How to Serve in Pickleball
Serving in Pickleball is easy once you understand the fundamentals. When playing with beginners it is recommended that the serve is used to begin play rather than to be used as an offensive weapon.
I’ll walk you through all the steps now!
Who serves first?
Pickleball was founded in the Pacific North West on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Thus, the side that points north-west will serve first. The player in the right service area always serves first.
Stance and Position
Stand behind the baseline and in between the centre line and side line. Standing closer to the centre line is best for beginners. If you’re right handed, stand with your left leg slightly forward and vice versa for lefties.
Hitting the Ball
- Hold the ball out with your off-hand at waist level before dropping it
- You must swing with an underhand motion
- Contact with the ball must be made below the waist level of the server (naval level)
- The highest point of the paddle head shall be below the wrist when it strikes the ball
- The server has the option of dropping the ball and hitting it after the bounce. The ball can be dropped from any height, but cannot be thrown, tossed, or otherwise released with any force added to bounce it
- Serve diagonally to the opposite service court
Aiming
Try to land the ball deep into the receivers corner to force a difficult return. Once you strike the ball, follow through to complete a powerful serve. Your paddle should end up by your opposite shoulder/ear.
And that’s it!
Experiment with different paddle grips, stances, positioning, and power until you find the best serve for you. Everyone is different so do what is comfortable.
Pickleball Necessities
The best beginner paddle is our model. It is lightweight, comfortable, and has a big sweet spot for consistent hits.
The best advanced paddle is our model. It has a longer handle and face for ultimate control, as well as additional weight for extra power.