Serve and return basics: common mistakes and fixes

Every rally starts with a serve and a return, yet beginners spend almost no time on them. That is backwards. Two reliable, deep shots win more games at the start than any fancy technique, because they keep the ball in play and put your opponents under pressure from the first contact. Here is how to make both dependable.

The serve: legal and simple

The serve in pickleball is meant to start the point, not end it, and the motion is deliberately simple. The traditional serve is hit underhand with an upward motion and contact below your waist. Many players also use the drop serve, where you drop the ball and hit it after it bounces. The exact technical requirements live in the official rulebook, and it is worth a quick read so you serve legally — but the spirit is clear: a controlled, underhand serve, not a big overhead.

Your first goal is simply to get it in consistently. A serve that lands in, every time, beats a hard serve that misses one in three.

Aim deep, not hard

Once your serve is reliable, the single best upgrade is depth. A deep serve that lands near the baseline pushes the returner back and makes their job harder; a short serve lets them step in and take control. Aim to land your serve in the back third of the service area. You do not need pace to do this — a smooth, slightly higher arc with good depth is more effective and more repeatable than a flat, hard serve that clips the net or sails out.

The return: your most underrated shot

The return is arguably more important than the serve, because a good return takes away the serving team's natural advantage. The returning team gets to move to the net first, so a deep return that keeps the servers pinned at the baseline sets you up to control the rally. As with the serve, depth beats power: a deep, safe return that lands near the baseline is the goal.

Return deep, then move up

The return is also your ticket to the net. The pattern is: hit a deep return, then follow it forward toward the kitchen line so you and your partner can take the advantageous net position. A common beginner habit is to hit the return and then admire it or rush forward before contact — both cost you. Make solid contact first, then move. Returning deep and getting to the line is one of the simplest high-value habits in doubles.

Common mistakes and fixes

• Serving too cautiously and short: you avoid faults but hand the returner easy control. Fix: commit to depth with a smooth arc, aiming for the back third.
• Trying to hit winners off the serve or return: power leads to errors here. Fix: prioritize getting it in and getting it deep.
• Returning short: a shallow return lets the servers attack. Fix: aim well past the kitchen, toward the baseline.
• Rushing the net before contact: moving early pulls you off the shot. Fix: make clean contact, then advance.
• Aiming for the lines: the corners tempt errors. Fix: aim for safe, deep targets a little inside the lines.

None of this is glamorous, and that is the point. Spend a few practice sessions just serving deep and returning deep, and you will quietly win more points than the player chasing a flashy put-away.