By Henry Vincent, Pickleball LeagueS Vice President
If a team tells their opponent they are defaulting a line and then there’s a rainout on the scheduled date, is it within the rules to field that line on the makeup date?
Yes. Should inclement weather occur at the normal default time of the line being defaulted, regular inclement weather rules apply, and the default does not occur. (2026 ALTA General Pickleball Rules Glossary definition of Default)
Our pickleball courts are being resurfaced, but we are supposed to host an ALTA match this week? What do we do?
The ALTA General Pickleball Rules addresses this issue on page 5, “IV. Dual Meets M. If for any unforeseen circumstance the home team is unable to provide its home courts for any scheduled dual meet, the visiting team has the first option of providing its home courts. The host team is considered the home team. If the visiting team does not elect to provide its home courts, the responsibility reverts to the home team, which must provide courts within the approved ALTA area at the scheduled time. If alternate courts cannot be found, the captains must contact their coordinator.”
Can I switch hands during a point?
According to the USA Pickleball Official Rulebook, 12.B. (page 26), “Paddle Possession. A player must have possession of the paddle when hitting the ball. A player is allowed to hold the paddle with one or both hands. The paddle may be switched from hand to hand at any time.”
I accidentally hit the ball twice. Is it legal?
The simple answer is yes. On page 23 of the USA Pickleball Official Rulebook, it says, “10.D Double Hit. Balls can be hit more than once, but the stroke must be continuous in a single direction by one player.”
But if you keep reading, there are some additional rules: 10.D.1 Fault – Double Hit. When a player hits a ball more than once using a stroke that is not continuous and in a single direction, it is a fault against that player. 10.D.2 Fault – Ball Hit by Two Players. It is a fault if both a player and their partner strike the ball while attempting to return it.
