The Major League Pickleball (MLP) season got underway in Orlando on April 24, but the talk remains stuck around the serve. The latest MLP rulebook says the "drop serve is not currently permitted." It now allows the ball toss for a serve to travel upward, “but only equal to one height of the ball itself.”

It has caused great confusion in the tie between the Texas Ranchers and the Brooklyn Pickleball Team on Thursday.

The latest serving rule states that the dropped shoulder must be followed by a toss no higher than one ball's length, and the paddle head must remain below the wrist during the upward swing.

But in the men's doubles match between the two franchises, Ranchers' Eric Oncins and Christian Alshon were seen flouting the rule by raising their striking arm above the permitted limit. It was the drop serve that came out of the hands of Oncins and Alshon—whether they were aware or not. It left Brooklyn's Riley Newman and Dekel Bar expressing their astonishment.

"Players will be allowed to use the Volley serve at events. The Drop Serve is currently not permitted. Any serve that touches the net and lands in the appropriate service area will be considered a Let and re-served," the rulebook stated.

It also outlined that "the ball release must be visible to the referee and will be re-served if not visible. The release of the ball must be no higher than the top of the shoulder. The ball can travel upward after the release, but only equal to one height of the ball itself. Until the ball is struck, the swing of the paddle to serve the ball must be travelling in an upward motion."

In the match between Oncins-Alshon and Newman-Bar, the release of the ball was much higher than the permitted level, and it was the bone of contention.

"The paddle swing when the ball is served must not be downward or flat (through the ball), it must be upward. The highest point of the paddle head must be clearly below the highest point of the wrist when the paddle strikes the ball.

If the rule is not adhered, the referee will disapprove the ‘point of contact on the body when the serve occurs.’ Service faults are at the referee's discretion and will not be challengable by teams," it stated further.

But in the MLP tie between the Texas Ranchers and the Brooklyn Pickleball Team, the referee did not raise the red flag to the serves, creating further confusion.

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