Pickleball Comes Back Over Net without Being Touched — Who Wins the Rally?
This post has been updated in 2026 according to the USA Pickleball Official Rulebook (2026).
Here’s the Scenario. You Make the Call.
You hit a ball with so much backspin that, upon going over the net, the ball comes back on your side without it ever being touched by your opponents. Who wins the rally?
It tends to spark confusion, laughter and bewilderment about what to do — particularly for those new to the sport of pickleball. You hit a shot with so much backspin that the ball goes over the net, lands in your opponent’s court and then, because of the excessive backspin imparted on the ball — or, perhaps because of the wind — comes back over onto your side of the net without it ever being touched by your opponents. Who wins the rally?
According to the USA Pickleball Official Rulebook, you do! The striking player wins the rally. Your opponents, in this case, must hit the ball before it bounces back on your side. Your opponents can, however, reach across the net and — without touching the net — hit the ball. If they touch the net, however, it would be a fault. Here’s what the official pickleball tournament rulebook has to say about this scenario.
USA Pickleball Official Rulebook
Rule #13.I.2.b
Fault – Ball Not Contacted. When a ball bounces in the court on the receiving player’s end of the net and then returns to the opponent’s end of the net without being hit, it is a fault against a player who fails to hit the ball before it bounces once on the opponent’s end of the net.
Rule #13.I.2
Ball Crosses Back to Opponent’s Side. When a ball bounces in the court on the receiving player’s end of the net and then returns to the opponent’s side of the net without being hit, the receiving player may cross over, under, or around the net to hit the ball, but only after the ball has first crossed back to the opponent’s end of the net.
Related Articles
For more information on Miscellaneous Rules, check out the articles below:
- Ball is Called Out Before it Bounces and Lands In
- Ball Hit Between Net & Net Post
- Ball Hits You
- Ball Ricochets Off the Net Post
- Pickleball Faults
- You Call Ball Out, Partner Calls It In
For information on all of the Pickleball Rules, check out our complete guide.
Final Thoughts
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After hitting a ground stroke close to the net (on my side) , can i follow through over or past the net? And on any shot, can the person striking the ball (on there own side) continue past the net? Or is that a distraction ?
Good questions, Jim. Rule #12.H. addresses the first question: “…A player, or anything the player is wearing or carrying, may not cross the plane of the net (or the extension of the net beyond the posts) except when striking the ball.” Rule #12.J.3. addresses the second question, “The player is also allowed to go around the net post and cross the imaginary extension of the net so long as he or she does not touch the opponent’s court.”
Rule #12.J.4:
If a player hits the ball over the net into the opponent’s court, and then the ball bounces back over the net without being touched by the opponent, the striking player wins the rally.
What if the ball that bounces back over the net goes out of bounds?
Hi Amber, Good question. In this example, it would still be the point of the striking player. Hope that clarifies it for you. See you on the courts!
Thanks for sharing these “Rules” clarifications. I’ve provided your email information to our club members. Hopefully, some are taking advantage of this great forum.
Thank you so much, Sarah, for sharing with your club members. I really appreciate that! See you on the courts!