Pickleball Terms
The ultimate glossary of pickleball terminology players and fans should know about gameplay
A
Ace: A serve that the opponent fails to touch or return, resulting in an immediate point.
Approach Shot: A shot executed while moving from the backcourt towards the non-volley line.
Around the Post (ATP): When a player hits the ball outside the net post and lands it inbounds. This is a legal shot that requires precision and timing.
Attackable Ball: A high ball (aka attackable shot or hamburger) that is considered to be a putaway, allowing a player to hit downward with speed and control.
Attackable Shot: A high ball (aka attackable ball or hamburger) that is considered to be a putaway, allowing a player to hit downward with speed and control.
B
Backhand: A stroke where the paddle is swung across the body with the back of the hand facing forward. Backhand shots can be more challenging and often require wrist control or two-handed grip for better accuracy and power.
Backline: (aka baseline) The back boundary line of the court. A serve must be made behind this line, and balls landing beyond it are considered out.
Bainbridge Island: An island in the state of Washington, United States, where the sport of pickleball was invented at the home of Joel Pritchard.
Banger: A player that hits mostly powerful drive shots.
Banging: A powerful, fast shots rather than strategic soft play. Bangers try to win rallies by overwhelming their opponents with speed and force.
Baseline: (aka backline) The back boundary line of the court. A serve must be made behind this line, and balls landing beyond it are considered out.
Bert: In doubles, a poach shot where a player crosses in front of their partner to execute an erne on their partner’s side of the court.
Body Bag: Intentionally hitting an opponent with the ball to win a point (aka body tag).
Body Tag: Intentionally hitting an opponent with the ball to win a point (aka body bag).
C
Carry: A carry occurs when the ball is not cleanly hit but instead dragged or lifted with the paddle. This is considered a fault in most cases.
Caterpillar: A rare and unpredictable shot where the ball clips the top of the net and literally “crawls” along the top net tape before falling to one side. It is considered a lucky, momentum-shifting play.
Centerline: The line that divides the service courts and must be respected when serving and returning.
Chainsaw Serve: A serve (aka Zane Navratil Serve) was popularized by Zane Navratil that is an aggressive, spin-heavy pickleball serve designed to dictate play immediately. It traditionally involved using the paddle to pre-spin the ball while holding it, although this “chainsaw” method was later banned. Navratil’s current, legal technique relies on extreme topspin, deep placement, and a closed stance to force weak returns.
Court: The rectangular playing area where pickleball is played. Measures 20-foot by 44-foot for both singles and doubles, featuring a net height of 36 inches at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center. It includes a 7-foot non-volley zone on both sides of the net, baselines, sidelines, and a centerline dividing the service boxes.
Cross-Court: A cross-court shot is a ball hit diagonally from one side of the court to the opposite side.
D
Dead Ball: A dead ball occurs when a rally ends due to a fault, out-of-bounds shot, or other rule violation.
Dillball: A dillball is a legal shot that lands in play and follows all the rules of pickleball.
Dingles: A fast-paced fun game played in the kitchen that is often used as a drill or and pre-game warm-up. Also know as dinkles, it is designed to improve cross-court dinking consistency, teamwork, and the ability to transition quickly from controlled play to a live point.
Dink: A soft, controlled shot that lands in the opponent’s kitchen. This shot is used to slow down aggressive play and force a rally based on patience and precision.
Do-Over: Occurs when a point is stopped and replayed due to outside interference (aka replay). The most common scenarios are an errant ball/player entering your court or serving before the receiver is ready.
Double Bounce Rule: (aka two-bounce rule) Both teams must allow the ball to bounce once on each side before volleys are permitted.
Double Hit: Occurs when a player hits the ball twice on a single shot, whether intentionally or unintentionally. This is usually considered a fault.
Drive: A fast, low shot aimed at putting pressure on opponents. It is often used in contrast to soft dinking play.
Drop Serve: A legal serve where the player drops the ball from their hand or paddle from any height and hits it after it bounces on the court.
Drop Shot: A soft shot hit just over the net into the kitchen, forcing opponents to move forward.
