Every pickleball point starts with a serve, and only the serving team can score points. Miss your serve or commit a fault, and you lose your chance to score entirely. This scoring system makes serving accuracy far more critical than in tennis or other racket sports.
Most serving faults stem from three common violations: foot placement errors (stepping on or over the baseline), improper contact points (hitting above the waist on volley serves), and landing serves in the non-volley zone. Players lose hundreds of potential points each season through easily preventable serving mistakes.
Paddle weight and grip size directly impact serving consistency. A 220g PickePro paddle generates more power but requires steadier control, while a 212g paddle offers easier handling for repetitive serves. Grip circumference affects wrist positioning during the underhand motion required for legal serves.
This guide covers both volley and drop serve methods, court positioning requirements, doubles scoring sequences, and common fault scenarios. Each section includes specific measurements and techniques you can practice immediately.
1. The Fundamentals of Pickleball Serving
1.1 Only the Serving Team Can Score
Pickleball uses side-out scoring, meaning you cannot score points while receiving serves. Miss your serve or commit a serving fault, and you immediately lose your scoring opportunity. This system creates higher pressure on serving accuracy compared to tennis, where poor serves only cost you the point, not your chance to score.
The serving team retains serve until they commit a fault. In singles, you keep serving until you make an error. In doubles, each partner gets to serve before the opposing team takes over. This extended serving opportunity makes consistent, legal serves exponentially more valuable than in other racket sports.
1.2 Basic Serving Requirements
All pickleball serves must follow four non-negotiable rules. The serve must use an underhand motion with your arm moving upward when striking the ball. You must serve diagonally across the court to the opposite service area. The ball must completely clear the kitchen in pickleball (the 7-foot non-volley zone, see more in our article) and its boundary line. You get only one serving attempt per turn—no second serves exist in pickleball.
These requirements eliminate the serve-and-volley strategy common in tennis. Players cannot overpower opponents with high-speed serves or immediately rush the net after serving.
1.3 The Two-Bounce Rule After Your Serve
After you serve, the receiving team must let your serve bounce once in their court before returning it. When they return your serve, your team must let their return bounce once in your court before hitting it back. Only after these two bounces can either team volley the ball (hit it before it bounces).
This rule forces both teams to start each point from the baseline rather than the net. The serving team cannot gain an immediate advantage by charging forward after serving, and the receiving team gets time to position themselves for the rally. After the two required bounces, normal play resumes with volleys and groundstrokes both legal.
2. Two Types of Legal Serves
2.1 The Volley Serve (Hit Before Bounce)
The volley serve requires you to release the ball from your hand and strike it before it touches the ground. Coordinate your toss height with your swing timing—most players release the ball at chest height and make contact around waist level. The toss should travel straight up rather than forward, giving you a consistent hitting zone.
Three Requirements That Cause Most Faults:
Your arm must move upward when striking the ball. Sidearm or downward motions result in immediate faults. The contact point must occur below your waist level—the rule uses your navel as the reference point. Your paddle head must stay below the highest part of your wrist at the moment of contact. These three restrictions ensure the serve remains underhand rather than resembling a tennis serve.
Paddle weight affects volley serve consistency. Heavier paddles (around 220g) provide more momentum through the ball but require steadier hands during the toss-and-hit coordination. Lighter paddles (around 212g) offer easier control during the serving motion. For instance, our pickleball paddles for beginners feature balanced weight distribution that reduces timing errors during the learning phase.
2.2 The Drop Serve (Hit After Bounce)
Drop serves eliminate the coordination challenges of volley serves. Hold the ball at any comfortable height, then release it naturally without applying downward force. The ball must bounce at least once before you hit it, though multiple bounces are legal. You can strike the ball with any motion you prefer after it bounces.
Why Drop Serves Are Easier:
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No timing coordination between toss and swing required
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The three volley serve restrictions (upward arc, waist contact, wrist position) don't apply
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You can hit the ball above your waist, use sidearm motions, or contact it with your paddle head above your wrist
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More consistent for developing players due to this flexibility
Trade-offs:
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Drop serves rarely generate the same power as volley serves because the ball loses energy during the bounce
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Wind conditions affect ball placement more significantly since the ball spends more time in the air
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The overall serving pace slows down because you must wait for the bounce before hitting
Most recreational players benefit from starting with drop serves to establish serving rhythm, then gradually incorporating volley serves as their timing improves. Competitive players typically prefer volley serves for the additional power and placement options they provide.
