12.A. Event Categories.
- Men: Singles and Doubles.
- Women: Singles and Doubles.
- Mixed: Doubles.
- Wheelchair: Singles and Doubles.
12.A.1. In events described by gender, only members of that gender shall be allowed to play in that event.
12.A.2. Mixed Doubles. A mixed doubles team shall consist of one male and one female player.
12.A.3. Open Gender and Age. An event that includes players of any gender and age.
12.A.4. Players using wheelchairs may play in any event with either standup partners or wheelchair doubles.
12.B. Tournament Scoring Options.
The recommended tournament scoring option is best two of three games to 11 points, win by two points. Other options include: best three of five games to 11 points, one game to 15 or one game to 21. All formats win by two points. Round robin brackets may also use one game to 11, win by two points, if the bracket has six or more teams.
12.B.1 (Provisional Rule) Rally Scoring Option. The Tournament Director shall have the option to use rally scoring. This includes singles and doubles round-robins, team play and singles double elimination. Also, for doubles, double elimination is not a rally scoring option. For 2025, all USAP Golden Ticket events and the USAP National Championships will use side-out scoring. All standard rules shall apply to rally scoring except as otherwise provided herein and in Rules 4.B.3.a, 4.B.6, 4.B.6.c, 4.B.6.d, 4.B.6.e, 4.F.1, 4.G.1, and 4.J.1.
- 12.B.1.a. Game Scoring Format. Game scoring shall be to 11, 15, or 21 points. Matches may consist of one game, best two of three games, or best three of five games. For inclement weather considerations, the Tournament Director may approve game scoring to 7 points, with an end change at 4 points in a single-game match or in the tiebreaker game of a multiple-game match.
- 12.B.1.b. Point Scoring. A point is scored by the player or team that wins a rally, except as provided for in 12.B.1.c.
- 12.B.1.c. Scoring the Game-Winning Point. The game-winning point can only be scored by the serving player or team. When a player or team is at game point and the opponent serves and loses the rally, it is a side out and no point is awarded.
12.C. Tournament Formats.
There are six tournament formats that may be used. The particular format is typically the choice of the tournament sponsor or the Tournament Director.
12.C.1. Single Elimination with Consolation. The first player/team to score the match-winning point by at least a two-point margin wins. Losers from all rounds go into a consolation bracket playing for the bronze medal/third place and are eliminated after a second loss. The final two players/teams in the winner’s bracket play for the gold/firstplace and silver/second-place medals.
12.C.2. (Pro and Senior Pro Player Brackets) Single Elimination Without Consolation. The first player/team to score the match-winning point by at least a two-point margin wins. The final two players/teams in the winner’s bracket play for the gold/first-place and silver/second-place medals. The determination of the final standings of the remaining players/teams is left to the discretion of tournament officials.
12.C.3. Double Elimination. The first player/team to score the match-winning point by at least a two-point margin wins. A loss will put the loser into the consolation bracket. Players/teams are eliminated after one loss in the consolation bracket. The winner of the consolation bracket will play the winner of the winner’s bracket for the championship. If the winner of the consolation bracket defeats the winner of the winner’s bracket, then a tie-breaker match to 15 points must be played to determine the gold/first-place and silver/second-place medals. The loser of the consolation bracket final will receive the bronze/third-place medal.
12.C.4. Round Robin. All players/teams play each other. Games may use any of the approved tournament scoring options. (See Rule 12.B.) The winner is determined based on the number of matches won. If two or more teams are tied, ties shall be broken in accordance with 12.C.4.a. Through 12.C.4.e. The method that succeeds in breaking the tie will be used to rank all tied teams.
- 12.C.4.a. If a player/team withdraws, retires, or is forfeited from a round robin without a playoff then that player’s/team’s match results will not count toward the standings of that round robin. The match results will count towards a player’s/team’s rating. If a player/team withdraws, retires, or is forfeited from a round robin with a playoff then that player’s/team’s match results will not count toward the standings of that round robin and the player/team will not be eligible to move on to a playoff elimination draw. The match results will count towards a player’s/team’s rating.
- 12.C.4.b. First tie-breaker: head-to-head matches won among the tied teams.
- 12.C.4.c. Second tie-breaker: point differential of all games played. (e.g., Team A won Match 1 11-8, 11-4, so they would have a point differential of +10. Team A then wins the second match 11-9, 2-11, 11-6. For this round, they would have a point differential of -2. This would give them a total for the day of +8.)
- 12.C.4.d. Third tie-breaker: head-to-head point differential.
- 12.C.4.e. Fourth tie-breaker: point differential against next-highest player/team (e.g., if the players/teams are tied for second, use point differentials against the first-place team.)
12.C.5. Pool Play. The participants are divided into two or more player pools. Each pool plays a round robin to determine the qualifiers that put the players into a single-elimination or double-elimination playoff.
12.C.6. Non-Pool Play. The participants are seeded based on the results of the round robin and play either a single or double elimination medal round format of two of three games to 11, one game to 15, or one game to 21. Each format requires a two-point win margin.
12.C.7. Team Play. The participants are designated by roster and play can include gender singles/doubles and mixed doubles. Win-by one is permissible. Teams play can also use side-out scoring or rally scoring for both singles and doubles play.
12.D. Draws and Seeding.
A draw and seeding committee shall be appointed by the Tournament Director to rank the players and teams and set up a fair draw for each event.
12.E. Notice of Matches.
It is the responsibility of each player to check the posted schedules to determine the time and place of each match. If any change is made in the schedule after the initial posting, the Tournament Director or their designated representative shall notify the players of the changes.
12.F. Retirements.
12.F.1. After the initial score has been called to start the match, the only option available for a player/team to discontinue playing the match until completion is Retirement.
