SUGGESTED USA PICKLEBALL RULE CHANGES FOR 2024

Rule Change Process | Submit A Rule Change

Rule Submission TitleAdd Mini-Singles as Sanctioned Event Category
USAP Board VotePassed
USAP Rules Committee VotePassed with modification
USAP Rules Committee Vote ReasonMini-Singles was approved by the USAP Board as a sanctioned tournament event category in late 2022. It is appropriate to reflect this in the Rulebook. It is not appropriate to cover the details by reference to a website address. Modify the proposal by deleting the proposed URL and including the Mini-Singles Instructions directly in the Rulebook.
Existing Rule #12.A.
Proposed Rule Change (edited)

Add new rule 12.L:

12.L. Mini Singles. Mini Singles is played according to the same rules as Singles except as otherwise provided herein.
12.L.1. The Court: Mini Singles is played on a standard pickleball court.
12.L.1.a. An additional line shall be provided that extends the centerline of the court through each non-volley zone. The color of this line is not required to be the same as the other court lines.
12.L.1.b. Only one of the two courts at a player’s end is “in play” during a rally. The court that is in play is determined by the required player position based on their score (i.e., the right [even] or the left [odd] court).
12.L.2. Player Positions
12.L.2.a. Each player’s position is determined by their individual score. This applies at all times, whether the player is serving or receiving.
12.L.2.b. When a player’s score is even, the player plays from the right (even) court and that is the court that is in play at that end. When the player’s score is odd, the player plays from the left (odd) court and that is the court that is in play at that end.
12.L.3 Boundary of the In-Play Courts
12.L.3.a. Each player’s shot must land in bounds of the opponent’s court that is in play.
12.L.3.b. The baseline and outer sideline determine two of the three boundaries of the in-play court.
12.L.3.c. Because only one of the courts at an end is in play during a rally (i.e., either the right [even] court or the left [odd] court), the centerline of the court, including the portion that extends through the non-volley zone, serves as the other sideline of the in-play court.

Revise existing rule 2.B.5:
Centerline. The line down the center of the court on either side of the net extending from the NVZ to the baseline separating the odd and even service courts. For Mini Singles, the centerline shall also extend through the non-volley zone.

Proposed Rule Change

12.A.Event Categories.
Men: Singles, Mini-Singles, and Doubles
Women: Singles, Mini-Singles, and Doubles
Mixed: Doubles
Wheelchair: Singles, Mini-Singles, and Doubles
12.A.1. In events described by gender, only members of that gender shall be allowed to play in that event.
12.A.2. Mixed doubles – A mixed doubles team shall consist of one male and one female player.
12.A.3. Players using wheelchairs may play in Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles or Mixed Doubles with either standup partners or wheelchair doubles
12.A.4. Instructions for Mini-Singles are at https://usapickleball.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/MiniSingles.pdf

Original Rule Text

12.A.Event Categories.
Men: Singles and Doubles
Women: Singles and Doubles
Mixed: Doubles
Wheelchair: Singles and Doubles
12.A.1. In events described by gender, only members of that gender shall be allowed to play in that event.
12.A.2. Mixed doubles – A mixed doubles team shall consist of one male and one female player.
12.A.3. Players using wheelchairs may play in Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles or Mixed Doubles with either standup partners or wheelchair doubles

Reasoning Behind Suggested Change

Mini-Singles was added as an approved sanctioned tournament event category in late 2022. This step (among others) would allow that to be reflected in the next available Rulebook.

Upload Any Supporting DocumentationMiniSingles.pdf
Rule Book Year2024
Rule Change ID1055
Date CreatedApril 20, 2023
View Comments View Comments