SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/pb-hand-below-wrist

The ball hits your paddle hand, below the wrist, while you are holding the paddle. Is it a fault?

No. Your paddle hand counts like the paddle.

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  1. Yes, any touch of the body is a fault
  2. Only in doubles
  3. No, it is legal ✔

Why: If the ball hits you, it is usually a fault. But the hand holding the paddle, below the wrist, counts as part of the paddle, so play goes on.

Huh, didn't know that: A ball hitting your arm above the wrist, your body or your clothes is a fault.

The dad joke
The ball hit my hand. It was a hands-on shot.
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References

Answer: No, it is legal. If the ball hits you, it is usually a fault. But the hand holding the paddle, below the wrist, counts as part of the paddle, so play goes on.

  1. 2026 USA Pickleball Official Rulebook usapickleball.org/docs/rules/USAP-Official-Rulebook.pdf
    except the player’s paddle or the player’s hands below the wrist joint while in contact with the paddle
    Checked 2026-10-12.

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Test yourself in the game

Sports & FitnessHow many times may the ball bounce on your side before you must hit it?Sports & FitnessIn regular scoring, what happens when the receiving team commits a fault?Sports & FitnessWhen must the server announce the score?

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