Pickleball is played with a paddle whose aim is to hit the whiffle ball to the other side of the net within bounds. Like any other racquet sport, the goal is to win a rally to win points and games. The sport can feature intense rallies where the perforated wiffle ball displays a variety of aerodynamics. This can result in both hits and mishits by the player.
A double hit is a shot when the ball makes contact with the paddle twice before being hit. The double hit can be both a legal and an illegal shot depending on the manner in which it is played. This is defined by three criteria – intention, time and motion.
Intention
If the double hit is played intentionally, meaning then the player is hitting a shot with the aim of sending the ball by hook or by crook through double hits, it becomes an illegal shot.
Time
The interval between the two shots has to be quick and masked in cases when the ball contacts the paddle twice. Thus, the shot has to be a continuous one with minimal evident signs of the ball being hit twice.
Motion
The motion of the double hit has to be in a unidirectional manner. If such a motion is not clearly seen by the umpire or referee, then the double hit shot becomes a fault.
An illegal double hit results in the player losing that point. A legal double hit shot means that the rally can continue. The decision of the shot being legal or illegal rests with the on-court umpire.