3. Where to Stand and How to Avoid Foot Faults
3.1 Foot Placement That Prevents Faults
Position both feet completely behind the baseline before hitting your serve. Touching the baseline with any part of your foot constitutes a fault, even if just your toe grazes the line. Stay within the imaginary extensions of the center line and sideline—these invisible boundaries extend beyond the court to define your legal serving area.
Plant your feet firmly before striking the ball, then step forward after contact if needed for follow-through. Many players commit foot faults by stepping forward during their serving motion rather than after ball contact. Practice standing 12 inches behind the baseline to create a safety margin that prevents accidental line violations.
Your non-serving foot can lift off the ground during the serve, but your serving-side foot must remain behind the baseline until after contact. This rule allows for natural weight transfer while maintaining the baseline restriction that prevents players from serving closer to the net.
3.2 Court Geography for Serves
Serve from the right service court when your score is even (0, 2, 4, 6, etc.) and from the left service court when your score is odd (1, 3, 5, 7, etc.). This applies to both singles and doubles play. After scoring a point, switch to the opposite service court for your next serve.
Target the diagonal service box on the opposite side of the net. Your serve must land completely past the kitchen zone and within the service court boundaries. The kitchen line acts as the front boundary of the legal serving area—serves that touch this line or land in the 7-foot non-volley zone result in faults.
Aim for the back third of the service court to maximize your margin for error. Deep serves also push opponents further from the net, reducing their ability to attack your third shot.
3.3 Practice Setup with Portable Equipment
Portable pickleball net systems allow you to practice serves in driveways, parks, or empty tennis courts. Set up the net to regulation height (36 inches at the ends, 34 inches at the center) and mark the kitchen boundaries with chalk or cones. Practice serving from both right and left service courts to develop muscle memory for proper court positioning.
Mark the baseline with tape or cones, then practice serving from 12 inches behind this line. This extra distance eliminates foot fault concerns while building consistent serving form. Use targets in the service courts—place cones or towels in the back corners to practice serve placement accuracy.
4. Service Sequence and Scoring
4.1 Singles: One Server, Simple Rules
Start each game serving from the right court (even score = right court, odd score = left court). Continue serving until you commit a fault or hit the ball out of bounds. After each point you win, switch to the opposite service court—score from the right, move to the left for the next serve.
Your serving opportunity ends immediately when you fault. The opponent then serves from their correct court based on their score, continuing this alternating pattern throughout the game.
Call the score as two numbers: your score first, then your opponent's score. "4-2" means you have 4 points and your opponent has 2 points. Always announce the complete score before serving to confirm correct court positioning.
4.2 Doubles: Two Servers, More Complex
Game start creates a special exception to normal doubles serving. Only the first server on the starting team gets to serve before the opposing team takes over. This player is designated "server 2" to indicate the shortened first serving sequence. After this first server faults, the opposing team immediately gets possession with both players eligible to serve.
After the opening sequence, each team gets two serving opportunities before losing possession. The player on the right side serves first, continues until their team faults, then their partner serves from their current position. When the second server faults, possession transfers to the opposing team.
Call the score using three numbers: your team's score, the opposing team's score, then server number. Examples include "3-2-1" (your team has 3, opponents have 2, first server) or "5-4-2" (your team has 5, opponents have 4, second server). The server number resets to 1 each time possession changes teams.
4.3 Most Confusing Serving Mistakes
Players frequently serve from the wrong court after scoring a point. Remember that scoring changes your court position—if you score from the right, move to the left for the next serve. Your score determines court position, not your previous location.
Partners switch sides of the court only when their team scores points, not when they gain or lose serving possession. Many players incorrectly switch sides when becoming the second server or when regaining serve after a side-out.
Forgetting your server number causes delays and confusion. The first server on each possession is always "server 1," regardless of which player starts serving. Track this by remembering that server numbers reset each time your team regains possession from the opponents.
5. Service Faults That Cost You Points
5.1 The Big Four Service Faults
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Foot fault - Any part of your foot touches or crosses the baseline during your serve. This includes heel, toe, or side of foot contact with the line.
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Kitchen serve - Your serve lands in the non-volley zone or touches the kitchen line. The entire ball must clear the 7-foot zone completely.
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Out of bounds - Your serve lands outside the service court boundaries. Serves hitting sidelines or baseline are legal, but anything beyond these lines costs you the serve.
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Net fault - Your serve hits the net and fails to clear it completely. Unlike tennis, a serve that clips the net and lands legally still counts as a fault.
