Pickleball Jargon: A Glossary of Terms You Need to Know



Ace - A serve that is not returned by the opponent, resulting in a point for the server.
ATP / Around the Post - A shot that curves around the post and lands in the opponent's court, similar to a "banana" shot in tennis.
Backcourt - The area near the baseline of the court, typically where players will stand to return serves or hit groundstrokes.
Backhand - A stroke performed with the paddle on the opposite side of the body to the dominant hand.
Backspin - A shot in which the ball is struck with a downward motion, causing it to spin backwards when it bounces.
"Ball On" - A warning call used to indicate that an errant ball has landed on the court, often while players on that court are unaware.
Baseline - The line at the back of the court that marks the boundary of play.
Center Line or Centerline- The line dividing the two sides of the court.
Close Face - When the top of the paddle face is tilted toward the net.
Crosscourt Shot - A shot hit diagonally across the net to the opponent's side.
Dead Ball - A ball that is not in play, either because it has bounced twice or because a fault has been called.
Dink - A soft shot that is intended to arc over the net and land within the non-volley zone.
Dink Rally - A series of dink shots between opponents, typically used to set up for a more aggressive shot.
Double Bounce Rule - A rule in pickleball that requires each team to let the ball bounce once before volleys are allowed.
Doubles/Double Play - When two players are on each team, with one player on each side of the court.
Drive - A fast and powerful shot hit overhand towards the opponent's side of the court.
Drop Serve - A serve where the player drops the ball (from any height) and serving it after it bounces.
Drop Shot - A soft shot that is intended to land just over the net and close to the opponent's side, making it difficult to return.
Erne - An aggressive shot hit by a player from the sidelines outside the non-volley zone, but the ball is hit inside the kitchen. Both feet need to be planted outside the kitchen for it to be a legal erne. A player may either run around the kitchen or jump over the kitchen to the sideline to hit the pickleball.
Fault - A violation of the rules that results in the loss of the serve or the awarding of a point to the opponent.
Fault Line - The line that marks the end of the Non-Volley Zone and the beginning of the rest of the court.
Forehand - A stroke performed with the paddle on the dominant hand side of the body.
Foot Fault - When a player steps over or on to the Non-Volley Zone line while volleying a ball.
Half Volley - A shot hit immediately after the ball has bounced, usually performed near the baseline.
Kitchen - Another name for the Non-Volley Zone. No volleying is permitted within this seven-foot zone on both sides of the net.
Kitchen Line - The line at the back of the Non-Volley Zone that marks its boundary.
Let - When the ball hits the net on a serve and lands in the correct service court, resulting in a do-over of the serve. Can also generally mean any ball that is replayed.
Live Ball - A ball that is in play and can be returned by the opponent.
Lob or Lob Shot - A high, deep shot intended to go over the opponent and land near the baseline.
Love/Zero - Scoring terms used to indicate that one team has not yet scored any points.
Match Point - The final point needed to win the match.
Mixed Doubles - When a male and female player are partnered together in doubles play.
Net Shot - A shot that barely clears the net and lands very close to it.
Non-Volley Zone - Another name for the Kitchen. No volleying is permitted within this seven-foot zone on both sides of the net.
Open Face - When the top of the paddle face is tilted away from the net.
Overhead Smash - An aggressive shot hit overhead and intended to be unreturnable by the opponent.
Open Play - Non-tournament play, where players rotate partners and opponents.
Out - A shot that lands outside the designated boundaries of the court.
Paddle - The equipment used to hit the pickleball, typically made of wood, composite materials, or graphite.
Pickleball Court - The playing surface. The United States of America Pickleball Association (USAPA) regulation pickleball court size is 20 feet (6.10 m) wide by 44 feet (13.41 m) long, with a net dividing the two sides. The court size is the same for both singles and doubles play.
Pickleball Net - The net that divides the two sides of the court and must be 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center.
Pickled - The term refers to scoring 0 points. When a team scores zero points the whole game, they've been pickled.
Poach - When a player crosses over into his/her partner’s area to play a ball. To hit a ball that is intended for your partner's side of the court.
Point - A scored unit in a game, awarded for winning rallies.
Power Serve - A fast and strong serve that is intended to result in an ace or force the opponent to return a weaker shot.
Rally - An exchange of shots between players. A rally ends with a fault.
Ready Position - The stance players take before returning a serve, with feet shoulder-width apart and paddles in front of their body.
Reset The Ball - A shot intended to slow the pace of play and allow players to regain control of the point.
Return or Return of Serve - The shot made by the receiving team after a serve.
Serve - The act of hitting the ball to start a point. The server's arm must follow an upward arc when the ball is hit. The point of contact between the paddle and the ball must be made below the waist level, and the head of the paddle must not be higher than the highest part of the wrist.
Server - The player who is next to serve the ball to the opposing team.
Serving Team - The team designated to start the first rally in a game and alternate serving throughout the match.
Side-Out - When the serving team fails to win the point, resulting in a loss of serve.
Sideline - The boundary line that runs parallel to the net, marking the left and right sides of play.
Singles/Single Play - When one player plays against another on the court.
Slice or Cut Shot - A shot that creates backspin on the ball by slicing underneath it as it is hit. This results in the ball staying low and bouncing less, making it difficult for the opponent to return.
Smash - A powerful overhead shot usually intended to be unreturnable by the opponent and used to end the point. Also known as an overhead smash or a put-away shot.
Split Step - A quick hop before moving to the ball, helps with reaction time and balance.
Stacking/Staggering - When doubles partners stand one behind the other instead of side by side in order to gain better court coverage.
Sweet Spot - The part of the paddle face that provides the desired reaction and control for shots. Usually found in the center of the paddle.
Third Shot Drop - A soft shot hit to the opponent's side after receiving their serve, typically used to start a dink rally.
Topspin - When the paddle strikes the ball with an upward motion, causing the ball to spin forward. This can make it difficult for the opponent to return.
Two Bounce Rule - A rule in pickleball that requires the first two shots of a point to be allowed to bounce before volleys are allowed.
Underhand Stroke - Striking the ball with an underhanded motion, as most serves in pickleball are performed.
Underhand Serve - A serve where the player swings their arm in an arc below the waist, making contact with the ball below the hip. Only underhand serves are allowed in pickleball.
Unforced Error - A mistake made by a player that results in a loss of point or rally.
Volley - To hit the ball in mid-air before it bounces on the court. Volleys are only allowed outside the Non-Volley Zone or Kitchen.
Warm-Up/Practice Serving - A period of time before a game where players can warm-up and practice their serves.
Windscreen - The material surrounding the court to help block wind and provide privacy for players.
Volley - To hit the ball in the air, without letting it bounce first. Volleys are not permitted within the non-volley zone (or 'Kitchen').
Yips - A term used to describe the feeling of nervousness or tension that can affect one's game. The yips can cause players to miss shots and make mistakes.