Professional referee explains NEW 2024 serve rules.

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In this video one of the lead referees for the PPA explains the new serve rule and what the refs will be looking for when they are calling faults. Pickleball might be changing once again, I guess we will just have to wait and see if this rule ends up sticking during the PPA masters tournament this weekend.

[JFox]

If they are gonna be this intense about the rules, they should just standardize the drop serve across the board. How can I, as a 4.0 player in a tournament verify if my opponent is at 60 degrees versus 45 degrees with his/her arm? Or a slight upward movement?

Realistically, the drop serve makes the rules much easier to follow. There’s no reason the serve should be this nuanced, we don’t need to turn pickleball into the NFL and have instant replay to check on the validity of a serve.

Just drop the ball and get the point started.

[errettatv]

I think they are making this aspect of the game way too complicated; the game should be played for beginners and pros. If they are going in the direction where you are adding tedious rules to the serves besides not hitting above your waist/wrist below, you might as well just make a drop serve-only rule. This whole not being able to slightly raise your arm now when dropping the ball, even if you hit it below your waist, is ridiculous, in my opinion.

[donjohnson]

I am all in on the drop serve. The rules for the drop serve are simple and straight forward and can be easily enforced by refs at tournaments.

[jimschaefer]

I like the original rules! 2 pages, now we have 200 page bibles to read like tennis, which went south with rule changes, racquets, balls, short sets .

[jro]

When I started pickleball a year ago I got decent with the drop serve. But once I started playing at different courts (even at the same location), the inconsistencies of the ground + the holes of the ball had too much variances as to where and when you're going to strike it that at times you need to drop twice to get that proper bounce. Serves are sure weapons on the court but I wish they focused more on the important things like having at least line callers. Regardless of the opinion of the pros on having line judges, it's ridiculous that an opponent can make calls that jeopardizes one's effort which is a bigger issue. It's like being on trial where your defense is overruled by the one suing you instead of the judge (a third neutral party) making the ruling. Some pros hate line judges until they face Salome.

[WhiteHorse-eg]

Drop serve. Why aren't they allowed in PPAs as you stated??

[maricelajanssen]

Drop serve only, is the way to go. No restrictions other than the actual “drop”. No complications.

[juliancoleman]

Adding a huge layer of judgement in to the game!!
Must to complicated and will be difficult to implement consistently.

[kpounders]

Paddle/Wrist position does not matter in drop serves according to USA pickleball rule book. You could in theory drop to your knees after dropping the ball and hit an overhead serve if the ball would bounce high enough. In my opinion making all serves a drop serve will end most of the serve disputes

[jah..]

I like the drop serve idea, solves the problem of lifting with the volley serve. Great question is, when playing recreationally and not at the pro level, should everyone be getting mad at the guy that spins it, drop serves or side arms it? Rec play should be for fun, so I say as long as it isn't an obvious overhead tennis serve, let people serve how they like if it remotely represents a serve close to the hip. If you go pro, stick with the pro rules.

[michaelt]

They should keep the drop serve in this tournament. Drop serves were always legal. Maybe allow only drop serves.

[pdigirol]

His hipbones are extraordinarily high!

[sis]

West Coast Florida gets super windy on the courts regardless of changing angle because the wind angle changes so quickly. Lots of droppers switch their server when this happens.

[paulelkins]

IMO, just go to a drop serve only. It's much easier to enforce and still allows a strong server to impact the point to a degree.

[PickleballRevolution]

The drop serve is and has been part of the game and with the current rules, makes the most sense, esp. if players are having issues with the rules of serving. They at least get that if they are being called out for breaking said rules. I've been working on my my drop volley serve and use both actually depending on factors per match.

[tomvu]

A bunch of stupid rules that they enforce only once in while. Maybe the PPA should focus on getting line calls correct instead.

[richardbessette]

Pickleball is already a rule-intensive sport, whether it is with regards to the NVZ faults, the base line foot fault on the serve, the service motion or the line calls. And now they are talking about the no-carry rule and a colour rule for clothes and the paddle. Even in the case of an officiated match, it is difficult for a referee (or even two referees in some cases) to enforce this farrago of rules. A referee would eyes all around his head. And let’s not forget what problems this creates for non-officiated matches, whether for competitive or social play.

One of the aspects of the game that often causes bitter arguments on court, especially at the amateur level (since there are no officials present) is the traditional service rule (or rules).
1. Contacting the ball above the waist (belly button?) : With some people, it is rather difficult to determine where is their waist (let alone their belly button or the top of their hip bone). Also, some people bend down quite far at the waist and knees when serving. So should it be their waist when standing upright, or when they are bending ? Then how can one really tell if they are following the rule ?
2. Contacting the ball with the head of the paddle above the wrist : Again, this rule causes many squabbles as to whether the head of the paddle was above or below the wrist when the ball was contacted. The server is often accused of serving "side-arm", especially when that person attempts to put right or left side spin on the ball. This happens on the forehand serve, but very often on the backhand serve.
3. Contacting the ball while making an upward motion : We used to be told to serve in a manner resembling the motion that is used in throwing a bowling ball. The service motion has evolved and this technique is no longer strictly observed. Even a slight upward motion can be used, which is difficult to determine and can cause disagreement.

Implementing the drop serve as the only serve allowed would resolve the above-mentioned issues, including the finger spin technique.

If professional players are reluctant to adopt this rule, maybe this rule could be imposed at the amateur level where there are no officials present to make a decision. For example, for amateur matches, the rules say that if, on the serve, the ball hits the top of the net and falls in the appropriate service court passed the NVZ line, the serve is considered good and play continues, whereas this rule doesn’t apply to professional matches.

Also, the rule for the drop serve should specify that the ball must be dropped from above the shoulder to make sure that the serve is not imparting downward force on the ball. Many players using this serving technique drop their hand with the ball, but claim that they are not putting downward force on the ball.

[nerothe]

Questions for clarification: What was the issue with you raising the ball right as you served? Was he calling it over the waist or was he calling it a toss? If it's over the hips then just start lower. If he's calling it a toss, then how can it be a toss if you are still holding it? It only matters what the ball does after you let go, correct?

In the clay shooting sport of FITASC, shooters are required to have a line embroidered or marked on their garment because the gun butt stock must remain below that line until after the clay target is thrown. I wonder how long it will be before you have to have a line on your shirt to indicate your waist in pickleball? I'm new to the sport, and have played in no tournaments, but it seems boring to remove all of the variety/fun out of the serve.

[pablogalvz]

A lot of players crouch down quite a bit before releasing the ball then use the upward (and forward) momentum before contacting the ball at the top of their extension. When crouched the arm will be much higher than 45 degrees… even close to horizontal. Then, as you stand up during the swing the ball contact will be at or below the hip level. I understand that 45 degree analogy if you start standing erect.

[bruce]

I can see this in officiated game, but not in rec games. I played a guy who was side arming his serve, and told him that his serve was illegal, and he denied what i said and said that his serve was totally legal. The next few times he served more underhand and his serve was so much slower.