From Spin Serves to Shoe Laces: Pickleball's Rule Changes You Didn't See Coming

The USA Pickleball Rules Committee annually reviews and updates the sport's rules based on suggestions from players nationwide. For 2023, several significant rule changes have been introduced, including the elimination of the spin serve, modifications to score correction protocols, and adjustments to serve legality and equipment timeouts.

Paragraph 2: The spin serve, popularized by Zane Navratil's chainsaw serve, has been officially discontinued in 2023, ensuring no spin is added during the ball toss. Another change focuses on score corrections. Players now have until the return of serve to correct a score, reverting to the 2021 rule. This change addresses the limited time players had in 2022 to correct scores before the server's ball contact. Additionally, players can now simply ask, "Am I good?" to verify their server position and status, a rule inspired by pro tours to streamline game flow.

Paragraph 3: Referees in 2023 have been granted more discretion regarding serve legality. They can opt for a replay or fault if they're uncertain or sure about an illegal serve, respectively. This change aims to prevent scenarios like the one between Tyson McGuffin and Jay Devilliers, where unlimited replays were possible. Furthermore, to ensure fair play, tournament directors can request players to change apparel if its color closely matches the ball, potentially camouflaging it. Lastly, equipment timeouts have been revised, allowing players to access them without using regular gameplay timeouts and removing the two-minute limit.