pickleball glossary
What is a Return in Pickleball?
A return in pickleball is the receiver's shot off the serve. The return must let the serve bounce first (per the two-bounce rule). A good return is deep — pushing the serving team back from the net.
Example in a match
The serve lands in your service box. You let it bounce, then drive a deep return back to the baseline.
Pickleball scoring with Volley
Volley scores pickleball with all the standard rules built in. Pick the sport at match setup, name your sides, and tap to score. Volley applies the rules from there — including the ones that involve "Return".
Free on iOS and Android. Multi-sport scoring across 9 sports with proper sport-specific scoring engines, ELO rating tracking, and tournament running.
Frequently asked questions
What is a return in pickleball?
A return in pickleball is the receiver's shot off the serve. The return must let the serve bounce first (per the two-bounce rule). A good return is deep — pushing the serving team back from the net.
Does Volley handle return automatically?
Yes. Volley's pickleball scoring engine handles every standard rule including return. You don't have to track it manually — pick the sport at match setup and Volley applies the rules.
Where can I learn more pickleball terms?
The full Pickleball glossary is at /pickleball-terms-glossary, with 20 of the most common terms explained.