More than 90 suggested rule changes were reviewed this year by the Rules Committee. There were 21 passed on to the board for review and approval or rejection, and all were approved except for one. The changes would generally only impact tournament play.

Here is the list of proposed changes forwarded to the board:

1. Rally scoring for singles and doubles would be at a tournament director’s discretion. [This may be approved as a “Provisional Rule” but it is uncertain at this moment.]

2. Clarification of the definitions of a ball being “live” vs. “in play.”

3. Rule 13.F.3 added to clarify that an appeal can only be made after a rally-ending line call has been made.

4. Single elimination bracket formats could be added to pro brackets in sanctioned tournaments.

5. Rule 11.E may be revised to enable a ref, or the players, to replace a degraded ball after a rally ends but without a replay.

6. If a wrong score has been called, any player could stop play until the return of serve has been made. Stopping play if the correct score was called is, of course, a fault.

7. Players should change ends, even when a required end change was missed, when the error is recognized.

8. A replay should occur when a ball goes over a net and strikes a billowing net that “deflects” the ball. This applies to a ball even if it has bounced.

9. Players in non-officiated matches should be able to ask for the head referee or tournament director if they suspect that a non-approved paddle is being used by an opponent.

10. In a tournament match where game one has been forfeited, no mid-game end change should be required in game three, since there is no actual third game being played.

11. Mini-Singles was approved by the board late in 2022 and it should be listed as an approved format in the Rulebook.

12. Medical time-out rules would make it clear that only a player can call a medical time-out. A referee cannot. The time to transport a player does not deduct from the 15-minute medical time-out break.

13. A player in a non-officiated match can make a “Hinder” call. This is not clear in the current rules.

14. The word “should” in Rule 6.D.9 Out Calls would be replaced by the word “must.”

15. A ball hitting the top of the net post is out of bounds, even if it only strikes the cable on top of the net post.

16. Rule 12.F that defined retirements and withdrawals would change to clarify the difference between them by adding Rule 12.G concerning withdrawals.

17. Calling a time-out immediately after a medical time-out would be permitted.

18. Drop serves would permit dropping the ball from a hand or the paddle face, and it would be clarified that it cannot be propelled in any manner.

19. Under a new rule, 11.Q, coaching would be permitted during a match but not during a rally. This rule change request was rejected by the board of USA Pickleball.

20. In the past, players who disagreed with line judges to their detriment could be granted a replay. Under new recommended rules, they could overturn the ruling of the line judges.

21. Rule 7.L that prohibits a “carry” would have the word “deliberately” removed to make it clear that a carry is a fault.

These are the 2024 rules changes made by the USA Pickleball Board and they are effective Jan. 1, 2024.

A special thank-you to the head of officiating, George McCulley, for his contributions to this article.  •