2021 Rules Changes Ref: usapickleball.org
USA Pickleball has issued new rules changes, effective January 25, 2021 (don’t ask!). In total, 125 changes have been made, but nearly all were language clean-up, clarifications, etc. Those that actually affect how we play the game are very few and are discussed below. You can consult the Official 2021 Rulebook or the new “2021 Rules Changes Document” that details all the changes, lists the old and new rules, discusses why the changes were made, and offers various scenarios on the application of the rules. Here goes the few playing changes:
A - Service Lets.
The rules governing service lets have been removed. Service lets are no longer
recognized, and you continue play if the served ball bounces in the proper area of the court after bouncing off the net. If any player - either out of habit or thinking - calls a “Let”, they will be charged with a fault for illegally stopping play. This is to eliminate potential cheating by calling “phantom lets” which may have existed, especially in tournament play.
B - Drop Serve.
You may now utilize an alternate drop serve in addition to the standard serve sequence. It is deemed easier to teach beginners, easier for beginners or nervous types to execute, and easier to officiate. The only caution is that the ball be dropped properly, without propelling or tossing the ball. The ball can be dropped any place on the playing surface, as long as the server is behind the baseline. And the ball can bounce as many times as you wish during the 10-second serving time. Use is optional and you can switch serve types at any time. The standard serve sequence still exists and is subject to the restrictions of requiring an upward arc motion, ball strike must not be above the waist level (navel), and the highest part of the paddle cannot be above the wrist. These restrictions do not apply to the drop serve.
C - Line Calls.
A clarification has been attempted to define “out” balls. Any ball is considered to be “in” unless the player making the call can clearly see, with certainty, space between the line and the ball where it lands. A portion of the ball can be covering a part of the line, but the determining factor is where the specific, minute part of the ball touches the surface.
Submitted by: Mel Kohlberg mel.kohlberg@gmail.com January 3, 2021**