There are two key strategies on the serve. The first is to target your serve to your opponents’ backhands. This is because, in most cases, your opponents’ backhand shots will be weaker than their forehand shots. Targeting your opponents’ backhands causes your opponents to either (1) hit a weaker backhand return of serve; or (2) move and run around your serve, which can open up room on the pickleball court for placing your next shot. However, make sure you mix in a serve or two to your opponents’ forehands to keep them honest. If you are too predictable, your opponents will cheat to anticipate your shot. If you come across an opponent with a strong backhand, then you may need to change this strategy to be a bit more unpredictable and move your serve around on the pickleball court.

The second key strategy is to keep your serve deep. A deep serve pushes your opponents back on their side of the pickleball court, making the return of serve more difficult for them.

When targeting a deep serve to your opponents’ backhands, do not overplay the serve and aim too close to the lines of the pickleball court—whether it be the baseline, the center line or the sidelines. Instead, aim about two to three feet inside of the lines. Remember to mix in both driving serves and lob serves to give your opponents a variety of looks on the pickleball court.

Key Takeaways:

1. When serving:

a. Target your opponents’ backhands;

b. Serve DEEP;

c. Mix in both driving serves and lob serves; and

d. Aim for two to three feet inside the sidelines, baseline, and center line to avoid inadvertently serving the pickleball out of bounds.