2025 Pickleball Rule Changes and Gear Trends You Need to Know About

2025 rules

As the sport pickleball continues to evolve, so does the amount of gear available to players. Because the only thing better than playing the sport is living the sport!

Here are a few items on Pickeball Rookie’s radar this year:

These new AI paddles from Selkirk and JOOLA are pretty mind-blowing. As someone who’s always working on my third shot drop, having real-time feedback on spin and contact point is a game-changer. Though I have to admit, sometimes I turn off the app and just focus on feel – old habits die hard!

The ultra-light carbon fiber paddles are definitely delivering on their promise. I switched to one recently and noticed way less fatigue during long tournament days. My shoulder used to kill me after those marathon dinking sessions at the kitchen line, but not anymore.

Speaking of gear that actually makes a difference – these new pickleball-specific shoes are legit. After blowing through countless tennis shoes, it’s about time we got footwear made for all the quick starts and stops around the non-volley zone. My knees are thanking me!

Now, about those noise-reducing paddles… As someone who plays at 7 AM at my local rec center, my neighbors probably appreciate this more than I do! But honestly, they play just as well as the regular ones. I was skeptical at first, thinking they might deaden the pop, but they still let you put plenty of pace on the ball.

The new “smart” pickleballs are interesting, though I’m on the fence. Sure, consistent bounce is nice, but part of being a 4.0 player is adapting to conditions, right? Still, for tournament play, I can see the appeal of having more predictable ball behavior.

Those wearable training devices? I tried one during practice sessions. Cool data, but nothing beats good old-fashioned drilling and game experience. Though I did learn I was dropping my paddle tip on deep serves – something my regular partners hadn’t caught.

What I’m really loving is how all this new tech is helping newer players improve faster. The learning curve isn’t as steep when you have instant feedback on what you’re doing right (or wrong). Just remember – no fancy paddle is going to replace good fundamentals and court awareness!

Anything out there that you are psyched about this year?

Now let’s talk about new pickleball rules for 2025.

Let me break down the biggest rule changes hitting the courts in 2025 – and trust me, as a 4.0 player who competes regularly, these are pretty significant tweaks to our game.

First up – and this is huge – we’re all now responsible for calling out balls on our partners! As someone who plays a ton of competitive doubles, I love this change. We’ve all been in those awkward situations where we clearly see our partner’s shot land out, but couldn’t say anything. No more of that dance – if you see it out, call it out. This includes everything from foot faults to net touches. It’s about time, right?

And get this – they’ve finally put a stop to the sideline coaching! No more having your personal cheering section giving you tips between points. As someone who plays in local tournaments, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen matches influenced by well-meaning spectators sharing their “wisdom.” Now it’s just you, your partner, and your own decision-making on the court.

Here’s a practical change I’m loving – you can now verbally call “not ready” for serves. No more putting your hands up hoping someone can read your body language. This one is a bit of a no-brainer.

Now for the serving changes – this is pretty cool. You can now drop the ball off your paddle face for serves! Just remember, no fancy spin moves allowed. I’ve been practicing this at my local rec center, and while I’m sticking with my traditional drop serve for now, it’s nice having options.

Last but definitely interesting – rally scoring is making its way into doubles as a provisional rule. While it won’t be the standard at most tournaments yet, I can see this potentially speeding up recreational play. Though I have to admit, I’m a bit old school and love the traditional scoring system. There’s something about having to earn your serve to score that adds an extra layer of strategy.

Leave a Comment

Cookie Consent with Real Cookie Banner