All tours follow the same fundamentals outlined in our Pickleball Rules Summary — serve mechanics, NVZ/kitchen, faults, line calls, and other essentials remain consistent.

What Changes on the Pro Tour

Certain pickleball rules apply only to professional play, especially around serves. Below are the key pro pickleball variations, based on guidance from official referees.

1) Service Lets

Pro Play: If a serve clips the tape and still lands in, the serve is replayed (let).

Amateur Play: The returner must play the ball even if it touches the net before landing in.

2) Drop Serves

Pro Play: Drop serves are not used. Only a volley serve (struck out of the air) is permitted to start a point.

Enforcement: If a pro uses a drop serve, the referee stops play and instructs a legal (volley) serve; it is not an automatic fault on that first occurrence.

3) Serving Guidelines Under Evaluation (Pro-Only Tests)

The ball must be released from below the top of the hip.

The ball cannot be tossed upward; it must leave the hand downward (no upward propulsion).

Early test outcomes: These trials led to a noticeable number of service infractions in qualifying rounds. The PPA has continued limited “beta” use at subsequent events with two added provisions:

One warning per player per match on serve legality before subsequent violations are faulted.

Serve challenges: A player may challenge an opponent’s serve legality if the challenge is made before the third shot of the rally. If the challenge is incorrect, the challenger loses the point and a timeout (per standard challenge rules).