Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the world, and lately it's been taking off in Europe too. It's easy to learn, social and suitable for all ages. In this guide you'll learn what pickleball actually is, how it works and how to get started yourself.
What is pickleball?
Pickleball is a racket sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis. You play with a lightweight paddle and a plastic ball with holes on a court that's smaller than a tennis court, about the same size as a badminton court. You can play singles, but doubles is by far the most popular.
The small court and the slow plastic ball make the game accessible: most people can already play rallies after fifteen minutes. At the same time there's plenty of tactics and pace at a high level, which keeps it challenging for experienced racket players too.
How does it work, briefly?
The basics are quick to explain:
- You serve underhand and diagonally.
- After the serve the ball has to bounce once on each side before it can be hit out of the air (the two-bounce rule).
- Right next to the net there's a zone, the kitchen, where you're not allowed to hit the ball out of the air.
- You usually play to 11 points, with a margin of at least 2 points.
The full explanation is in the pickleball rules.
