By Mark Peifer, USA Pickleball Certified Referee; Past Chairman, USA Pickleball Rules Committee
QUESTION: The basis behind Rule 7.B isn’t obvious to me. Rule 7.B addresses the fault that occurs when a ball is hit into the player’s side of the net without crossing over to the opponent’s side. The Note says, “The ball is dead and the fault occurs the moment the ball hits the ground.” Why isn’t the ball dead when it hits the net? In other words, why does the ball have to hit the ground before it’s dead?
ANSWER: Great question. The answer isn’t completely intuitive. The rule is written this way to protect the integrity of the rally and prevent loopholes.
Imagine this scenario:
Team A hits a low, fast shot. The ball strikes the top tape of the net and rolls or spins along the cord. While it’s balanced there, a player from Team B, thinking the rally is already over, touches or shakes the net, causing the ball to drop to the ground on Team A’s side. If the ball were considered dead the moment it touched the net, then Team B’s contact with the net would be irrelevant. That would open the door for players to interfere with the net immediately after a ball touches it, without penalty.
That’s the loophole this rule prevents.
The ball remains live until it touches the ground because, until that moment, several outcomes are still possible:
It might roll over the net and land in.
It could spin back onto the hitter’s side.
Or it could be affected by illegal contact with the net.
By keeping the ball “alive” until it hits the ground, Rule 7.B ensures fair play and aligns with Rule 11.L, which prohibits players from touching the net while the ball is in play.
In short: the ball isn’t dead at net contact because it still has a chance to affect the rally. Declaring it dead only when it hits the ground closes loopholes and keeps the game fair.