E
Eastern Grip: At an angle similar to shaking hands with someone, it is grasping the paddle handle so that the index finger and thumb form a “V” in line with the second bevel on the paddle handle (aka Handshake Grip).
Erne: An advanced shot where a player steps outside the court near the kitchen sideline to volley the ball. This allows for an aggressive attack while avoiding a kitchen fault.
Even Service Court: The right-hand service box from the server’s perspective (aka Even Court). You serve from this side when your team’s score (doubles) or your score (singles) is an even number (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 … ). The serve must travel diagonally into the opponent’s even court.
Every. Pickle. Point. Counts.: A scoring system used in some team format pickleball tournaments where points won in each game are cumulative, with additional points added based on games won.
F
Falafel: A weak or dead shot that has little power and does not travel far.
Fault: Occurs when a player commits a rule violation, resulting in the loss of a rally. Common faults include hitting the ball out of bounds, stepping into the kitchen during a volley, or failing to clear the net.
First Serve: The initial serve of a match or a rally, usually performed by the right-side player in doubles.
Forehand: A stroke in which the player swings the paddle across their body with the palm facing forward. The forehand is typically the stronger and more controlled shot compared to the backhand.
G
Game Point: Occurs when the serving team needs only one more point to reach the winning score—typically 11, 15, or 21—and win the match, provided they are ahead by at least two point.
Golden Pickle: Occurs when a team wins a match without allowing their opponents to score a single point.
Grip: The method of holding a pickleball paddle—such as the Continental, Eastern, or Western styles—or the cushioned material on the handle that determines its circumference and tackiness.
Groundstroke: A shot made after the ball has bounced once on the court, typically hit from the baseline or midcourt.
H
Half-Volley: A quick, low shot where the ball is hit immediately after bouncing, just before it rises.
Hamburger: A high ball (aka attackable ball or attackable shot) that is considered to be a putaway, allowing a player to hit downward with speed and control.
Handshake Grip: At an angle similar to shaking hands with someone, it is grasping the paddle handle so that the index finger and thumb form a “V” in line with the second bevel on the paddle handle (aka Eastern Grip).
Hinder: Any situation where an outside factor, such as a stray ball rolling onto the court, interferes with play. In such cases, the point is usually replayed.
Hit-the-Post: A fault that occurs when a ball in play strikes the net post (including any attached hardware like wheels or cables) before bouncing on the opponent’s court.
I
Inside Out: A deceptive advanced shot where a player hits the ball, usually a forehand, away from their body, curving it to the outside of the court. The technique involves pretending to aim toward the middle (inside) before using wrist action to open the paddle face and direct the ball crosscourt.
J
Joey: Hitting an ATP shot directly back at the opponent that made the ATP shot. It’s named after Joe Valenti, a pickleball pioneer who popularizing it on the professional tour.
K
King of the Court: (aka Queen of the Court) A fast-paced pickleball format designed for, ideally for group sessions or clinics,. Players rotate courts based on winning. Winners move up towards the top court (“King/Queen Court”) and losers move down, often splitting partners to maximize playing with different people and ensure highly competitive matches.
Kitchen: (aka Non-Volley Zone) The 7-foot area on both sides of the net where players cannot volley the ball (hit it out of the air). If you step into the kitchen, you must let the ball bounce before hitting it, them immediately exit.
Kitchen Line: The 2-inch wide line located 7 feet from the net on both sides, marking the boundary of the non-volley zone. Players cannot hit a volley while touching this line or stepping inside the zone, and a serve hitting this line is a fault.
L
Lemon Drop: A shot where the ball hits the top of the net and dribbles down on the opponent’s side.
Left-Handed: Someone who holds their paddle with their left hand, providing a strategic advantage by placing their forehand in the middle of the court for easier, more aggressive attacking.
Let Serve (Obsolete as of 2021): Occurs when a serve hits the net but still landed in the correct service box. Previously, let serves were replayed, but USA Pickleball removed this rule in 2021. So now, if a serve hits the net and lands in, play continues.
Line Call: Determining whether a ball is in or out. In recreational play, players are responsible for making their own line calls honestly.
Lob: A high, arching shot hit deep into the opponent’s court, used to push players back and reset a rally.
