Pickleball uses an underhand serve (unlike tennis, which has an overhand serve). The rules of pickleball require the serve to be hit below your belly button with, at the point of contact, (1) your paddle moving in an upward direction; (2) your paddle head in a downward position; and (3) your paddle head below your wrist. After contact, you are free to do whatever you want with your paddle. Also, to note, at least one foot must remain in contact with the ground, and behind the baseline, at the point of contact. You may not step on the baseline or into the court until after you make contact with the pickleball on your serve.

With these basic rules in mind, there are many different options for the serve in pickleball—inside out, top spin, flat, lob, driving, power, etc. Every pickleball player should, at a minimum, have a serve that is incredibly consistent. A basic serve is a simple shot. Think of a serve like an underhand toss or like bowling a bowling ball—take the ball back, take a step or two, and underhand toss the ball or bowl the bowling ball while keeping the wrist firm and stable.

If you are beginner just learning the serve, or if your serve needs a little practice to gain some consistency, try “serving” without your paddle.

1. Hold a pickleball in your paddle hand by your pocket.

2. Stand a step behind the baseline with your feet together.

3. Take a step with your non-paddle-side leg toward the baseline. Remember to compress into your legs. Also, keep your feet and shoulders relatively square to the pickleball net. Try not to over-rotate with your feet or your shoulders, which could cause some inconsistency in the direction of your serve and lead to unnecessary unforced errors.

4. Lift and follow through with your hand up and out in front of your chest. Remember to keep your wrist firm and stable. The motion for the serve is a pendulum swing that comes from the shoulder.

Once you master the “serve” without your paddle, grab your paddle and do the same motion with your paddle. However, there is one extra step now that you are holding your paddle, which is to toss the pickleball prior to making contact with your paddle. When you toss the pickleball, hold the pickleball in your non-paddle hand. Lift the pickleball up just a little bit, rather than simply dropping the pickleball. By lifting the pickleball up before releasing (rather than simply dropping the pickleball), you will give yourself more room and more time to make contact with the pickleball on your serve. Despite this extra little lift, remember the rules on serving in pickleball, which are that you must make contact with the pickleball below your belly button with the paddle head in a downward position and below your wrist.

Key Takeaways:

1. The rules of pickleball require an underhand serve, which must be hit below your belly button with, at the point of contact:

a. Your paddle moving in an upward direction;

b. Your paddle head in a downward position;

c. Your paddle head below your wrist; and

d. At least one foot in contact with the ground behind the baseline (as a reminder, you may not step on the baseline or into the court until after you make contact with the pickleball on your serve).

2. Practice the serve until you have at least one incredibly consistent serve. Not many points are won in pickleball off of an ace serve; however, many opportunities are lost by serves that are hit out of bounds.

3. When tossing the pickleball prior to making contact on your serve, be sure to lift the pickleball up (rather than simply dropping the pickleball).