Spin Serve Banned???
It’s finally happened… the dreaded spin serve, terror of amateurs everywhere, has been banned. The latest ruling from USA Pickleball has banned the use of the one handed pickleball spin serve or snap serve for now.
This new rule about what makes a legal serve has big implications for the sport of pickleball — specifically the serve and return game.
So, what does this mean? Well, the new rule could have a tremendous impact on the way pickleball is played, and it's only one of several new regulations being added to the rulebook. This means the sport is sure to look different in the coming years.
Why Did USA Pickleball Ban the Spin Serve?
According to USA Pickleball, there were five reasons to ban the spin serve. According to the ruling:
- The original intent of a spin serve was to start the game.
- Unfortunately, most players can't execute it well, or return it expertly. It takes a lot of court space for an effective spin serve, which not everyone can afford.
- Only a select few have mastered it, which gives them a great advantage that's particularly difficult for amateurs to overcome.
So what exactly did they change?
The New Spin Serve Rule
The new spin serve rule reads as follows:
The Old Spin Serve Rule
Before September 22, 2022, the spin serve rule read:
Here's What It All Means
This is the most important section:
Pickleball players looking for an edge used to snap their fingers to "toss" the ball up in the air with pre-serve spin. When hit in this fashion the ball will travel with alot of spin. This causes it to bounce left or right with lots of spin. This use to be legal
Mastering this pickleball serve makes it easy to conceal. The fast-spinning ball may cause massive movement. It gives the serving team a big advantage. This is devastating for the defending team. Advanced players have lost games 11-0 without serving because they couldn't return spin serves.
The serving team's lone competitive edge is this serve. USA Pickleball's first reason is that the serve was never supposed to give an advantage. This explains their thought process on banning the spin serve
How Does This Affect a Normal Pickleball Game?
USA Pickleball has shown that the serve is not a weapon by banning the chainsaw serve and now the spin serve.
Serving doesn't mean you can't start the point creatively. If your opponents aren't returning your drops, try them. Serve topspin. You can still impart spin with your paddle.
The rule only applies to finger spin in tournaments or casual games.
What The Spin Serve Ban Means for Recreational Play
This spin serve restriction does more than keep singles and doubles at the same tempo. This serve rule modification also lets more players of different skill levels play together.
One player with a better serve can dominate a tennis or table tennis match. Spin their serve to get missed returns. The powerful server would dominate the contest. They may never lose without even playing a rally.
Advanced pickleball players can control a match with top spin strokes, improved body mechanics, a better short game, a more consistent third shot, and more. However, high- and low-skilled players can play together and have fun. This pickleball rule adjustment improves the game for new players.
Other Rules Changes for 2023
It's not all spin serves. Multiple potential rule changes were up for discussion, and several were passed. Here's a quick rundown:
A New Twist on Wrong Score Calling
If a player said the wrong score before serving, the point would proceed and the score would be corrected afterward.
Here's the new rule:
A Quick Note About Clothing Color in Tournaments
Tournament directors can now make players change their clothes if the color closely matches the ball.
A Few Other Small Rules Changes
There were a handful of other small rules changes and clarifications. Check out the new rules here.
What About ATPs and Ernes?
There's been concern about banning these fun manuevers, such as the erne or the around-the-post shot, or ATP, might also go the way of the dodo via rules changes.
Luckily for us flashy players, a floated rule change to ban ATPs failed. According to USA Pickleball:
No one has even discussed banning the erne yet.
So for now we can continue to be flashy.
In Conclusion
Many players love this new rule change. It increases accessibility for the new players and allows games to actually be played. Let's be honest who really like ending a rally just off the serve, we want to see a tactical battle of an extended rally. So while some may not like it, I’m personally a fan of the new rules.
