Best Pickleball Serves To Master (Beginner To Pro)

Explore the best pickleball serves for all levels of players and their results, plus see the tips to improve pickleball.

Pickleball was born out of the fusion of squash, badminton, tennis, and ping pong and is one of the fastest-growing games in America. Playing pickleball seems simple, but believe me, it may take years to learn pickleball strategies. Being a trainer, I can understand how hard it is to learn the complex techniques at the beginning of your pickleball career.

A beginner cannot learn advanced pickleball techniques without proper guidance. One should understand the importance of fast and slow serve, high and soft serve, short angled and sidespin serve. Come with me to see how you can play all these and other serves, build an influence on your opponent, and win the game effortlessly.

Best Pickleball Serves

Playing pickleball is not as easy as it seems; an individual needs to learn all the basics of pickleball, especially its serves. A serve is the initial part of the game; if you are unable to properly serve, then you will be cannot defeat your opponent. The majority of the people try to win the game with the help of fast-paced serves, quick high serves, and strong hit serves, but nothing can happen until you know the basics.

Additionally, you cannot learn advanced-level serves if you are a beginner because you need endless practice to perform slice or ATP serve. However, if you go forward step by step, you can effortlessly learn all beginner to intermediate and advanced level serves. I have described them in a sequence, so follow instructions and then move forward to learn other servers because each has a different difficulty level.

Beginner Level Serves

1. Underhand Serve

Underhand serve is not only used in pickleball but also in badminton and tennis. It is one of the most important services for the beginners. If you have started playing pickleball, you should learn how to use the underhand serve. It is the simplest and easiest to perform, and you need 2 to 3 days of practice to master it.

How To Do It?

You need to stand feet apart and hold the paddle comfortably tight. Do not exert extra effort on the grip, and now begin a short tossing motion underhand, then keep the paddle facing the ball while you toss it. Slowly release the ball and slightly touch the paddle with it so the ball reaches the other side of the net; you need to aim diagonally at the service zone of the opponent.

2. Short Serve

Another technique that can make you a winner at the beginning of the game is the short serve, one of the most used serves in pickleball. In this serve, an individual aims to land the ball in the service zone near the net on the opponent’s side. A short serve is hard for the opponent to return; he needs extra effort by bending down and hitting the pickleball ball with quick movement.

How To Do It?

It is similar to the underhand serve; you need to stand feet apart and begin with underhand tossing. In short serve, we slightly swing the ball and aim to land it near the net of the opponent’s side. Release the ball and slightly hit it with minimum effort so that it reaches next to the opponent’s net in the service zone.

• Result: The ball quickly bounced on the floor and reached the opponent’s service zone. Because it is near the net, he needs to bend down and hit the ball quickly, but returning the short serve is challenging, so there are very few chances the opponent may hit the ball.

3. Deep Serve

The majority of the beginners know the above two servers, but they are unfamiliar with the deep serve. In pickleball, a deep serve is a technique to take the ball near the baseline of the opponent’s court so he cannot hit the ball effectively. Deep serve is very simple to use in the beginning, and during the game, one needs 3 to 4 days to master deep serve.

How To Do It?

Hold your paddle comfortably and begin with the underhand toss, but excerpt slightly more power with an extra swing to hit the ball. When you hit the ball, it will go near the baseline of the opponent’s area. Aim diagonally because the purpose is to take the ball to the end of the court, so the opponent requires time to hit it.

• Result: Hitting the ball with slightly more force will take it to the end of the court, forcing your opponent to go behind and return it. It will give you time to settle and decide on the next serve. In my opinion, the next serve should be short.

Intermediate Level Serves

1. Short Slice Serve

It is time to reveal my favorite serve in pickleball. I have used it in almost all matches, and it has always worked for me. Similar to the short serve, underhand tossing the ball and hitting it with slice motion while exerting minimum effort. The difference between short slice serve and short serve is that in this one, you slightly slice the ball so it spins and lands in the service area near the net of the opponent, you need to practice a week to learn the short slice technique.

How To Do It?

Stand with feet apart and begin with underhand tossing. Now, hit the ball with slice spin, exerting minimum effort so that it lands in your opponent’s service zone. To slice spin, brush across the back and side of the ball slightly instead of hitting it straight.

• Result: The slicing hit can spin the ball slightly in the opposite direction you brushed the ball while serving. It is complex to understand the ball’s direction; therefore, your opponent will be unable to pick the spot to return it.

2. Deep Topspin Serve

Remember the deep serve in the beginner-level serves section, where I explained how you can hit the ball in a way that is challenging to return for the opponent when it reaches the deep area of the opponent’s side. The difference between the deep serve and the deep topspin serve is that you need to brush the back and side of the ball in a way that it reaches the baseline of the opponent but moves in a specific, left or right direction.

How To Do It?

Bent down your knees slightly while underhand tossing, and now hit the ball, exerting slightly more power. You need to brush up the ball and hit it upward while tossing it. In this way, the ball can kick up after bouncing on the floor when you brush up its back and side.

• Result: The ball will be unable to play for your opponent if you take the ball to the bottom of his baseline area. If your opponent effectively returns the ball, hit it back with maximum power in his opposite direction.

3. Disguised Serve

Another intermediate serve that can make you a winner is the disguised serve, one of the most difficult serves in pickleball to return. In this serve, an individual hits a ball in a tricky way. Simply put, you need to trick your opponent by showing him that you are hitting on the left, but in actuality, you hit on the right; anyhow, one needs 2 to 3 weeks of practice to learn disguise serve.

How To Do It?

Because we are hiding our intention to spin, kick up, or powerfully hit, we start with a very casual opening. An underhand tossing is the best way to start the disguise serve. Hold your paddle comfortably so you can make changes in the last moment of your serve, toss the ball, slowly move your paddle, and change the direction or brush type at the very end. As a result, your opponent cannot see quick changes.

