What Happens If a Pickleball Ball Bounces Back Over the Net (Without Being Touched)?

[@paulwhite23]

here is an odd one for you. the ball came over the net and landed on sideline. the back spin kicked back over to the other side, but was outside net post. I was able to step past net post to hit ball. We could not decide if this was a legal hit by me. what is the ruling. Thanks

[@ttb1513]

I think I understand what you are describing. Consider this: an ATP or around-the-post shot is legal. It is when the ball is really wide, enough that you can hit the ball entirely around the vertical end post, perhaps below net height, and the ball lands back inbounds on the opponent’s side of the court. If your opponent hits an ATP, you can try (hard and unlikely) to return it. But you also do not have to let it bounce on your side; you could return their ATP with your own ATP. Your return sounds legal.

[@ttb1513]

Oops. I noticed you never said the ball was hit by your opponent and it was only the backspin that moved the ball back to your side (of the plane of the net) before you hit it, apparently around the post. Consider a simple, separate case: you hit a ball with backspin (or into the wind) and it lands inbounds on your opponent’s side and comes back over to your side and hits the ground, anywhere. This bounce counts as a 2nd bounce, without your opponent making contact before the 2nd bounce. You win the rally. The 2nd bounce didn’t have to be on your side; both the 1st and 2nd bounce could have been on your opponent’s side and your opponent would lose the rally because they let the ball bounce twice before making contact, as is the usual case, but not the only case, for a 2nd bounce. Bottom line: Your opponent must contact the ball after it bounces inbounds on their side, before the ball bounces a 2nd time, either on their side or yours, inbounds or out. So, perhaps the rally was going to end without you even having to hit it again, because of a 2nd bounce. That said, the video makes it clear that you cannot reach past the plane of the net, even around the post and out of bounds, until after you make contact with the ball.

[@paulwalchenbach5730]

Maddie, if my opponent hits a ball with enough backspin that the ball lands in my kitchen and then bounces back over the net, could i hold my paddle under the net, without touching the net, and allow the ball to bounce off my paddle?

[@ttb1513]

Good question. She says 0:50 "receiving player may cross the plane of the net under, over or around the net post". I’m still not sure what that means, specifically about "net post". I have played with a portable net where there is a gap and the bottom of the net, and the bottom net bar or post that runs thru it, is 4-6" above the ground. On these nets, it would be possible to slide your paddle under the net and have the ball bounce off your paddle face, like you describe. But you could only reach your paddle a paddle length under the net without reaching your arm under as well. And I’m not sure whether or not you could slide your paddle underneath and "reach further" by letting go of your paddle. If not, the ball would have to land really really close to the net to reach it. I think I had heard that you must maintain control of your paddle, meaning that you can throw or release your paddle towards the ball to make contact; you have to keep the paddle in your hand. I don’t know if on such a net, the bottom horizontal bar running the width of the court, thru the net, counts as the "net post". Perhaps the net post is only the vertical post on each end of the net. But then u]I don’t know what "underneath" means in that case. Also, I have played on courts that use a tennis net which drapes down solidly to the ground. There is no way to reach under on these nets. Definitely not without touching the net.