A rare rule came up in the men’s doubles final at the PPA North Carolina Open. Check out the video below.
Why did Tyler Loong commit a fault (resulting in a loss of the rally and a point for his opponents, Matt Wright and Riley Newman)?
A pickleball player may not cross the plane of the pickleball net (or the imaginary extension line of the pickleball net beyond the net posts) until after that player has hit the pickleball. This includes anything that the player is wearing or carrying, such as a pickleball paddle. There is one exception to this rule on an over-and-back pickleball. However, the general rule is that you (or your paddle) may only cross the plane of the pickleball net after you strike the pickleball.
So, Loong breached this rule. He did not make contact with the pickleball. So, he committed a fault when he crossed the plane of the pickleball net.
Also, remember that you may not touch the pickleball net, posts, net system, or the opposing team’s side of the pickleball court. If you do any of these things—touch the net, posts, net system, or opposing side of the court—then you will commit a fault and lose the rally.
For a deeper breakdown on all of the rules of pickleball, check out Pickler’s Ultimate Guide to the Rules of Pickleball.
Have you had an interesting rules issue on the pickleball court? Send it to us at stacie@thepickler.com, so we can share with the rest of the pickleball community in a future newsletter.
