MAJOR CHANGES
SECTION 4 - THE SERVE, SERVICE SEQUENCE, AND SCORING RULES
4.A.5. Volley Serve - This is a section added to effectively eliminate the CHAINSAW serve. It also adds a FOURTH component to the traditional THREE (upward arc, below the waist, and below the wrist) in that the ball may not be bounced. That may seem obvious, but it goes toward being as clear as possible.
The server shall use only one hand to perform the serve. No foreign substances, material, apparatus, or additional body parts shall be applied to the hand or aid the hand that releases the pickleball. The server’s release of the ball must be visible to the referee and the receiver.
The main gist is this:
- A player may only use one hand to apply spin to the ball
- A player may use nothing else to apply spin to the ball
- The release of the ball must be visible to everyone
- The ball may not be bounced (for the volley serve)
4.6.A. Drop Serve - This rule is no longer provisional. No changes were made to the rule.
4.K. Wrong Score Called - Keep playing!!! It is now a FAULT if a player stops play any time after the serve if there is a wrong score called. (It used to be that a player could stop play up to the third shot.)
SECTION 7 - FAULT RULES
7.N. Extra Balls - If you like to carry extra balls in your pockets, it is now a FAULT if an extra ball falls onto the playing surface during play.
SECTION 11 - OTHER RULES
11.P. Players are not allowed earbuds (other than hearing aids).
MINOR CHANGES
SECTION
UNIQUE FEATURES
"Learning" players can become confused as to when they are allowed to be in the NVZ. Some think a player is not allowed to enter the NVZ until the ball bounces. Clarification was added to the NVZ section to help remove confusion.
SECTION 2
2.D.3. (New Rule) - CONSTRUCTION - This new rule gives specific guidance on how a ball is to be constructed.
SECTION 7
7.L. Players are not allowed to carry the ball on their paddle to serve (except a player with one hand - see 4.A.5.)
RULE CHANGES THAT WILL IMPACT TOURNAMENT PLAY
SECTION 3
3.A.45 - Verbal warning rule. Warnings may now be issued for any behavioral violation, not just profanity.
SECTION 4
4.B.8. This rule covers who can ask the referee questions regarding score, correct server, receiver, side. Combined two sections into one.
SECTION 10
10.A.5 - After a time out, referees are now instructed to call the score "when the players are or should be ready" as opposed to immediately after the time out.
10.H.2.a. - Medical time outs called by the referee are no longer charged to the player. If called by the ref., the MTO becomes a freebie.
12.F.6. - Significant change on how score sheets are recorded for retirements (e.g., player hurt and cannot continue). Now the actual scores at the time of retirement are entered.
RULE CHANGES THAT ARE SUBTLE AND/OR FOR CLARIFICATION ONLY
Here I'll just list the rule number. The changes I found in this list did not (in my opinion) affect the meaning or intent of the rule.
4.A.2. (was 4.A.6.)
4.A.3. (was 4.A.7.)
old 4.B.6.f. removed
4.F.
5.B.7.
7.F.
10.A.2.
10.A.5.
11.E.
12.A.3.