Pickleball players know that the return of serve is a crucial shot that can make or break a game. After your opponent serves the ball, your return shot is your chance to gain control of the game. Therefore, having a solid return of serve can give you an immediate advantage.
To improve your return of serve, you need to work on various elements of your game, including footwork, body position, shot selection, anticipation, and reaction time. Additionally, mental focus and practice are essential for refining your return of serve technique.
Here are some strategies to help you improve your return of serve in pickleball:
- Be ready: Ensure that you are in the correct position, with your paddle up and ready to react when your opponent serves the ball. Keep your knees slightly bent and get into your “ready position.”
- Watch the ball: Keeping your eyes on the ball is crucial to read the spin and speed of the serve. This will help you anticipate and return the ball effectively.
- Return deep: Aim for the back half of the court when returning serve. This will give you more time to get into position for the next shot and put your opponents on the defensive.
- Keep it low: A low return of serve can be challenging for your opponents to handle. Try to keep the ball close to the net and low to make it difficult for your opponents.
- Mix it up: Vary your return of serve with cross-court or down-the-line shots, drop shots or lobs. This can keep your opponents guessing and make it harder for them to anticipate your shots.
- Communicate with your partner: If you are playing doubles, communicate with your partner to decide who will take the serve and where you want to return it. Good communication is essential to executing a successful return.
There are many good videos on the return of serve. Here are a few that I highly recommend:
- “Let’s level up your pickleball return of serve!” from Pickleball Kitchen. In this video, Barrett Kincheloe goes over “a ton of tips” on how to get better return of serves in pickleball!
- “Transformative Return of Serve Tip” with Nicole Havlicek. In this video, Havlicek focuses on one important aspect of the return of serve: time. Having a successful and imposing return of serve, she says, all boils down to one word “time.” The returning team, she says, should always hit a volley because it affords them “time” to advance to the kitchen line, which is exactly what the returning team wants to achieve with its return of serve. Specifically, you want to find ways to buy time for yourself with your return all while still pressuring your opponents and giving them less time and space.
- “How to Hit a PERFECT Pickleball Return of Serve in 5 Simple Steps” from High Five Pickleball. Adam Richards, in this video, stresses five keys of a successful return of serve: back up, hit the ball deep, make solid contact, move forward, and be strategic.
- “Pickleball Quick Tip: How to Hit a Better Return of Serve.” In this video, Wayne Dollard preaches the importance of standing 5-6 ft. behind the baseline when returning serve in order to give you an opportunity to move forward and get into position to hit a solid return of serve
In conclusion, a strong return of serve is a vital strategy in pickleball. By incorporating shot variation and defensive tactics, such as the deep return and low return, you can gain an advantage over your opponents. Remember to work on your reaction time, footwork, and net play to improve your return game and become a better pickleball player.
The information in this blog post comes from my research and experience playing pickleball and can be found in my books — HOW TO GET STARTED PLAYING and HOW TO IMPROVE FROM BEGINNER TO INTERMEDIATE IN PICKLEBALL — both are available on Amazon. I hope you learn something from this post that you can take onto the courts to help you improve your game.