By Mark Peifer, USA Pickleball Certified Referee; Past Chairman, USA Pickleball Rules Committee
QUESTION: My opponent ran toward the net very fast to return my short return. He hit the ball but, unable to stop, he continued past the net along the sidelines. I then hit the ball poorly, and it hit him, who was now off the court to my right — on my side of the net. How is that play scored?
ANSWER: You win the rally. Your opponent may hit a volley or a ball that bounces (commonly referred to as a groundstroke or a dink) on their side of the net, and, as long as they hit the ball on their side of the net, their momentum can carry them past the plane of the net. Please see Rule 11.I.
Once they have legally passed the plane of the net and are now on your side of the net, they can stay there as long as they want, providing they aren’t committing a distraction, as defined in Rule 3.A.7. They cannot, however, make a play on the ball from that position. Their whole body must return to their side before hitting a ball in play. But, even though they are there legally, it is not a ‘safe-haven’ from getting hit with a ball, just as it is with any other part of the playing surface.
So, what happens if you hit them with a ball while they are over on your side? It’s a fault on them for getting hit. You hitting the ball ‘poorly’ does not affect the ruling in this scenario. The applicable rule for why it is a fault on them is Rule 7.I.
