How to Play Pickleball in 2025

Pickleball has grown in popularity since its invention and has attracted a lot of players, especially during the pandemic. Has it got you interested too? Cool! You won’t regret starting to play pickleball. Besides pickleball’s health benefits, it is also very inclusive to everyone like pickleball for kids, pickleball for adults, and adaptive pickleball. 

Trying a new thing can be intimidating sometimes, but don’t let that stop you from learning this incredible sport. Come on, new pickler, let’s learn how to play pickleball.

Getting Started: The Basics

The Pickleball Court

The pickleball court is where you’ll play the court. You can search for pickleball courts near you so you can play with other pickleball players, enroll in classes, or join clinics, or if you have the space, you can also make a pickleball court at home.

The Pickleball Equipment

Essential Pickleball Equipment 

The essential equipment is the one that you MUST have, meaning you can't play without these. 

• Pickleball Paddle - You’ll need one that is comfortable for you to use.

• Pickleballs - A perforated plastic ball. It has two types: indoor and outdoor pickleball.

• Pickleball Net - This divides the court. There are different types of pickleball nets: permanent, semi-permanent, and temporary net. 

 

Want to start your 2025 with an awesome game of pickleball? Use only high-quality pickleball equipment that won’t let you down! Check out 101 Pickleball’s premium pickleball gears now!

Pickleball Accessories

Pickleball accessories are the not-so-essential equipment that you can get to further improve your game. 

Pickleball Apparel

It’s important that you’re comfortable and free to move around so you need to wear proper pickleball apparel. Wear light, breathable clothing, and moisture-wicking that are specifically made for sports.

To make sure that you’re all geared up for your next game, check out our pickleball gear checklist. 

Now that we're set with what we'll need, let's learn how to play pickleball. 

How to Play Pickleball

Pickleball is easy to learn but hard to master, but don't let that intimidate you.

First, you have to know the basic pickleball rules. 

Pickleball Basic Rules

Pickleball's rules can be confusing at first but they're easy to remember once you understand them. You won't even notice it but soon, you'll know them by heart. 

Serve

The serve must be done with an underhand stroke using a volley or drop shot. You must stand behind the baseline and hit the ball diagonally across to your opponent.

Pickleball Scoring

Pickleball has a unique scoring system that sets it apart from other racket sports.

• Only the serving team can earn scores/points. 
• Pickleball Rules 2025 update for scoring: rally scoring is now an option for singles and doubles round-robin and team play, and singles double elimination.
• Games are played to 11, win by 2. 
  • Playing to 11 and winning by 2 means that the game will stop once one of the teams reaches 11 points as long as they are ahead by 2 points. If for example, team A’s score is 11 and team B’s is 10, they will continue to play until one is 2 points ahead. 

Two Bounce-Rule in Pickleball

The two-bounce rule in pickleball is also another unique rule. 

• After the initial serve, your opponent must let the ball bounce on their court first before returning it. – First Bounce
• After the return of serve, you must let the ball bounce on your court first before hitting the third-drop shot. – Second Bounce

Pickleball Kitchen or Non-Volley Zone Rules

The kitchen in pickleball is the non-volley zone (NVZ) in the court, meaning you can’t volley while inside it or it’s a fault.

How to Play Pickleball

Basically, when playing pickleball, this is how it goes:

1. Serve
2. Return of Serve
3. Third Shot Drop
4. Rally until a team makes a fault.
5. Repeat

Let’s dive deeper.

How to Play Pickleball: Serve 

The pickleball serve starts the game and doing it right can set your game. There are two types of serve: underhand and drop.

How to Do an Underhand Serve

• Stand behind the baseline.
• With one hand, hold the pickleball out and hit it with the paddle with an upward motion. 

Watch this how to play pickleball video for the underhand serve.

How to Do a Drop Serve

• Stand behind the baseline.
• With one hand, hold the pickleball out and drop it (just drop it and don’t put force on it). Hit it with the paddle after it bounces.

*Don’t worry about maintaining your paddle below the waist because the ball won’t bounce above the waist anyway so you will still hit it below the waist.

Watch this How to Play Pickleball Video for the Drop Serve.

For a bit of a chuckle, check out this secret to a drop serve.

How to Play Pickleball: Return of Serve

The return of serve is the second shot during a game. This is done by the receiving team. If you’re on the receiving team, this is your chance to put your opponent on the defense. You have to simply hit the ball to return it to your opponent. Expect that the serve may go deep so be prepared to receive it by your baseline.

NOTE: You have to let the bounce first before hitting it. Refer to the two-bounce rule.

PRO TIP: Try to return it deep as much as you’re opponent will have to stay by their baseline and you have more time to approach the net.

How to Play Pickleball: Third Shot Drop

If you’re in the serving team, this is a very important shot. If the return of serve provides an opportunity for the receiver to approach the kitchen, the third shot drop in pickleball is the server’s opportunity to approach the net.

