Pro Pickleball Rule Changes 2025: Professional pickleball player Zane Navratil has proposed nine changes to improve the sport. Drawing from over a decade of experience, he believes these updates would make pickleball fairer, more exciting, and ready for college and Olympic levels.
No More Let Rule
Navratil wants to remove the let rule. He explained that tennis has already dropped it in college matches, and USA Pickleball has done the same. “I don’t even know what the argument for keeping lets in the sport is,” he said, inviting others to share their opinions.
Fair Side Switching
Zane Navratil pointed out that wind often affects match outcomes. He suggested switching sides halfway through games one and two, not just at six points in game three. This change would make matches fairer regardless of weather.
Stopping Cheating
Cheating is a growing issue. Navratil admitted that current technology can’t stop it completely, but suggested tougher rules. He believes that “escalating penalties, fines, and suspensions” would help discourage cheating in pro pickleball.
Fixing Paddle Power
To improve the game, Zane Navratil recommends reducing paddle power and increasing spin. This would bring back longer, more exciting hand battles. “We can also incentivize more speedups by enhancing the spin on the paddles,” he said.
Limit Timeouts
Navratil believes timeouts hurt the flow of the game. He argued that unlike sports with a clock, such as basketball, pickleball should allow momentum to continue. “At the very least, we should only have one timeout per game at the pro level,” he said.
Remove Hinder Rule
The hinder rule often confuses players and referees. Zane Navratil shared that it is enforced differently in many matches. “Nobody knows what the rule is,” he said. He wants players to be allowed to talk during points and fans to be loud for better atmosphere.
Update DreamBreaker Format
Navratil suggested a new twist to Major League Pickleball’s DreamBreaker. His idea, called the Sazzlo Super DreamBreaker, would change the order and timing of players. This format would create more male-vs-female matchups and add excitement.
Drop Serve Only
Zane Navratil wants to replace all serves with drop serves. He said this would remove judgment calls on illegal serves and be easier to enforce. “There is no spin advantage with the drop serve. Zero,” he stated.
Allow Substitutions
Navratil thinks it is strange that teams with six players can’t make substitutions. He believes subs should be allowed, especially during men’s doubles, to improve team dynamics.
News in Brief: Pro Pickleball Rule Changes 2025
Zane Navratil, a top pickleball pro, shared nine rule changes he believes will improve the sport. These include removing the let rule, limiting timeouts, updating DreamBreaker rules, and allowing player substitutions. He also supports using only drop serves and wants stricter rules to prevent cheating and unfair advantages.
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