If you are a pickleball beginner, scoring might be the strangest part of the game. Keep playing and you’ll get used to it quickly. There are a couple simple items to remember:
- Points are only scored by the serving team
- Both players on the serving team will serve before a side out occurs (unless it’s the beginning of the game)
- The server calls out the score before serving the ball
Starting the Game
To start the game, the player on the right side of the court (even side) serves to the diagonally opposite court. The starting server says the score out loud before he/she serves. The typical starting phrases are:
- “Zero, Zero, Two “, or
- “Zero, Zero, Start”
Players on the serving side continue to move from the right to left or left to right each time a point is scored. Once a side out occurs, the receiving team becomes the serving team.
Calling the Score
In recreational play, and tournament play without a referee, the server says the score out loud prior to serving the ball. Forgetting to say the score or saying the wrong score can be called as a fault by the other team.
Once the score has been called, the server has 10-seconds to serve the ball. The score should be called as three numbers. The proper sequence for calling the score is: server’s score, receiver’s score, then, for doubles only, the server number: 1 or 2.
For singles play, there is only one server per side and that server continues to serve until a side out or fault occurs.
Pickleball Scoring Rules
If for some reason the score is incorrectly called, anyone on the court can call for a correction (or challenge). However, if play is stopped before the return of serve is hit, but the score was called correctly, then the player who stopped to challenge the score will have committed a fault and will lose the rally.
With that said, Rule 4.K of the 2020 Official Rulebook for USA Pickleball is a good rule to know on the pickleball courts. Rule 4.K provides:
- If the wrong score is called by the server (or the referee), any player on the pickleball court can stop play, and ask for the correct score to be recalled, before the return of serve is hit.
- If play is stopped before the return of serve is hit, and the score was called incorrectly, then the server (or the referee) will recall the correct score and re-serve the pickleball with no penalty.
- However, if play is stopped before the return of serve is hit, but the score was called correctly, then the player who stopped to challenge the score will have committed a fault and will lose the rally.
- If a player on the pickleball court stops play after the return of serve is hit, then the player who stopped play will have committed a fault and will lose the rally.
For more Pickleball Rules, please click the link.