• Stay near the baseline while in a ready position.
• Important Note: You might notice that in professional matches, the serving team will immediately run forward after the serve. Remember that they are professionals and have years of practice. If you’re still a beginner, it’s better to be safe and stay by the baseline. Or you and your partner can try where one will stay by the baseline and one can approach the kitchen.
• Hit the ball and try to place it deep into your opponent’s court.

NOTE: You have to let the bounce first before hitting it. Refer to the two-bounce rule.

PRO TIP: 

• Just like with the return of serve, try to hit the ball deep too so your opponent stays on the defensive while you try to open for opportunities to go into offense mode. 
• Work your way to the net little by little. Don’t rush or run because your opponent might return the ball while you’re on the move and miss it.

ALWAYS REMEMBER: There’s a saying in pickleball, “Whoever controls the net, controls the game” so your goal is to move as close as you can to the net as possible.

These three shots are the initial shots that you can’t change with other shots, unlike with rallying where you can use whatever shot you can or prefer to do. Let’s dive deeper into the other essential pickleball shots.

How to Play Pickleball: Dink

The pickleball dink is a soft shot that you MUST learn to do. This shot is mostly used to neutralize your opponent, meaning you will disrupt their offensive play and force them to be on the defense. The dink just goes over the net and lands on your opponent’s kitchen. 

• Stand in a ready position.
• Swing using your shoulders and hit the ball softly.
• Aim to place the ball as close to your opponent’s net as possible.
• Go back to a ready position immediately to anticipate your opponent’s shot.

PRO TIP:

• Don’t put force when hitting the ball because you might hit the ball straight to the net or to your opponent, which they can immediately hit back. Instead, try to gradually place your shot further so your opponent will have to move backward to reach for it.
• If you’re a beginner, start with normal, soft upward hits when dinking. As you get used to it, practice putting a spin on your dink to make the ball drop more aggressively, making it harder for your opponent to return.
• Practice the cross-court dink where you will place the ball diagonally. This gives you more advantage by having more space to place the ball and this can also act as a surprise to your opponent.
• You need to focus more on precision and control when dinking.

Watch this how to play video of the dink.

How to Play Pickleball: Lob

The pickleball lob is a high, arcing shot that clears the net and is meant to go deep. This shot can be used when you want to send your opponent back to their baseline.

To hit a successful lob, follow these steps:

• Stand in a ready position – your feet shoulder-width apart to maintain your balance.
• Keep your eyes on the ball and adjust your position if necessary, don’t reach.
• When hitting the ball, draw your arm backward and hit in an upward motion. Hit the ball as if you're tossing it up.

PRO TIP:

• Practice your backspin so you can add it to your lob.
• Don’t put too much power on your lob. Apply the Goldilocks rule: not too much, not too little. Hit the ball just right so it will clear the net and land where you want it to.

Watch This How to Play Pickleball Video of a Lob

How to Play Pickleball: Volley

Volley in pickleball is any shot you make when you hit the ball while it’s still in the air, before bouncing on the ground. There are different types of volley:

• Forehand Volley - Hit the ball using the front side of your paddle (on the side where you’re holding the paddle).
• Backhand Volley - The opposite of the forehand volley. You use your backhand when hitting the ball or the side where you’re not holding the paddle.
• Two-Hand Volley - This is when you hold your paddle with both hands when hitting the ball.
• Dink Volley - The dink is usually hit after it bounces since it usually lands inside the kitchen. When it’s about to land outside the kitchen, you can hit it before it bounces on the ground, which is the dink volley.
• Lob Volley - When you hit a lob before it hits the ground, it’s a volley.

ALWAYS REMEMBER: You can’t do a volley inside the kitchen or non-volley zone, or else it will result in a fault.

Watch This Example of a Volley Rally

How to Play Pickleball: Smash

The pickleball smash is a powerful shot. Compared to the other shots, you need to focus on power and accuracy when hitting a smash. This shot is often used when you’re trying to transition from defensive to offensive and force your opponent to defend.

• It’s best to hit a smash when you’re near the net for maximum power toward your opponent.
• Stand in a ready position.
• When the ball is approaching, extend your non-paddle hand to track the ball.
• Hit the ball when it’s at its highest point.

PRO TIP:

• Use your shoulder for maximum power and accuracy. Don’t flick your wrist as you might displace it.
• Keep aiming for your opponent’s backhand until they make a fault. Be careful though, cause they might return this strategy to you.

Watch This How to Play Pickleball Video for an Overhead Smash

Pickleball Defense vs Offense Play

We’ve mentioned these words in the essential shots and you’re probably wondering what they are. Defense and offense in pickleball are strategies used when playing. Let’s dive deeper.

Pickleball Defensive Play

Defensive play in pickleball is when you “defend” yourself against your opponent’s aggressive shots. When your opponent is in control of the game and you need to transition to offensive, you use defensive shots. You use defensive play to recover. 

