Definition of Pickleball

Pickleball is a paddle sport that combines tennis, badminton, and table tennis, played on a badminton-sized court with a modified tennis net. Players use solid paddles to hit a perforated plastic ball over the net. Suitable for singles or doubles, it's accessible to all ages and skill levels due to its simple rules emphasizing strategy over power. Since its creation in the mid-1960s in the United States, pickleball's popularity has surged.

By 2023, about 13.6 million Americans played pickleball - a 52% increase from the previous year. This rapid growth has led to competition with tennis players for court time and funding. Notable figures like Andre Agassi, LeBron James, Tom Brady, Heidi Klum, and Eva Longoria have invested in the sport.

In pickleball, only the serving team or player scores points. Games are typically played to 11 points, requiring at least a 2-point margin to win. The serve switches sides after each point: from the right when the server's score is even and from the left when it's odd. After the serve, both teams must let the ball bounce once before volleying. In doubles play, each team gets two serves per turn - one per player - except for the first service sequence, where only one player serves before the serve passes to the opponents.