Can you hit the ball out of the air in pickleball?

Yes, you can volley (hit out of the air) anywhere on the court except inside the non-volley zone (kitchen). You cannot step into the kitchen to volley — the ball must bounce first if you're in that area.

What is the double bounce rule?

After the serve, the receiving team must let the ball bounce once before returning it, and then the serving team must also let the return bounce before hitting it. After these two bounces, either team can volley or play off the bounce.

Pickleball Rules Every Beginner Should Know

Pickleball is easy to pick up, but knowing the rules before you play saves everyone on the court a lot of confusion. Here are the essentials.

The Court

A pickleball court is 20 feet wide and 44 feet long — the same size as a doubles badminton court. The net sits at 36 inches on the sides and 34 inches in the center.

The most important area is the non-volley zone (NVZ), commonly called “the kitchen.” It extends 7 feet from the net on each side.

Serving

Serves must be made underhand with the paddle contacting the ball below your waist.
The serve is hit diagonally cross-court and must clear the kitchen (including the kitchen line).
Only one serve attempt is allowed (no let serves — if it hits the net and goes in, play continues).
The server must keep both feet behind the baseline when serving.

Scoring

Only the serving team can score points.
Games are typically played to 11 points, win by 2.
In doubles, each player on a team gets to serve before the serve passes to the other team (except at the start of the game, where only one player serves).

The Double Bounce Rule

This is the rule that trips up most beginners:

The serving team hits the serve.
The receiving team must let it bounce before returning.
The serving team must let the return bounce before hitting their third shot.
After both bounces have occurred, either team can volley or play off the bounce.

The Kitchen Rule

You cannot volley the ball while standing in the kitchen. Your momentum cannot carry you into the kitchen after a volley either. You CAN step into the kitchen to play a ball that has bounced.

This rule is what makes pickleball unique — it prevents players from camping at the net and smashing every ball.

Common Faults

A fault occurs (and the rally ends) when:

The ball is hit out of bounds
The ball doesn’t clear the net
A volley is hit from inside the kitchen
The serve lands in the kitchen or out of the correct service area

Now grab a paddle and get out there. The best way to learn the rules is to play!