• Result: It can trick your opponent and create an ambiguous condition for him. He requires a few moments to understand the ball’s direction and swing type because he requires more time, so he will be unable to return the ball.

Advanced Level Pickleball Serves

1. Sidearm Serve

Sidearm service is one of the most difficult to perform due to its complex nature, and one needs to practice for more than a month to learn it. The purpose of the sidearm serve is to make it hard for your opponent to pick the direction and speed of the ball. The sidearm serve is challenging to anticipate, and once a pickleball player masters it, he can effortlessly win any match.

How To Do It?

Stand in a position where your feet are apart, facing the net, then grip the paddle comfortably tight. Now, hold the ball in your second hand and lower its height to your writs in the direction of the paddle’s face. Instead of an underhand tossing, you need to swing the arm like you are tossing the stones on the water, so hit the paddle with the ball at the wrist height using your sidearm.

• Result: Sidearm serve is not only challenging to perform but also difficult to return due to its direction and speed. There can be different types of angles based on your style, and each one requires mastery to perform on the court.

2. Heavy Slice Serve

Another serve that can declare you a champion of the pickleball is the heavy slice serve. It is challenging to perform, but once you learn how to hit the ball with heavy brushing, you can conveniently influence your opponent and impress your game partner. The purpose of a heavy slice spin is to quickly kick the ball in a specific direction so that the opponent cannot pick the angle of the ball.

How To Do It?

Stand your feet apart and bend down your knees, then load energy from your legs. Now, toss the ball casually and hit it with power; brush the ball’s side so it can spin after bouncing back to the ground. The ball’s direction and angle are unpredictable for the opponent.

• Result: Because you hit the ball with power and give it a heavy brush, it goes sideways, and your opponent cannot anticipate the ball’s direction. In case your opponent returns the ball, you should again give it a heavy slice hit in his opposite direction.

3. Serve and Volley

If you are an aggressive player and like to perform a deceptive serve, you can use serve and volley. It is a type of serve in which you can trick the opponent if you can react quicker than the opponent. The purpose is to disguise the position and direction while serving the ball.

How To Do It?

Start with the casual serve you perform at the beginning of your match, you can perform an underhand tossing or writs level tossing. Hit the ball with power to take the ball to the target spot, so your opponent can effortlessly return the ball.

While you serve the ball, go near the net of your side and be ready to hit the ball again, as your opponent returns your serve, hit it up in the air, and it directly lands on the baseline of your opponent’s court before your opponent is ready to react. As a result, your opponent will miss the ball, and you will get a point.

• Result: When you serve and then quickly react to the return of your serve up in the air, it confuses the opponent, and while he anticipates the ball’s position, it lands and passes the baseline.

Which Is The Best Serve In Pickleball?

In my opinion, pickleball has no best serve. It is about the skills of a player rather than the type of serve. If he effortlessly plays all kinds of shots, he can influence the opponent and win the game within a few minutes.

When it comes to the best pickleball serve, you need to polish your skills rather than pick up a new pickleball serve. The majority of people are searching for a new kind of technique; instead, they should focus on a single serve, learn it properly, and use it during the match. Pickleball is a simple game if you give it time, but if you try to learn everything overnight, you will find it the most difficult sport on the planet.

People frequently ask me the best serve they should learn to trick the opponent but neglect the fact that learning a serve is not enough until you know the basics of it. Once you understand the basics of pickleball’s initial serve, you can conveniently play the game, whether you are a beginner or an advanced pickleball player.

There is a list of the serves for beginners, intermediate, and advanced players, but none of them work if you do not practice enough. If you just started playing pickleball a few weeks ago and think that you can master the game in a short period, then you should discard the myth of perfection overnight. Go with the sequence I have mentioned above.

First, learn a proper way to perform an underhand serve, then practice the short serve and start performing a deep serve from time to time. Once you think you have passed through the beginner level and have learned all the serves efficiently, then learn slicing and disguise serving. Spot your mistakes and the gaps, and acquire advanced-level skills, such as learning heavy slice and volley serve.

Tips To Improve Pickleball Serve

1. Timing

The most important factor in the game is the timing. If you can assess the ball’s speed, direction, and angle but cannot hit it at the perfect moment, you cannot become a champion. Therefore, you should master timing first instead of focusing on the other skills.

2. Focus

Do not lose focus, and always keep an eye on the opponent’s hands. Focus on the ball’s duration and try to assess the opponent’s pattern. Each pickleball player has a pattern to play, and if we assess their patterns, we can defeat all kinds of players.

3. Relaxation

Hyperactivity like jumping again and again, running fast, and hitting the ball with full force will never work. An individual should be relaxed while playing and not waste energy on jumps or useless physical activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where Can You Stand When Serving In Pickleball?

A server should stand behind the baseline. Stand in between the sideline and the centerline of the court.

Can Pickleball Serve Land In The Kitchen?

No, pickleball serves cannot land in the kitchen area.

Can Any Player Return A Serve In Pickleball?

The individual should return the serve in the receiving court, whether he is a left one or a right player.

Final Thoughts

Pickleball is one of the most played sports throughout America, it is known as the simplest and easiest sport to play. The reason why pickleball is becoming popular is due to its easy-to-understand rules. Additionally, pickleball lovers claim that it is similar to less-impact exercise, which has health benefits.

On the other hand, beginners in pickleball clubs frequently search for ways to learn new techniques, such as serves and shots. Trainees in my supervision often inquire about the best pickleball serves, and I always explain that there is no best serve; every serve requires time to master, and no one can defeat you once you have perfectly learned a serve.

 

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