New to the sport? Keep reading to learn how does scoring work in pickleball?
Pickleball is exploding in popularity thanks to its infectious fun and budget-friendly equipment (you can pickup a paddle for under $30!). But there’s one area that leaves newbies fumbling like they’re trying to crack open a tightly sealed pickle jar: the numbers in a pickleball score.
Figuring out who owes the post-game bottle of bubbly (or juice box, no judgment) can get messy when scores are a mystery. But fear not, fellow paddlers! This guide is your one-stop shop for mastering how does scoring work in pickleball in both singles and doubles, transforming you into the scoring guru of your friend group.
Table of Contents
Pickleball Singles Scoring (Simple & Straightforward)
Playing singles might seem lonely, but think of yourself as the smart ones. You don’t need to deal with any tantrums from partners, or consult on decisions, you are the captain of the ship. USA Pickleball makes singles scoring clearly for everyone to understand.
Starting Score: Singles makes you the captain of your side of the court, an independent go getter if you will. You also avoid the complexities of doubles scoring. Singles scoring is straight forward and follows a similar approach to tennis. The scores start at 0-0 and the first player serves from the right side of the court diagonally to their opponent.
First Service: When the server loses the rally, the scores remain 0-0 and the next player gets a chance to serve. However, if server one wins the rally, the score changes to 1-0 in their favor. After winning a point, the server must now serve from the left side of the court.
Points On Serve: When the receiver wins a rally, they aren’t awarded a point, but they do earn the right to serve. If the score is 3-1, the new server must serve from the left side of the court, since its an odd number. In singles, the servers score dictates the side that play starts from, not the receiver.
Calling Out Score: The score in pickleball singles is called out in order of the server score and the receiver score (e.g. 2-1). This contrasts doubles where three numbers are called out (e.g. 2-1-2), which means that the serving team is winning by 2 points 1, and the second server is serving.
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Doubles Pickleball Scoring (The Tricky Bit)
Pickleball throws us a brain teaser when the three mysterious numbers are called out in doubles scoring. What do they mean, what is my playing partner saying, have they gone mad? Fear not, it’s easier than figuring out how to defend a Ben Johns drive! Remember, only the serving team can score points, but they get two chances – like a teamwork bonus round!
However, the serving team has two chances to win a point, because each player gets to serve during a point. For example, my partner serves and loses the point, then it is my turn to serve. I keep serving until we lose a point.
First Serving Team: The score is 0-0-1 and the server starts from the right side of the court. Losing the first rally is no biggie, the score just changes to 0-0-2 to announce that the second server is serving. The second service is your shot at redemption, another chance to get your team on the scoreboard.
Court Side: Teams must always start serving from the right side of the court. Win? Move left. Lose? Your partner serves left. The receiving side, on the other hand, stays on one side for the whole game. If you start receiving on the left you stay there. Easy, right?
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Calling The Score: Calling the score is like directing a three act play. The first act called out is the servers score, and the second act is the receivers score. The final act that is called is the servers number signalling who is next to serve.
Starting Score: I know you dream about winning every match, but picture this. The game has just started, and the serving team loses the first rally . The score is called as 0-0-2, because neither team has any points, and the second server is serving. It appears complicated at first, but it won’t be long before you’re calling out scores with the authority of Anna Leigh Waters.
Server Score: Calling the score in doubles is different to other racquet sports, and can take some getting used to. Especially if you haven’t updated your brains software recently. If the score is 4-3-1, it means the serving team has 4 points. That’s the first number you call.
Receiver Score: Using the example of a 4-3-1 score, it means the receiver has 3 points, which is the second number that is called out.
Server Number: The server number is the third digit called out, if the score is 4-3-1, it means that the first server from a team is serving.
How Many Points Do You Need To Win A Round Of Pickleball
If you are wondering how you win a pickleball game, it’s a race to 11 points. However, getting across the finish line isn’t enough, you must beat your opponents with a 2 point buffer. For example, if you are winning 11-10, you must win the next rally to take the match.
Pickleball isn’t a sport for relaxing before you reach the finish line. You have to keep grinding down your opponent, until you secure 11 points.
Conclusion On How Does Scoring Work In Pickleball
Now that you understand how does scoring work in pickleball, its time to put it into practice. Book your court time, grab your paddles, and round up your buddies to show them you keep score in pickleball like a wizard. Who knows, maybe there’s a career for you as a professional pickleball umpire.
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FAQ
What Does 0-0-2 Mean In Pickleball?
0-0-2 in pickleball is called at the start of the game, because only the player on the right gets to serve first. If they lose the serve, they hand over service honors to their opponents. This is done to reduce the advantage a team has when serving first.
How Many Sets Do You Need To Win In Pickleball?
Pickleball matches are decided over the best of 3 sets, meaning you only need to win 2 sets to take the match. A set is won by the team who reaches 11 points first with a 2 point buffer.
How Do You Score Points In Pickleball?
Points are only awarded to the serving team in pickleball. You can win points by acing your opponents or making the ball bounce twice on their side of the court. Points are also awarded for faults, like hitting the ball out of the sidelines or touching the ball without bouncing while standing in the kitchen
How Many Points Do You Need To Win A Round Of Pickleball?
You need 11 points to win a round of pickleball, but you must have a 2 point cushion. If the score is 11-10, you must win the next point to win the round. This makes the final score 12-10 for the round.
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