Pickleball / Topic 14
Playing near the net
USA Pickleball / GPF · 2026In short
A returned ball may pass around the outside of a net post and land legally. It must not go under the net or through the gap between net and post. A player must generally wait until the ball has fully crossed before striking it.
The rule
A returned ball may pass around the outside of a net post and land legally. It must not go under the net or through the gap between net and post. A player must generally wait until the ball has fully crossed before striking it.
In practice
Do not touch the net, its supports, the opponent or their court while the ball is live. Follow-through and a ball that bounces back across the net have limited exceptions to crossing the net plane; they do not permit prohibited contact.
Independent explanations and translations, not official federation publications. This guide follows the supplied 2026 USA Pickleball Official Rulebook, Global Pickleball Federation edition. Its standard rules cover singles and doubles; tournament and adaptive sections add specific modifications.
Sources & approach ↗
Sources & approach ↗