Pickleball has come a long way since I first picked up a paddle in 2013. What started as a casual game for older adults has grown into a fast-paced, professional sport. The game is evolving, but there are several changes I believe we need to make in order to continue its growth, especially as it eyes the collegiate and Olympic levels. Some of my ideas are simple, others are more theoretical, but all of them are designed to make pickleball even better.
Let’s assume for a moment that I have the power to snap my fingers and make these changes happen. While there are plenty of practical and administrative issues, let’s focus on the changes I believe would benefit the sport, regardless of the hurdles.
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Let Rule: Gone It’s time to get rid of the let rule. Tennis eliminated it in college, and honestly, pickleball should follow suit in the pro game as well. The let rule adds nothing to pickleball. In fact, it often slows down the pace of the game for no good reason. USAP already removed it, so it seems like a no-brainer to eliminate it from the pro circuit as well. If anyone has a compelling reason to keep it, I’m all ears, but I’m not convinced it serves the sport.
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Side Switching: Let’s Make It Fairer Wind plays a huge role in pickleball. Depending on the conditions, the side you play on can give you a major advantage. At the pro level, teams often choose to start on the "bad" side so they can end the match on the "good" side in case the game goes to a third set. For men’... FULL ARTICLE FOUND ON: https://www.thedinkpickleball.com/10-rule-changes-pro-pickleball-needs-right-now/