These four violations account for roughly 80% of all serving faults in recreational play. Master these areas and your serving consistency will improve dramatically.
5.2 Sneaky Faults Most Players Miss
Court position errors happen when players lose track of the score. Serving from the right court with an odd score (or left court with an even score) results in an immediate fault, even if the serve lands perfectly.
Volley serve contact violations occur when players hit the ball above their waist level. The navel serves as the reference point—any contact above this height constitutes a fault. Players often creep higher during competitive pressure.
Drop serve manipulation involves adding spin or force when releasing the ball. You must drop the ball naturally using gravity alone. Throwing it down for a higher bounce or spinning it with your fingers violates the game’s rules.
Time violations result from taking longer than 10 seconds between points. Once the score is called, you have 10 seconds to complete your serve. Delays beyond this limit cost you the serve.
5.3 How to Stop Faulting
Stand 12 inches behind the baseline rather than crowding the line. This margin eliminates foot fault concerns while building consistent serving form. Mark this distance during practice to develop muscle memory.
Check your score before every serve. Call it out loud even in casual play—this confirms your court position and prevents wrong-side serving faults.
Develop a consistent serving routine that takes 6-8 seconds from score call to ball contact. Practice the same sequence: position feet, check target, initiate serve. Rushed serves lead to technique breakdowns and faults.
6. Where to Place Your Serves
6.1 Three High-Percentage Serve Targets
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Deep to baseline - Pushes opponents back from the kitchen, limiting their third shot attack options. Aim for the back third of the service court.
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Wide to sidelines - Creates difficult return angles and pulls opponents out of position. Target the corners where the sideline meets the baseline.
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Short (just past the kitchen) - Draws opponents forward and disrupts their positioning. Ball must clear the kitchen line by at least 6 inches to avoid faults.
Rotate between these three targets rather than using the same placement repeatedly. Opponents adapt quickly to predictable serving patterns, reducing your strategic advantage.
6.2 Serving Consistency vs Power
Aim for 75% power maximum to maintain control and accuracy. Full-power serves increase fault rates dramatically while providing minimal strategic benefit. Consistent placement beats raw speed in pickleball serving.
Paddle grip circumference affects serving comfort and control. Standard 4.25-inch circumference fits most hands, but players with smaller hands benefit from 4.0-inch grips for better wrist control during the serving motion. Larger grips (4.5-inch) help players with bigger hands maintain a consistent paddle face angle.
Practice hitting the same target five consecutive times before attempting new placements. This builds serving accuracy and confidence while preventing the spray-and-pray approach that leads to frequent faults.
6.3 Your Position After Serving
Move 2-3 steps forward after completing your serve, but stay behind the baseline until the opponent returns the ball. This positioning prepares you for the third shot while maintaining legal court position during the two-bounce sequence.
Prepare for the third shot immediately after serving—this shot determines whether you gain or lose control of the point. Most points are won or lost based on third shot execution rather than serving placement.
Resist the urge to rush toward the net after serving. The two-bounce rule requires you to let the return bounce in your court first. Players who charge forward too early either fault on the return or find themselves out of position for effective third shots.
FAQ
Can I serve overhand in pickleball?
No, all serves must be underhand. For volley serves, contact must occur below your waist with your arm moving upward. Drop serves allow any contact point after the ball bounces.
What happens if my serve hits the net but still lands in the correct service court?
This is a legal serve. Unlike tennis, there are no "let" serves in pickleball. If the ball clears the net (even after touching it) and lands in the proper service area past the kitchen line, play continues.
Do I get a second serve if I fault on my first attempt?
No, pickleball allows only one serve attempt per server. If you fault, the serve goes to your partner (in doubles) or to the opposing team (in singles).
Can the ball bounce multiple times before I hit it on a drop serve?
Yes, there's no limit to how many times the ball can bounce before you hit it on a drop serve. You can also let it bounce anywhere on your side of the court.
What's the difference between serving in singles versus doubles?
In singles, you serve from the right court when your score is even, left when odd. In doubles, both players get to serve before losing possession, except at the game start when only one player serves first.
Can I spin the ball when I toss it for a volley serve?
No, you cannot intentionally impart spin when releasing the ball. Only natural rotation from a normal hand release is allowed. However, you can add all the spin you want after hitting the ball.
What happens if I step on the baseline while serving?
This is a foot fault that immediately ends your serve. Any part of your foot touching or crossing the baseline during the serving motion results in loss of serve. Practice serving from 12 inches behind the line to avoid this violation.