M
Match Point: The final point of the last game in a best-of-3 or best-of-5 match.
N
Nasty Nelson: A serve that intentionally hits the receiver’s partner who is standing near the kitchen line before it bounces.
Net: The net separates the two halves of the court and must be cleared by the ball during play. If a serve touches the net and lands in the correct service box, play continues.
No Man’s Land: (aka Transition Zone) The area between the baseline and the kitchen and is a vulnerable area for players, making it harder to control the rally.
Non-Volley Zone: (NVZ; aka kitchen) The 7-foot area on both sides of the net where players cannot volley the ball (hit it out of the air). If you step into the kitchen, you must let the ball bounce before hitting it, them immediately exit.
O
Out-of-the-Air Serve: An out-of-the-air serve (aka volley servie or out-of-the-air serve) is defined as a serve where the paddle strikes the ball before it touches the ground.
Overhead Serve: As of 2024, an overhead serve in pickleball is a legal, high-contact serve allowed under specific rules. It permits hitting the ball at any height, provided the paddle head remains below the wrist at contact, the motion includes a clear upward arc, and the toss is clearly visible.
Overhead Slam: (aka smash) A powerful shot hit downward, often used to finish off a point when the ball is high.
P
Paddle: The piece of equipment used to hit the pickleball ball. Pickleball paddles are a solid surface and are typically made of composite, graphite, or wood. A paddle is smaller than a tennis racket and larger than a ping pong paddle.
Paddle Tap: At the end of a game, players often tap paddles instead of shaking hands as a show of sportsmanship.
Passing Shot: A passing shot is a fast, well-placed shot that goes past an opponent at the net, making it impossible to return.
Pickleball Ball: A lightweight, durable plastic ball with a diameter of 2.87 to 2.97 inches and 26 to 40 evenly spaced, circular perforations. Designed for controlled play, it is similar to a Wiffle ball and comes in two main types: indoor (softer, larger holes) and outdoor (harder, smaller holes).
Pickled: Getting “pickled” means losing a game without scoring a single point (similar to a “bagel” in tennis).
Poach: Poaching occurs when a player moves into their partner’s area to intercept and hit a shot, usually to take advantage of an offensive opportunity.
Pop Up: An accidental, high-floating shot that allows opponents to hit a downward smash, often caused by poor mechanics like improper paddle angle, excessive force, or weak, rushed contact.
Put Away: An aggressive, high-percentage shot designed to immediately end a rally and win the point.
Q
Queen of the Court: Queen of the Court (aka King of the Court) is a fast-paced pickleball format designed for, ideally for group sessions or clinics,. Players rotate courts based on winning. Winners move up towards the top court (“Queen/King Court”) and losers move down, often splitting partners to maximize playing with different people and ensure highly competitive matches.
Questionable Call: A call, usually a line call, made by one team that appears to the other team that it may have been an incorrect call. In a non-refereed game, the team on the side of the net closest to the call determines the final call. In a refereed match, the call can be appealed to the referee.
R
Rally: The continuous exchange of shots between teams until a point is won or a fault is committed.
Replay: Occurs when a point is stopped and replayed due to outside interference (aka do-over). The most common scenarios are an errant ball/player entering your court or serving before the receiver is ready.
Reset: A reset is a controlled defensive shot used to slow down the pace of a rally, bringing play back to a neutral state and allowing a team to regain positioning.
Right-Handed: Someone who holds the paddle with their right hand, often requiring them to use a backhand shot for the middle of the court when playing on the left side, or a forehand when on the right
S
Second Serve: In doubles, the second serve happens when the first server loses a rally, allowing their partner to serve before the other team gets the ball.
Serve: The shot that initiates a rally and must be hit diagonally into the opponent’s service court
Service Courts: The two boxes on each side of the centerline where a serve must land to be considered valid.
Shake and Bake: A doubles’ strategy where the server’s partner moves aggressively to the net after a deep serve, looking to smash the opponent’s weak return.
Sideline: Marks the left and right boundaries of the court. If the ball lands beyond these lines, it is considered out.
Side Out: Occurs when the serving team loses the rally, and the serve goes to the opposing team.
