Total Pickleball Staff
Moderator
USA Pickleball has announced several rule changes for 2021 including playing out the point on let serves as well as the provisional rule of allowing the "Drop Serve" (excerpts from the rulebook on the drop serve listed below). What are your thoughts on these changes? Will you be using the new Drop Serve method?
- New: **Provisional Rule**
- Drop Serve. In addition to the standard serve sequence described in Rules 4.A.1 to 4.A.7, players may opt to use an alternate “drop serve” method.
- Before bouncing on the ground, the ball shall not be propelled (thrown) downward or tossed or hit upward with the paddle. Failure to drop the ball properly will result in a fault. There is no restriction on where the ball can land on the playing surface after it is dropped (providing 4.A.2 is satisfied) nor how many times within the 10 seconds after the score is called the server may drop the ball.
- If the drop serve is used, the ball may be struck with either a forehand or backhand motion without any other restriction; i.e., the location restrictions of the ball and paddle in Rules 4.A.3, 4.A.4, and 4.A.5 do not apply.