the kitchen.
  • Ball bounces twice before being hit.
  • Hitting the net or post with your paddle/body.
  • Ball lands outside of the court.
  • Stepping over lines during serve or volley.

These are all reasons a point will end and depending on who is serving as to if a point is awarded.

FAQ

Common FAQs About the Rules Of Pickleball

Can I stand in the kitchen?

Yes, you can stand in the kitchen anytime, but you cannot volley the ball while in the kitchen or touching the kitchen line. You can only enter the kitchen to play a ball that has bounced. Even if the ball is dead, if your momentum carries you into the kitchen after a volley, it’s a fault.

While not hitting the ball, you may stand in the Kitchen, however do this at your own risk as if the other team hits it at you and hits your body or paddle while you’re in the kitchen you lose the point.

Is the ball allowed to hit the net?

Yes, as long as it clears the net and lands in. If the ball clips the net on a serve and still lands in the correct diagonal court (excluding the kitchen line), it’s in play, no let serves in pickleball.

Do you switch sides during the game?

Yes. In doubles, the serving team switches sides after scoring a point. In singles, you serve from the right side on even scores and the left side on odd scores.

Who serves first?

You can decide using any fair method: paddle spin, coin toss, rock-paper-scissors, it’s up to the players. Generally, the right side is the first side to begin serving in a game.

Can you hit the ball in the air in pickleball?

Yes, but only after the first two bounces (one on each side) and not from inside the kitchen. Hitting the ball in the air without letting it bounce is called a volley. Volleys are legal as long as:

Both the serve and return have bounced
You’re standing outside the kitchen
Your momentum doesn’t carry you into the kitchen after the volley

What happens if the ball hits the line?

In pickleball, a ball that touches any line is considered in, except on a serve:

  • If the serve hits the kitchen line, it’s a fault
  • If any other shot hits any line, including the baseline or sideline, it is in
Can a ball be played from outside the court?

The ball can absolutely be played from outside of the court. As long as the ball hasn’t bounced twice and you can legally reach it, you may leave the court boundaries to make a play. If the ball lands in, it’s still good, so go for that heroic save!

Go for that ATP and all your friends will be impressed. (Around The Post)

Are there any differences in the rules for Australian pickleball?

Generally, no. Australia follows the USA Pickleball Official Rules, which are updated yearly. However, some local clubs or tournaments may introduce relaxed rules (e.g., for beginners or juniors), so always check with organisers.

How big is a pickleball court?

A pickleball court is smaller than a tennis court and is comprised of 6 key areas.

To help you visualise:

  • Court size: 6.1m wide x 13.4m long (same for singles & doubles)
  • Non-volley zone: 2.13m from the net on each side
  • Net height: 91.4cm at the sides, 86.4cm in the middle

Most Australian pickleball courts are either permanent or marked on shared tennis or badminton courts using portable nets.

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Official Pickleball Rules Summary & Rule Book

View The Full Offical Rule Book

Rules Summary

Brief and purpose
The following is an abbreviated form of the rules to give a quick overview of how the game
is played. A complete copy of the official rules can be found on the PAA Pickleball website
at pickleballaus.org If there is a conflict between this summary and the official rules, the official rules
prevail.

Setup
Pickleball is played either as doubles (two players per team) or singles. The same size playing area and
rules are used for both singles and doubles.

The serve

  • The server’s arm must be moving in an upward arc when the ball is struck.

  • Paddle contact with the ball must not be made above the waist level.

  • The head of the paddle must not be above the highest part of the wrist at contact.

  • A ‘drop serve’ is also permitted in which case none of the elements above apply.

  • At the time the ball is struck, the server’s feet may not touch the court or outside the imaginary
    extension of the sideline or centreline and at least one foot must be behind the baseline on the playing
    surface or the ground behind the baseline.

  • The serve is made diagonally crosscourt and must land within the confines of the opposite diagonal
    court.

  • Only one serve attempt is allowed per server.

Service etiquette

  • Both players on the serving doubles team have the opportunity to serve and score points until they
    commit a fault *(except for the first service sequence of each new game).

  • The first serve of each side-out is made from the right-hand court.

  • If a point is scored, the server switches sides and the server initiates the next serve
    from the left-hand court.

  • As subsequent points are scored, the server continues switching back and forth until a fault is
    committed and the first server loses the serve.

  • When the first server loses the serve the partner then serves from their correct side of the court
    (except for the first service sequence of the game*).

  • The second server continues serving until his team commits a fault and loses the serve to the
    opposing team.

  • Once the service goes to the opposition (at side out), the first serve is from the right-hand court and
    both players on that team have the opportunity to serve and score points until their team commits
    two faults.

  • In singles the server serves from the right-hand court when his or her score is even and from the left
    when the score is odd.

  • At the beginning of each new game only one partner on the serving team has the opportunity to
    serve before faulting, after which the service passes to the receiving team.

Scoring

  • Points are scored only by the serving team.

  • Games are normally played to 11 points, win by 2.

  • Tournament games may be to 15 or 21, win by 2.

  • When the serving team’s score is even (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) the player who was the first server in the
    game for that team will be in the right-side court when serving or receiving; when odd (1, 3, 5, 7, 9)
    that player will be in the left-side court when serving or receiving.

Two bounce rule

  • When the ball is served, the receiving team must let it bounce before returning, and then the serving
    team must let it bounce before returning, thus two bounces.

  • After the ball has bounced once in each team’s court, both teams may either volley the ball (hit the
    ball before it bounces) or play it off a bounce (ground stroke).

  • The two-bounce rule eliminates the serve and volley advantage and extends rallies.

Non-volley zone

  • The non-volley zone is the court area within 7 feet on both sides of the net.

  • Volleying is prohibited within the non-volley zone. This rule prevents players from executing smashes
    from a position within the zone.

  • It is a fault if, when volleying a ball, the player steps on the non-volley zone, including the line and/or
    when the player’s momentum causes them or anything they are wearing or carrying to touch the non-
    volley zone including the associated lines.

  • It is a fault if, after volleying, a player is carried by momentum into or touches the non-volley zone,
    even if the volleyed ball is declared dead before this happens.
    A player may legally be in the non-volley zone any time other than when volleying a ball.

  • The non-volley zone is commonly referred to as “the kitchen.”

Line calls

  • A ball contacting any line, except the non-volley zone line on a serve, is considered “in.”

  • A serve contacting the non-volley zone line is short and a fault.

  • If one player calls a ball in and the partner calls it out – doubt exists and the team’s call will be “in”.

Calling a Pickleball Score:
5 – 4 – 1
Serving Team Score, Receiving Team Score, Server Position/Number

Faults

  • A fault is any action that stops play because of a rule violation.

  • A fault by the receiving team results in a point for the serving team.

  • A fault by the serving team results in the server’s loss of serve or side out.

A fault occurs when

  • A serve does not land within the confines of the receiving court

  • The ball is hit into the net on the serve or any return

  • The ball is volleyed before a bounce has occurred on each side

  • The ball is hit out of bounds

  • A ball is volleyed from the non-volley zone

  • A ball bounces twice before being struck by the receiver

  • A player, player’s clothing, or any part of a player’s paddle touches the net or net post

  • There is a violation of a service rule

  • A ball in play strikes a player or anything the player is wearing or carrying

  • A ball in play strikes any permanent object before bouncing on the court

Determining serving team
Any fair method can be used to determine which player or team has first choice of side, service, or
receive. (Example: Coin Flip)