Slice: A stroke that imparts backspin (underspin) on the ball by hitting it with a high-to-low, chopping motion. This technique causes the ball to stay low after bouncing, skid rather than kick up, and move slower through the air, making it effective for defensive resets, return of serves, and keeping dinks unattackable.
Smash: An overhead slam (aka overhead slam) that is a powerful shot hit downward, often used to finish off a point when the ball is high.
Spin: The rotation of the ball as it travels through the air, created by brushing the paddle against the ball at different angles to alter its trajectory and bounce. It is a tactical tool used to force errors, create unpredictable bounces, and increase control over ball speed and height.
Split Step: A quick hop or pause a player takes just before reacting to a shot. This movement improves balance and reaction time.
Stacking: A positioning strategy in doubles where partners switch sides after serving or receiving to maintain a preferred player alignment.
Sweet Spot: The optimal area on a paddle face, typically near the center or slightly above, that delivers maximum power, control, and consistent, stable feel upon impact while minimizing vibrations. Hitting this area ensures optimal energy transfer to the ball, resulting in better accuracy and fewer unforced errors.
Switching: A movement tactic where partners trade court positions during a rally, often to keep a stronger forehand or backhand in play.
T
Third Shot Drop: A strategic soft shot hit after the serve return. It is designed to land in the opponent’s kitchen, allowing the serving team to move forward and establish control at the net.
Traditional Serve: (aka the volley serve or out-of-the-air serve) A serve where the paddle strikes the ball before it touches the ground.
Transition Zone: (aka No Man’s Land) The area between the baseline and the kitchen and is a vulnerable area for players, making it harder to control the rally.
Two-Bounce Rule: (aka double bounce rule) Both teams must allow the ball to bounce once on each side before volleys are permitted.
V
Volley: When you hit the ball before it bounces on your side. Volleys are not allowed while standing inside the kitchen.
Volley Serve: (aka the Traditional Serve or Out-of-the-air Serve) A sserve where the paddle strikes the ball before it touches the ground.
W
Western Grip: (aka Pancake Grip or Frying Pan Grip) A way of holding the paddle where the palm is placed against the back of the handle, effectively rotating the paddle face 90 degrees from the Continental grip. This grip is often used by players looking to generate heavy topspin, though it can make hitting backhands more difficult without a significant adjustment.
Win By Two: If the score is tied at 10-10 (in an 11-point game), the serving team must score 12 to win, meaning it is not considered game point until the score is 11-10 or 12-10.
Win On Serve: A scoring system where a point can only be earned by the team or player that is currently serving.
World Pickleball Day: An international celebration held annually on October 10th, established by the World Pickleball Federation in 2020. The day is dedicated to growing the sport globally.
World Pickleball Federation (WPF): A global governing body established to promote and develop the sport of pickleball worldwide. Its primary missions include supporting national pickleball federations, standardizing international competition, and advocating for the inclusion of pickleball in major multi-sport events, such as the Olympic Games.
Women’s Doubles: A competitive format where two female players compete as a team against another team of two female players.
Women’s Singles: A competitive format where one female player competes against another female player.
Y
You!: A common exclamation used in partner communication in doubles pickleball. The player saying “you!” is telling their partner that they should return the ball over the net, because the player making the exclamation feels their partner is in a better position to do so.
Z
Zane Navratil Serve: A serve (aka Chainsaw Serve) made popular by Zane Navratil. It is an aggressive, spin-heavy pickleball serve designed to dictate play immediately. It traditionally involved using the paddle to pre-spin the ball while holding it, although this “chainsaw” method was later banned. Navratil’s current, legal technique relies on extreme topspin, deep placement, and a closed stance to force weak returns.
Zero-Zero-Start (0-0-Start): The starting score (aka 0-0-2) for nearly all doubles matches. It indicates that the serving team has 0 points, the receiving team has 0 points, and the serving team is on their second server. This rule balances the game by limiting the first team to only one server, reducing their advantage.
Zero-Zero-Two (0-0-2): The starting score (aka 0-0-Start start) called to begin a doubles pickleball game. It indicates that the score is zero-zero, and the serving team only gets one serve rather than the usual two. The “2” signifies that the first server is technically the second server, making it fair for the receiving team.