What 0-0-2 means
What does 0-0-2 mean in pickleball?
It is the opening call of a doubles game. The first number is the serving team's score, the second is the receiving team's score, and the third is the server number. So 0-0-2 means nobody has scored and the serving team is on its second server.
The obvious question is why the first team starts on server two. It is a fairness correction. Normally each side gets two servers before the ball crosses over, so the team that serves first in a game would get an extra turn of service before the other side ever touched it. Starting them on server two removes that advantage: they get one fault, not two, before the side out.
After that opening turn everything is normal. The receiving team takes over with both of its servers, and from then on each side gets two servers per turn for the rest of the game.
Rally scoring games do not use the third number at all, because the serve does not gate the score. If your league plays rally scoring, the call is just two numbers.
Where it applies
Related: Pickleball scoring · The freeze rule
This rule is a switch when you set up a game, so the scoreboard applies it for you. All scoring rules →