Defensive Shots in Pickleball

• Dink - This soft shot can be used to force your opponent to play the soft game with you.
• Defensive Lob - This allows you to reset from a difficult shot.  
• Backhand - When your opponent places the ball on your non-dominant side and you reach to that side to hit the ball, that is a backhand shot. When your opponent keeps doing this, they’re trying to make you make a mistake.
• Block - You deflect the ball by “blocking” it with your paddle and not hitting it.
• Dig - When you use both hands and prevent a low ball from hitting the ground by doing a“digging” motion.
• Volley - You can use this to reset from a difficult shot or simply keep the game going.

Pickleball Offensive Play

In contrast with defensive play, you use offensive play to “attack” your opponent. When you get the chance to transition to offensive play, you can use this to neutralize your opponent and put them on their defensive.

Offensive Shots in Pickleball

• Smash
• Drive - A groundstroke with a low trajectory and is meant to land on your opponent’s feet, forcing them to step backward to hit it. 
• Drop Shot - A groundstroke made from your baseline, has a high arc, and is meant to drop on your opponent’s kitchen.
  • PRO TIP: You can add a topspin on your drop shot to make it more aggressive.
  • Drop Shot vs Dink - The dink is mostly used as a defensive shot and you hit this from your kitchen.
  • Drop Shot vs Lob - The lob has a high trajectory but is usually done to land on your opponent’s baseline to make them run back.
• Offensive Lob - Use this to disrupt your opponent’s rhythm and force them back to their baseline. This usually is flatter than the defensive lob.
• • PRO TIP: This is best used when your opponent is running towards their kitchen. Using the lob can surprise them and force them to go after the ball.
• Volley - The volley is perfect for when your opponent hits a weak return. This is your chance to use aggressive volleys and control the net.

If you’re interested in a how to play pickleball video discussing the basics, watch this video below.

To Sum It Up

Pickleball is a social and rewarding sport. Pickleball isn’t just for the competitive, it is also for those who want to have a fun physical activity or to socialize. Of course, whether you’re playing casually or in a tournament, you have to know the basic rules and essential shots. You have to know how the game works and practice consistently to improve your skills. So grab your paddle and start playing pickleball now!

Frequently Asked Questions

• What are the essential pieces of equipment needed to play pickleball?
  • Pickleball Paddle: Choose a paddle that feels comfortable in your hand and suits your playing style.
  • Pickleball Balls: Use outdoor balls for outdoor play and indoor balls for indoor play.
  • Pickleball Net: A regulation-sized net is crucial for proper gameplay.
• What are the basic rules of pickleball?
  • Serving: The serve must be underhand and diagonal. Only the serving team can score a point.
  • Scoring: Games are typically played to 11 points, win by 2.
  • Two-Bounce Rule: The serving side must let the ball bounce once before returning the serve. The receiving side must also let the ball bounce once before hitting it.
  • Non-Volley Zone (Kitchen): Players cannot volley the ball while standing within the 7-foot non-volley zone.
• What are some key shots in pickleball?
  • Serve: The underhand and drop serve.
  • Return of Serve: Deep returns to put pressure on the opponent.
  • Third Shot Drop: A crucial shot for the serving team to approach the net.
  • Dink: A soft shot used to neutralize the opponent's attack.
  • Lob: A high-arcing shot used to clear the net and send the opponent deep.
  • Volley: Hitting the ball before it bounces on the ground.
  • Smash: A powerful overhead shot used to attack the opponent.
• What are the key differences between defensive and offensive play?
  • Defensive play: Focuses on recovering from aggressive shots and keeping the ball in play.
  • Offensive play: Aims to control the net, dictate the pace of the game, and put pressure on the opponent.
• How can I improve my pickleball skills?
  • Practice regularly: Consistent practice is key to improving your technique and game.
  • Take lessons: A qualified instructor can provide valuable tips and feedback.
  • Play with players of varying skill levels: This will help you challenge yourself and improve your game.
  • Watch experienced players: Observe their technique and learn from their strategies.
  • Focus on fundamentals: Master the basic strokes, including the serve, return, and dink.
• Where can I find pickleball courts to play?
  • Local parks and recreation centers: Many parks and community centers have dedicated pickleball courts.
  • Private clubs: Some clubs offer membership access to their courts.
  • Community centers: Many community centers offer pickleball programs and open play times.

Key Takeaways

Key Takeaway	Description
Essential Equipment	Pickleball paddle, pickleballs, and a net.
Basic Rules	Underhand serve, scoring system, two-bounce rule, non-volley zone.
Key Shots	Serve, return of serve, third shot drop, dink, lob, volley, smash.
Playing Styles	Defensive play focuses on recovering and neutralizing opponents. Offensive play aims to dominate the point.
For More Information	Contact us at 101grouppb@gmail.com