What is the kitchen in pickleball?
The kitchen is the 7-foot non-volley zone on each side of the net where players are prohibited from hitting volleys; a ball must bounce in this zone before it can be struck in the air.
In pickleball, the kitchen refers to the non-volley zone, a rectangular area extending 7 feet from the net on both sides of the court. Players standing in the kitchen cannot hit a volley (striking the ball in the air before it bounces). If a ball lands in the kitchen and bounces, players may then step in and hit it after the bounce, but never while airborne from a kitchen position.
The kitchen rule exists to prevent net-rushing dominance and encourage baseline play, keeping rallies longer and more competitive. Both feet must be outside the kitchen line when volleying, and even touching the line with your feet while volleying results in a fault. This rule applies equally to both sides of the net and is fundamental to pickleball strategy.
Understanding kitchen boundaries is essential when playing on pickleball courts. Players must develop footwork to stay behind the kitchen line when executing volleys while moving forward during rallies. Many courts in Kuala Lumpur clearly mark the kitchen zone with colored tape or paint to ensure all players recognize its boundaries.