The Secret Serve Any Pickleball Player Can Employ

Historically, the serve in pickleball has not been used as an offensive weapon, but top professionals like Ben Johns and Zane Navratil are starting to change that. With lead tape to make the paddle heavier, they can really increase the speed of the serve while putting tons of spin on the ball. While it's still not likely they are going to hit an ace, it can be challenging for their opponents to return. With that being said, rarely do I ever see amateurs even at the 4.5 level using the serve as a weapon. 

So, how can you at least hit a serve to make it more difficult for your opponent?

Quite simply, you need to hit the ball deep in the court. I was reminded of that when playing today as my opponent consistently was serving within six inches of the baseline. It's one of the few times I've had to move a step behind the baseline to return the ball as normally my toes are an inch from this area. The advantage the server has when your opponent has to move deeper in the court to return the ball is that they have farther to travel to get to the kitchen line. If I need to stop to hit the ball when I'm a step away from the kitchen line, then the server doesn't need to be as precise on the third shot. In other words, they have more room for error if they hit a third shot drop. They also open up the court so they can more easily hit a sharp angle near the sideline.