Pickleball is quickly becoming one of the most popular sports for people to get a full-body workout. If you’re curious about this game, one question you may have is, “How long does a pickleball game last?“.
Most pickleball games last between 15 and 25 minutes. The only exception to this would be professionals competing in a tournament. That match could last an hour because multiple games will be played in a tournament.
Are you interested to know more about how long a game of pickleball lasts? You’ve come to the right page. Today, we’re going to cover what you should know about the length of time it takes to play a round of pickleball. Keep reading to learn more.
How long does it take to play pickleball?
During a pickleball match, the aim of the game is to score 11 points. The game will stay in play in-play until one team reaches 11. If all players are a similar skill set, it will usually take around 15 minutes to achieve this. However, some games will run longer because more points need to be scored.
If the two teams are evenly matched throughout the game, they both may reach 11 points. This means that the game will need to continue until one team is ahead of the other by at least two points. For example, if Team A and Team B both have 10 points, but Team A scores and brings their points up to 11, the game isn’t over.
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Instead, the finishing results could be 14 points for Team A and 12 points for Team B. What this means is the game is finished when one team with 11 or more points is 2 points ahead of the rival team. If the game goes past 11 points, there is a chance it may take up to 25 minutes to complete.
How many rounds are in a match of pickleball?
If you are playing a match of pickleball, it could last longer than 25 minutes. This is because the official pickleball rules state that a match will consist of 3 games, with the 3rd game only going to 5 points with the winner being at least 2 points ahead. A match of pickleball could take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes.
Read more in-depth here: How to Play Pickleball
Does it take longer to play pickleball as doubles than singles?
When playing a game of pickleball, you can play singles or doubles. Singles mean you are playing against another competitor one-on-one, whereas doubles are when you play with partners as a team. Whether you are playing singles or doubles, the game should take the same amount of time.
The number of players in a game doesn’t have an overall effect on how long it should take to play. You will see a change in time when you are playing with pickleball players of different skill levels. If you were to watch a pickleball match with a player who just learned the rules this week vs. a professional pickleball player, the game would be finished rather quickly.
Read more about professional pickleball players here: Is Pickleball a Professional Sport?
How does a match of pickleball end?
The goal of the game of pickleball is to be the first one to score 11 points. However, in pickleball, the only player (or team if you are playing doubles) that can score is the one serving. This leaves many people thinking that the first team to score will have an advantage. However, this isn’t the case at all.
If each team scores on every serve during the game, the first team to serve will reach 11 points. That doesn’t mean they have won the game, though. The game will continue until one team is at least 2 points ahead of the other. The same rule applies to the third game in a match where the players only need to get 5 points.
Basically, the first team with 11 or more points which is 2 points ahead of the other team will win the game of pickleball. Once they have reached this score, the game will come to an end.
Are pickleball tournaments longer?
Most pickleball tournaments will last from 40 to 60 minutes. These are set up differently than a casual game that you may play with friends at your local gym. A pickleball tournament consists of some of the best professional pickleball players competing to be the pickleball champion.
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In a tournament, teams must complete sets that feature 11 games. For a team to move forward in the tournament, they will need to win 2 out of 3 sets.
While divisions separate a pickleball tournament based on age, gender, skill levels, and other things, it doesn’t change the length of the game. Ultimately, the length will depend on how long it takes the competing players or teams to complete the game. While they are designed to last 40 to 60 minutes, some players finish sooner.
Wonder if pickleball is an Olympic sport. Read about it here: Is Pickleball an Olympic Sport?
Final thoughts- How long does a pickleball game last?
A single game of pickleball typically lasts for 15 to 25 minutes. If the winner of the game gets 11 points without continuing the game, it will take an average of 15 minutes. However, many games go past 11 points if the teams are close in score. This could cause the game to last as long as 25 minutes until there is a winner.
If you decide to play a pickleball match, it will consist of 3 rounds. The first two rounds should take an average of 15 to 25 minutes each. However, the third and final round will only need to go to 5 points to complete this one much quicker. If the players are not at similar skill levels, the time it takes to complete a game could change.
When watching a professional pickleball tournament, you’ll notice the matches go on for much longer. Pickleball tournaments are arranged to last for an average of 40 to 60 minutes.
