How do you serve in pickleball? The serve starts every rally and is one of the first shots you need to learn. Although a pickleball serve may seem simple, there are rules and techniques that distinguish it from serves in tennis or padel, for example.
A good serve doesn't have to be super powerful. For most players, consistency, depth, placement, and variation are much more important. In this guide, we'll go through how to serve in pickleball, the difference between a volley serve and a drop serve, common mistakes, and how to improve your serve.
If you want to understand the serve in its broader context, we also recommend our complete guide to pickleball rules.
How to serve in pickleball?
The serve is hit diagonally over the net and must land in the opponent's diagonal service court. The server stands behind the baseline when hitting the serve.
There are two main ways to serve:
- Volley serve – the ball is hit directly out of the air without first bouncing.
- Drop serve – the ball is dropped to the ground and hit after it bounces.
The two serve types are partially subject to different requirements regarding the stroke motion itself. Therefore, it's good to learn the difference between them instead of thinking of all serves as one and the same technique.
Rules for volley serve in pickleball
For the traditional volley serve, you hit the ball before it bounces. The serve must be executed according to the rules for a correct volley serve, including stroke motion and point of contact.
The serve must also go diagonally over the net and land in the correct service court. The kitchen – the non-volley zone – is not part of the service court.
Since official rules can be updated, we recommend our page on pickleball rules for a comprehensive overview of the rules for serving and the rest of the game.
Where should you stand when serving?
When you serve, you stand behind the baseline. You may not step on or inside the baseline when the ball is hit.
This is a common beginner's mistake. The focus easily shifts entirely to the ball, and the player doesn't notice that their foot has landed on the line.
A simple tip is to start the serve a little behind the baseline instead of right next to it. You lose almost nothing in distance but gain a larger margin for error.
Which court should you serve to?
The serve must be hit diagonally to the opponent's service court.
Which side you serve from depends on the game format, score, and serving order. In singles, the basic principle is:
- Even score: serve from the right side.
- Odd score: serve from the left side.
In doubles, you also need to keep track of the serving order. Read our separate guide on pickleball scoring for a pedagogical walkthrough of how the system works.
What is a drop serve?
In a drop serve, you drop the ball to the ground and hit it after it bounces. This differs from the volley serve, where the ball is hit directly out of the air.
A drop serve can be a good alternative for players who find the traditional volley serve difficult to execute consistently.
The important thing is to truly drop the ball according to the rules and not use the drop to actively throw or propel the ball towards the ground.
Volley serve or drop serve – which is best?
There is no single answer that fits everyone. The best serve is, in practice, the one you can hit legally, safely, and with good control.
The volley serve feels natural for many players and provides good opportunities to develop speed, depth, and variation. The drop serve, on the other hand, can make it easier for some players to find a stable point of contact.
Try both and see which one gives you the best combination of consistency, placement, and accuracy.
What happens after the serve? The two-bounce rule
Once the serve is hit, one of pickleball's most important rules comes into play.
- The receiving team must let the serve bounce before hitting the return.
- The serving team must then let the return bounce before hitting the next shot.
Only after these two bounces have occurred can the teams start playing the ball on the volley.
This rule also affects the tactics behind the serve. The serving team cannot rush forward and volley the next ball; they must be prepared to play the opponent's return after it bounces.
Should you serve hard in pickleball?
One of the most common misconceptions is that a good pickleball serve must be as hard as possible.
Speed can certainly be a weapon, but only as long as you maintain control. A serve that is hit hard but often lands out of the service court costs more than it's worth.
For many players, a deep and well-placed serve is more effective. It can keep the receiver further back on the court and make it more difficult to hit an offensive return.
10 common serving errors in pickleball
The serve is technically relatively easy to practice, but the same mistakes often recur:
- You stand too close to the baseline and risk a foot fault.
- The serve lands in the kitchen or on the kitchen line.
- You serve to the wrong court.
- You try to generate more speed than you can control.
- You hit too short, allowing the receiver to easily advance.
- You use the exact same placement every time.
- You rush through the serve without a clear routine.
- You take your eyes off the ball too early.
- You try to change too many technical details at once.
- You almost never practice the serve separately.
Many of these problems disappear when you prioritize a repeatable motion over maximum power.
How to get a better serve
A good serve is built on your ability to repeat the same basic motion while still controlling speed and placement.
- Create the same routine before each serve.
- Maintain good balance before starting the motion.
- Follow the ball all the way to contact.
- Start with control and gradually increase speed.
- Practice getting the serve deep into the service court.
- Vary placement once basic consistency is achieved.
A good goal is to first build a serve that you feel very confident with. After that, you can start developing more speed, variation, and tactical placement.
Where should you place the serve?
Just getting the serve over the net is the first step. Once you become more confident, you can start using placement tactically.
A deep serve is often useful because it forces the receiver to stay further back. You can also vary the direction and sometimes try to find a player's weaker side.
At the same time, avoid chasing the lines on every serve. A few extra decimeters of safety margin can be significantly more valuable than a perfectly placed serve that too often lands out.
The serve in singles and doubles
The basic technique for the serve itself is largely the same in singles and doubles, but the serving order and scoring differ.
In singles, the system is relatively simple because there is only one player on each side. In doubles, you also need to keep track of players' positions and who is next to serve.
This is one of the reasons why scoring can feel confusing the first few times. Our guide to pickleball scoring explains the system step by step.
How do you practice the serve?
The serve is one of the easiest pickleball shots to practice on your own because you don't need an opponent.
A simple practice session could look like this:
- Hit 20 serves diagonally from the right side.
- Hit 20 serves diagonally from the left side.
- Then try to hit 10 deep serves from each side.
- Place clear target areas and try to hit them.
- Finish with 10 serves where the only goal is to get all of them in.
Feel free to count how many serves you successfully hit. This will give you a simple measure of whether your consistency is actually improving over time.
If you want to develop more aspects of your game, you'll find our guides on pickleball technique and all important pickleball shots.
Frequently asked questions about serving in pickleball
Do you have to serve underhand?
For a traditional volley serve, specific requirements apply to the serve's motion and point of contact. For a drop serve, the ball is dropped and hit after it bounces. See our rules guide for the full explanation.
Can the serve touch the net?
A serve that touches the net can remain in play if it is otherwise correct and lands in the proper service court.
Can the serve land in the kitchen?
No. The serve must pass over the kitchen and land in the diagonal service court. The kitchen line is not considered part of the valid service court for a serve.
Which serve is best for beginners?
The serve you can hit with high consistency is usually best at first. Prioritize control and correct execution before trying to maximize speed.
What is the difference between a volley serve and a drop serve?
In a volley serve, the ball is hit before it bounces. In a drop serve, the ball is dropped to the ground and hit after it bounces.
From a consistent serve to a better pickleball game
The serve is just the beginning of the point. Once you can consistently put the ball in play, the next step is to understand what to do with the balls that follow.
Feel free to delve into our guide to all important pickleball shots, learn more about pickleball tactics, or review our complete beginner's guide.
Equipment to develop your pickleball game
A good serve is primarily developed through practice, but a paddle that suits your level and playing style gives you better conditions to find control and feel in your shots.
If you're looking for a new paddle, you can read our guide to pickleball paddles before choosing a model. You'll also find our guide to pickleball clothing with tips on apparel for training and matches.
Visit SwePickleball's shop to find pickleball paddles, clothing, and accessories for your game.
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