From kitchen line chaos to serve rules that make your head spin, Certified Referee Andrea Mayorga has seen it all. Get real answers from a true pro – and never get caught off guard again. For more information, check out the Official Rule Book – USA Pickleball

Q. If I hit a ball toward my opponent’s court but it makes contact with my partner before landing in my opponent’s court is the ball still in play or is it a dead ball once it hits my partner regardless of where it lands afterwards? 
– Jim Wheeler

A. This is a fault, see rule 7.I-A ball in play that is stopped by a player (your partner) before it becomes dead (e.g., catching or stopping the ball in flight before it makes contact with the playing surface), the fault is on the player who stopped the ball (your partner). 

Q. A receiver missed the  ball on a fly. The ball then bounced and she hit it over the net. The ball did not touch either of the receiving players.  Is this a legal shot? – Kathy

A. Legal hit, play continues. However, if this happens close to the NVZ and you hit the ball and either of you contact the NVZ, that is a fault. (2 become 1 rule)

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”!