Pickleball is an exciting sport with many rules. One basic question that most players often ask is, ‘can you carry the ball on your paddle in pickleball?’

The Official Pickleball Rulebook defines "other rules" as a set of commonly misunderstood rules for the sport of pickleball. To be clear, if you break any of these other guidelines, you've made a mistake and will be disqualified from the rally. As a result, it's critical to comprehend each of these misunderstood pickleball regulations, as well as how to avoid breaking them.

So, can you carry the ball on your paddle? The answer is yes. You can carry the ball on your paddle and it is legal to hit the ball while holding the paddle in your hand. If a ball strikes any other area of the body, it is a fault.

Balls can be struck twice, but only by one player in a single-direction, continuous, and an unintended stroke. It is a fault if the ball is struck by a second player, or if the stroke is not in a particular direction, not continuous, and is purposeful.

After studying the rules of pickleball and speaking with many pickleball enthusiasts, we have put together this guide to help you have a better understanding about the incidents considered faults in the game.

Double Hits

Double hits are permitted on the field, but only under particular circumstances. The hit must meet the following criteria to be considered a legitimate double hit:

• By a single player
• A single-direction stroke
• Continuous
• Unintended

If any of the above mentioned requirements are not met, the double hit will be called a fault, and the player who hit the pickleball will be defeated in the rally. You can also go for double hits while serving.

Switching Hands and Two-Handed Shots

On the pickleball court, you can transfer your pickleball paddle from one hand to another at any time. Pickleball can also be played with two hands on the paddle. On the pickleball court, a player can hit a left-handed shot, a two-handed shot and/or right-handed stroke.

Missed Shots

On the pickleball court, a swing-and-miss (assuming a total and complete miss) does not result in a dead ball. Until another error occurs or the pickleball bounces twice, the pickleball will remain in play. If you miss a swing on the pickleball field, try to keep the rally going by taking another swing or urging your partner to take a swing before another fault arises or the pickleball bounces twice.

A swing-and-a-miss must be a thorough and complete miss, to be obvious. If a player lightly nicks or touches the pickleball and it does not return to the opposing side of the pickleball court, a fault will occur as soon as the pickleball lands on that player's side of the pickleball court or hits any permanent object.

Cracked Pickleball

If a pickleball cracks or breaks at the time of a rally, the teams on the field must continue to play until the rally is over. Any player on the pickleball field may request the rally to the arbitrator (or the opposite player) after the rally has concluded and before the next serve to determine if the pickleball is in fact cracked or broken. Upon hearing the appeal:

If there is a referee present and the pickleball is cracked or broken, the referee will evaluate whether the situation influenced the rally's outcome. The rally will be played again with a new pickleball if this is the case. If not, the players will be given a new pickleball by the referee and the rally will stand.

If there is no referee and the pickleball is cracked or broken, the players on either side of the net must be in agreement that the cracked or broken pickleball influenced the rally's outcome. The rally will be played again with a new pickleball if this is the case. The rally will take place even if there is a discrepancy. The rally will stand if the pickleball is not cracked or broken, and the players will continue to play.

One important takeaway from this regulation for a cracked pickleball is to focus on finishing the rally and playing to the best of your abilities if you detect a cracked or broken pickleball. Then decide whether to go to the referee or an opponent pickleball player for help.

Injury on the Pickleball Court during a Rally

If an injury occurs during a rally on the pickleball court, play continues until the rally is completed. To put it another way, play continues until a fault or a dead ball occurs. The game on the court does not come to a halt when a player is hurt.

With that said, it is typical for pickleball players to quickly halt play when a player is injured in recreational play. The point will be replayed by the majority of players.

In Case There's a Problem with the Equipment

Even if a pickleball player loses an item or breaks a paddle, such as a shoe or a hat, the rally continues on the pickleball court unless the incident results in a fault. A defect could be caused by a misplaced object or broken paddle in a number of ways. A defect can occur in a variety of ways, including but not limited to:

If a broken paddle or other lost object lands in the Non-Volley Zone (also known as the Kitchen) and the pickleball does not bounce, a fault could occur - in other words, if the lost item or the broken paddle arrives in the Non-Volley Zone during a volley. There would have been a Non-Volley Zone infraction.

If the damaged paddle or any lost item comes into contact with any part of the net system or the pickleball net itself, or lands on the opposite players' side of the pickleball court, a fault may occur.

The broken paddle or other misplaced item could even cause the opponents to lose focus as they prepare to strike the pickleball, resulting in a fault.

Unless a mistake has occurred on the court, stay focused and continue playing if you encounter a pickleball equipment problem during a point.

The Pickleball Court's Furnishings

If something falls onto your side of the pickleball court, such as your towel, hat, or paddle, it will not be considered a fault unless it enters in the Non-Volley Zone because of hitting a volley. Furthermore, even if the ball struck any such object, there is no dead ball or fault.

Let's imagine you avoided the fault and the rally continues because your lost item dropped on the outside of the Non-Volley Zone, but on your side of the pickleball court. Your opponents, on the other hand, are now returning the pickleball to your side of the court, and the pickleball happens to hit your hat or towel on your side of the court. The pickleball rules state that pickleball must remain in play and the rally must continue.

Remember that if an object lands in the Non-Volley Zone during a volley, it will be considered a fault (a player hits the pickleball in the air and the pickleball does not spring back). This would be a fault in the Non-Volley Zone. There is no blame if the lost object lands in the Non-Volley Zone unless it is due to the result of a volley. In conclusion, in case the pickleball strikes something on your part of the pickleball court, it would not be counted as a fault so continue playing and continue the rally as well!

The Pickleball Plane

Another frequently misunderstood pickleball court regulation is that you may not traverse the imaginary additional line of the pickleball net further than the net posts or the pickleball net's plane until after you have struck the pickleball. Anything you're carrying or wearing, including a pickleball paddle, counts. To put it another way, you or your paddle or any other item you are carrying or wearing must not cross the plane of the pickleball net or the additional imaginary line of the pickleball net further than the nets posts before hitting the pickleball.

If you hit the pickleball before crossing the flat surface of the pickleball net, you've made a mistake and will likely not win the rally. This rule is frequently broken in the context of an Erne attempt. You must remain on your side of the pickleball court before making contact with the pickleball if you attempt an Erne.

You may traverse the plane of the court’s net prior to hitting the ball only if the pickleball strikes back and has sufficient wind or backspin to cause it to go back to the further side of the pickleball field unharmed. In this situation, you can hit the pickleball by crossing the pickleball net or the plane (whether around the net, under the net, or over the net post). However, you must wait until the pickleball has passed the plane of the net to the opposite players' side of the pickleball court before crossing the plane of the net. However, if you do not touch the pickleball, the rally will be won by the opposing team.

Other Paddle Rules for Pickleball

When playing pickleball, you can only use a single pickleball paddle at a time. When you touch the pickleball, you should have your pickleball paddle in your hands. In case you use two pickleball paddles, or if you don't have your pickleball paddle in your hand when you hit the ball, you've made a mistake and will lose the rally.