Certified Referee Andrea Mayorga is now answering your trickiest rule questions. With over 6 years of experience, including USAP Nationals and the BallPark Series, Andrea is here to keep you sharp, informed, and ready for anything on the court!

Q. If a player (server) completely misses the ball on their swing and the ball drops to the ground, is it a do-over or missed serve and goes to the second server or side-out?

– Dick Santos

A. 4.E – 10-Second Rule: If the server does not hit the ball on the first release (missed striking the ball), the server can retrieve the ball and start the serve again, as long as the serve is completed within the 10-second count. Official Rule Book – USA Pickleball

Have a technical pickleball question (or a rules mystery that keeps sparking court debates)? Email skye@playtimescheduler.com and your question might be featured in an upcoming edition of “Ask A Ref”!