REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO: USA Pickleball has provisionally recognised the rally scoring system for both singles and certain doubles formats.
USA Pickleball, the governing body of pickleball in America, has provisionally recognised the rally scoring system for both singles and certain doubles formats, marking a significant evolution in the game’s scoring options. This will mark the passing from the era of various scoring systems that are currently in use. The new scoring system will allow tournament directors of USAP-sanctioned tournaments to use Doubles rally scoring for Round-Robin and Team Play. Singles rally scoring can also be used for Double-Elimination play.
This change broadens the implementation of rally scoring, while keeping it optional for most tournaments. Notably, events that do not serve as qualifiers for the USA Pickleball National Championships in November can choose whether to adopt it. However, traditional side-out scoring will continue to be used in all USAP Golden Ticket tournaments and at the National Championships.
Rally Scoring System Explained
Rally Scoring for Singles
In Rally Scoring for singles, unlike in the traditional Side-Out Scoring format, a point is awarded after every rally, regardless of whether it is won by the server or the receiver.
Player positions remain the same as in Traditional Side-Out singles. The server’s position is based on their score:
Serve from the right side when the score is even and serve from the left side when the score is odd.
After each side-out, the new server serves diagonally from the appropriate court side according to their score.
As in traditional scoring, a player must win by a margin of two points, and the game may continue beyond the scheduled game point until that margin is achieved.
However, a key difference in Rally Scoring is that the match-winning point must be won on the server’s own serve. If a player is at game point and their opponent loses the rally while serving, no point is awarded, and play continues.
Rally Scoring Doubles
The approved format for Rally Scoring Doubles allows servers to serve to both opponents and from both sides of the court. In this system, a point is awarded after every rally, regardless of whether it is won by the serving or receiving team. The winning team must win by a two-point margin. The final, match-winning point must be won on the team’s own serve. Each team continues to serve until they lose a rally. When that happens, the opposing team earns a point and the serve. There is no Second Server in this format.
At the start of the game, the team designates a Starting Server, who will serve from the right (even) side when their score is even, and Serve from the left (odd) side when their score is odd – just like in traditional scoring. The game begins at 0-0, and since there’s only one server per team, no Second Server is used.
When the serving team wins a rally, the server and their partner switch sides. The original first server for each team will be in the right-side court when the team’s score is even (0, 2, 4, etc), and Be in the left-side court when the score is odd (1, 3, 5, etc). When the serving team loses a rally, a side out occurs. The opponent earns a point and begins serving. The server will be determined by the new score if the score is even, the starting server will serve. If the score is odd, the non-starting server will serve. All serves after a side out must begin from the right side of the court. The serving team’s players must switch sides after each side out. To win the game, the serving team must win the rally. If the serving team loses a rally while the opponent is at game point, no point is awarded, and play continues.
There is no “freeze” rule. If the serving team fails to win the rally – even when their opponents are at game point – the opponent earns a point. The game continues until one team wins by a two-point margin, even if it extends beyond the scheduled endpoint.
What is New in the Approved System?
USA Pickleball has provisionally approved the use of Rally Scoring for select tournament formats starting in 2025 – a major shift from the traditional Side-Out scoring system that has defined the game for decades.
What is the Key Difference?
In Rally Scoring, a point is awarded after every rally, regardless of which side served. This contrasts with traditional Side-Out scoring, where only the serving team or player can score a point.
What Else is New?
No Second Server in Doubles: Each team now has only one server, simplifying the serve rotation.
Faster Gameplay: Since every rally results in a point, matches move at a quicker pace.
Game-Winning Rule Change: The final, match-winning point must be scored by the serving team, even if the opponents are at game point.
Simplified Serving Logic: Players still serve from the right (even) or left (odd) based on their score, similar to traditional rules.
Still a Two-Point Win: As in the traditional format, players must win by at least two points.
Where Will It Apply?
The use of Rally Scoring is optional in most USAP-sanctioned tournaments, except for Golden Ticket events and the National Championships, where traditional Side-Out scoring will remain mandatory.
