SkyBall™ Rules

Download Official Rules
Introduction

SkyBall™ is an exciting sport that combines elements of tennis and pickleball. These official rules govern all SkyBall™ matches and tournaments. Players are expected to familiarize themselves with these rules to ensure fair and enjoyable gameplay.

Court Dimensions and Equipment
  • Court Size: 44 feet long and 20 feet wide for singles and doubles
  • Net Height: 34 inches at the center, 36 inches at the sidelines
  • Racquets: 21-inch stringed racquets (textured or hexagonal strings are prohibited)
  • Balls: High-density foam balls approved by SkyBall™
Serving Rules
  • Only one serve attempt is allowed per point
  • Serves must be made underhand into the diagonal service box
  • Serves that land in the kitchen are considered out (touching the line is in)
  • No Lets: the serve is live even if it touches the net
  • The returner must allow the serve to bounce before hitting it
Play On Any Pickleball Court
44' × 20'
  • • Serve underhand only
  • • Server can drop or bounce the ball before serving
  • • Serve crosscourt anywhere in bounds
  • • Entire crosscourt half is valid (excluding kitchen)
Scoring System
  • Games are played to 11 points (win by 2)
  • Rally Scoring: A point is scored on every serve, regardless of who served
  • Players alternate serving 2 points each, once from the right side and then once from the left side
  • SkyBall Quickplay matches consist of a single game to 11, while tournament play is best of 3, 5, or 7 games.
Gameplay Regulations
  • After the serve, the receiving side must make at least one groundstroke prior to volleying the ball
  • After the serve, there is no kitchen rule - players may volley from anywhere on the court
  • If a player releases their racquet to make a shot, it counts if the racquet doesn't land on the opponent's side
  • If the ball comes into contact with any part of a player's body during a live point, that player loses the point
  • Players switch sides after every game, and during the final game of a match, they switch sides every 6 points
Doubles Specific Rules
  • One player from each team must remain inside the court boundaries until the ball bounces in court
Faults
  • The ball is hit out of bounds
  • The ball doesn't clear the net
  • The ball bounces twice before being hit
  • A serve lands outside the correct service box
  • A player touches the net or enters the opponent's court during play
  • Player reaches over the net to hit the ball before it comes to their side
  • Foot fault: Server steps on or over the baseline before serving the ball
  • Double hit: The ball is hit twice by the same player in one stroke
  • Carry: The ball is held on the racquet strings during a stroke