12.F.2. During a match, if a player/team cannot immediately continue after the 15-minute medical time-out period has expired, a Retirement will be imposed. (See also Rule 10.B.2.c.)
12.F.3. The player/team must make a Retirement request during the match to either the referee or the opposing player/team.
12.F.4. The player/team who requests a Retirement during a match, or a player/team on which a Forfeit has been imposed, will have all score(s) reported per the guidelines in the Retirement Scoring section (see Rule 12.H.1).
- 12.F.4.a. If applicable, a player/team is still eligible for the next match in the same bracket after choosing a Retirement option for a previous match.
- 12.F.4.b. A player/team may request a Retirement for any upcoming match in the specified bracket.
12.G. Withdrawals.
12.G.1. A player/team may request to be withdrawn from any scheduled bracket(s) that has not been started by tournament operations personnel.
12.G.2. If a player/team has completed any matches, the player/team may request to be withdrawn from all upcoming matches in that bracket. The request must be made prior to the initial score being called to start their next match.
12.G.3. The player/team must make their Withdrawal request to either the Tournament Director, Head Referee, or operations desk personnel.
12.G.4. The withdrawn player/team shall be removed from any future participation in the specified bracket.
12.G.5. The withdrawn player/team shall have all scores reported per the guidelines in the Withdrawal Scoring section. (See Rule 12.I.)
12.H. Forfeits, Ejections, Expulsions, and Retirement Match Scoring Guidelines.
12.H.1. Actual game scores at the time of retirement shall be reported for the player/team that retires. The opponents shall be awarded all points necessary for proper match completion, ensuring a two-point margin. For example, in Game 1 of a two-out-of-three games match, a team with 10 points retires when the score is 10-5.
The final scores will be recorded as:
- “12-10, 11-0”.
Scores for a match forfeit, an ejection or an expulsion shall be reported as:
- Two out-of-three games format: “11-0, 11-0”.
- Three out-of-five format: “11-0, 11-0, 11-0”.
- 15- or 21-point format: “15-0” or “21-0”.
The score for any game forfeit shall be reported as:
- 11-0, 15-0, or 21-0, as appropriate for the game format.
12.H.2. If a player/team elects the Retirement option or a Forfeit has been imposed for the match, (and the Withdrawal option has not been chosen) the player/team may continue to compete in any upcoming matches.
12.H.3. All previous completed match scores, prior to an Ejection, Forfeit or a player Retirement, will be retained.
12.I. Withdrawal Scoring Guidelines for Remaining Matches
12.I.1.
- Two-out-of-three format: “0-0, 0-0”.
- Three-out-of-five format: “0-0, 0-0, 0-0”.
- One Game to 15 format: “0-0”.
- One Game to 21 format: “0-0”.
12.I.2. Scores for all matches completed prior to the withdrawal request will be retained.
12.J. Two-Match Minimum.
In all USA Pickleball-sanctioned tournaments, each entrant shall be entitled to participate in a minimum of two scheduled matches per event entered. Exception: Single Elimination Without Consolation events guarantee only 1 match per event.
12.K. Scheduling Matches.
A player is not permitted to enter multiple events scheduled on the same day with an overlapping time frame.
12.L. Doubles Play.
A doubles team shall consist of two players who meet the classification requirements to participate in a particular division of play.
12.L.1. In an event based upon skill rating, the higher rated player determines the team’s ability level. In an adult event (ages 19 and over) based upon age grouping, the lower age of the team members will determine the team’s age classification. Players may play in a younger division unless prohibited by the rules of the National Senior Games Association.
12.L.2. Juniors (ages 18 and under) may enter any junior event for which they are age qualified. If a junior event is not available or does not receive enough entrants, or at the Tournament Director’s permission, juniors may play as adults in the 19- and-over events.
12.M. Partner Changes.
Partner change may be made prior to the first-round match, with the consent of the Tournament Director, if the change is due to injury, illness, or circumstances beyond the control of the player.
12.M.1. Under no circumstances can a partner change be made after the partners have begun team play.
12.N. Court Changes.
In USA Pickleball-sanctioned tournaments, the Tournament Director or designee may decide on a change of courts after the completion of any tournament game if such a change will accommodate better spectator or playing conditions.
12.O. Mini-Singles.
Mini-singles is played according to the same rules as singles except as otherwise provided herein.
12.O.1. The Court. Mini-singles is played on a standard pickleball court.
- 12.O.1.a. An additional line shall be provided that extends the centerline of the court through each non-volley zone. The color of this line is not required to be the same as the other court lines.
- 12.O.1.b. Only one of the two courts at a player’s end is “in play” during a rally. The court that is in play is determined by the required player position based on their score (i.e., the right [even] or the left [odd] court).
12.O.2. Player Positions.
- 12.O.2.a. Each player’s position is determined by their individual score. This applies at all times, whether the player is serving or receiving.
- 12.O.2.b. When a player’s score is even, the player plays from the right (even) court and that is the court that is in play at that end. When the player’s score is odd, the player plays from the left (odd) court and that is the court that is in play at that end.
12.O.3. Boundary of the In-Play Courts.
- 12.O.3.a. Each player’s shot must land in bounds of the opponent’s court that is in play.
- 12.O.3.b. The baseline and outer sideline determine two of the three boundaries of the in-play court.
- 12.O.3.c. Because only one of the courts at an end is in play during a rally (i.e., either the right [even] court or the left [odd] court), the centerline of the court, including the portion that extends through the non-volley zone, serves as the other sideline of the in-play court. The playing surface on the other side of the centerline, including that portion of the non-volley zone, is out of bounds.
12.P. Error Corrections.
Tournament Operations reserves the ability to make changes in order to rectify any operational errors that results in incorrect scores, players on courts, match results, bracket results, medal results, matches being played, or future matches to be played.