How to Serve in Pickleball? Serve Strategies for Pickleball Beginners

Whether you are a professional at pickleball or a beginner, you know how important good service is. A weaker or inaccurate serve can make you lose your score and create errors. Many players need help to be good at serving or need to learn the rules. Pickleball is an easy game, but it is heavily based on rules. If you follow the rules correctly, it will be easier for you to master the game. 

We have compiled this guide to teach you how to serve in pickleball. This article highlights some golden rules that will help you become the best at serving. On the other hand, we also highlight some mistakes to avoid while serving. Here you go! 

Some Rules to Strengthen Your Pickleball Serve 

If you are playing pickleball, your serve should be stronger and more proper. Most beginners must learn how to serve a pickleball and challenge the opponent. Here are some rules to serve better in pickleball: 

Serve with an underhand 

One of the most important rules while serving the ball is always using an underhand technique. Most people need to avoid hitting the ball from above or sideways, which can weaken the serve. It is always better to hit the ball underhand or backhand.  

This means that you are hitting the ball from below in an arch form which makes the ball bounce better. Your arm should move in an upward arch as it helps serve the opposite side better across the net. 

Ball Touchpoint Below the Waist 

Apart from paying attention to the direction of the service, you must also focus on the ball touchpoint. It would be best not to let the ball bounce higher than your waist, as it can weaken your serve. Most beginners need help hitting the ball at a lower point. You must keep your waist as the reference point and hit the ball below it. It helps in creating a good arch and makes the ball bounce better. 

Keep the Paddle Head Below the Wrist 

Some players hit the ball below the waist using the backhand technique, but still, their serve could be stronger. It could take you a long time to realize what you could be potentially doing wrong. If you keep the paddle head above the highest point of your wrist, it can be challenging to create an upward arch.  

Hence, keeping the paddle head below the wrist is best, as it helps create a nice arch and adds more strength to your serve. You must pay special attention to this detail as it makes a huge difference.

Hit Diagonally Across 

Amongst many rules, you must recognize that you must aim the ball diagonally across the court. If you are playing with double members in one team, this is the golden rule to follow; otherwise, you lose the point. 

Always aim the ball at the right-side player of the opposing team without getting into the volley zone. Before serving, place one leg diagonally behind the other and get into the serving stance. It helps add more force and strength to the ball while maintaining the center of gravity. 

Position Your Foot Correctly 

The position of your foot determines how powerful the server will be. However, when serving the ball, it is important to consider your strategy rather than power. Sometimes, you want the service to weaken, giving the receiver less bounce and time to hit the ball correctly. 

However, it would be best if you remembered that one of your feet should be on the ground before touching the ball with the paddle. On the other hand, keeping your legs in an imaginary diagonal will ensure the center of gravity is maintained, adding more bounce to the ball. 

You Get a Single Chance to Serve 

Most people consider pickleball a form of tennis and think the same rules apply. Unlike tennis, you only get a single chance to serve in pickleball. You only get a second chance to serve once unless the ball shakes due to the wind. 

You only get to serve again if you serve the right way on your first go. The ball either goes to your partner or the opponent team. If you are playing a single-player game, the opposite team gets the ball if you miss the chance. 

What Are the Mistakes to Avoid When Serving? 

Once you know the golden rules of serving, you must try to consider each rule before getting into the game. Apart from knowing the rules, it would help if you also avoided some mistakes when serving pickleball. Here are some mistakes you shouldn’t make: 

• Making foot faults is easy; hence, you must pay attention that one of your feet is on the ground and within the safe boundary when hitting the ball. 
• Your foot cannot touch the baseline or get into the non-volley zone; it is considered a foul immediately. 
• Your serving motion should not be illegal, always use the underhand or backhand technique for serving and hit the ball below the waist for upward arc motion. 
• Ensure the serve is within the boundary, and the ball should bounce in the diagonal direction. 
• One of the biggest mistakes to avoid is not remembering the players’ turn because serving from the wrong player makes you lose the point. 

Here’s how to serve in pickleball:

Conclusion 

Most people need to learn how to serve in pickleball, which prevents them from becoming a professional in the game. There are a few rules that one should always remember when playing pickleball. You must always remember the serving rules because they help alleviate your performance and improve your gameplay. We hope the above tips improve your pickleball serving skills.