What Is the Best Way to Return a Serve in Pickleball? Find Out

A strong return of serve is essential in pickleball, allowing players to take control of the game right from the beginning. Many beginners focus only on hitting the ball in bounds, but as they progress, they realize that the best returning strategies involve both placement and precision.

A well-placed return can prevent an aggressive speedup, disrupt the opponent’s strategy, and create an opportunity to score. Practicing different shots in Pickleball, including deep serves, soft dink returns, and angled placements, helps improve consistency. 

Understanding the importance of a strong return makes it easier to apply effective techniques, whether using high looping returns to push opponents back or sharp angles to limit their options. By maintaining a steady flow in your returns, you can dictate the pace and avoid falling into a defensive position. 

What is the Best Way to Return a Serve in Pickleball?

Working on overheads, deep rallies, and adjusting to different playing styles ensures that you are prepared for any scenario. With time, your score will reflect your ability to effectively return serves while keeping your opponent off balance. 

Whether you’re aiming for precision, power, or strategy, mastering the return of serve is a skill that should never be overlooked.

Difference Between a Short Serve and a Return of Serve

A serve short in pickleball is a serve that lands close to the non-volley zone, often used to disrupt the opponent’s positioning but can be risky if not executed well.

In contrast, a return of serve is the shot played after the serve, ideally deep into the opponent’s court to push them back and gain control of the rally.

A well-placed return of serve is more reliable, while a short serve is a high risk, high-reward strategy used occasionally.

Why the Return of Serve is Important

A strong return of serve in pickleball can set the tone for the entire game, giving your team an early advantage. The goal is to control the rally by keeping your opponents away from the kitchen line while making your way to the NVZ.

A well-placed shot with strategic placement can force a weak reply, allowing a smooth transition to the net. Players who consistently focus on thinking about their positioning and ball placement can achieve better control, leading to more scores and wins.

A strong and deep return also makes it harder for the serving team to set up an advantageous third shot, keeping them in a defensive stance.

By practicing consistency, avoiding unforced errors, and making smart choices, you can influence the point, dictate the pace, and ultimately improve your game.

Whether it’s using a deep return to push opponents back or finding an angle to limit their options, mastering this skill is essential for long-term success on the court.

How to Return the Serve in Pickleball

A well-placed return in pickleball can shift the momentum in your favor, helping you gain an early advantage.

To effectively handle a serve, focus on mastering your skill by aiming deep or high, making it difficult for your opponent to respond aggressively.

Adding spin can further improve control and placement, increasing your chances of scoring points. The key is to anticipate your opponent’s serves and position yourself strategically to take charge of the rally.

Stance Position

A strong positioning strategy starts with standing a few feet behind the baseline to create space for movement.

This helps you react quickly to the serve and move forward smoothly as the ball approaches. Be ready to adjust your position based on the speed and spin of the serve, ensuring a well-controlled return.

Return the Serve Deep

A deep and well-placed return forces your opponents to stay near the baseline, making their third shot more difficult.

A shallow return, on the other hand, opens the playbook for them, allowing them to gain momentum and quickly approach the net.

To stay in control of the point, aim for the back third of the service box, keeping your opponent off balance and reducing their options.

A solid hitting technique ensures your shot is effective, preventing an off-balanced return and giving you and your partner time to move to the NVZ line for an easier fourth shot.

Return the Serve Deep

A high and well-placed return can be a game-changer, giving you time to reach the NVZ line while making it harder for your opponents to execute an effective third shot.

A high-bouncing ball may give better players an easier return, but it allows you and your teammate to establish a strong position at the net.

Controlling the rally means being prepared to react and avoid getting stuck near the baseline or transition zone.

By keeping your serve return deep, you limit your opponents’ options and force them into a challenging shot, helping you maintain control and create a strong presence with your partner at the kitchen line.

Pickleball Return of Serve Best Tips

Now that you’re familiar with what makes a great return of serve, let’s dive into how to put it into action.

Prepare Yourself Before the Serve

To execute a great return in pickleball, you must prepare before the serve. Stand in a ready position with your knees bent, weight balanced, and paddle up, ensuring you’re focused on the incoming ball.

Avoid unnecessary shuffling of your feet or spinning your paddle, as these actions can slow your reaction time.

Stay alert and pay attention to your opponent—watch their movements and anticipate where they will direct the serve.

As the ball travels through the air, react quickly but stay in control. Never stop analyzing the play, and keep trying to improve your placement.

Whether you’re paying close attention to angles or adjusting your stance, every decision impacts your return. Mastering these fundamentals will help you return serves with confidence and precision.

Use Less Steps

Minimizing steps in your return helps you stay balanced, ready, and in control. A quick split step before the serve allows you to react instantly and pounce on the ball.

Position your body efficiently by taking as few steps as possible, using your hips to drive movement and exploding off your feet for a strong return.

Keep your contact point in front and aim for knee level to maintain accuracy and power. Fewer movements mean fewer mistakes, making your return more precise and effective.

Control Your Swing for a Better Return

When returning a serve in pickleball, many players make the mistake of taking a big backswing and failing to finish their follow-through properly.

A controlled motion is key—keep your backswing short and your follow-through long for a smooth, effective shot. Grip your paddle firmly and guide it across your shoulder, ensuring it moves toward the opposite side of your body.

This technique allows for greater accuracy and consistency in each shot, giving you better control over the rally.

Use Your Legs for a Stronger Return

One common mistake in pickleball many players make is relying too much on their arms and shoulders instead of using their legs.

Your lower half has stronger muscles that can generate power more efficiently, leading to a better return. If you’ve played other sports like baseball or volleyball, you might already understand this concept, but if you lack prior experience, it might feel foreign at first.

The key is to propel your body into the ball, especially on full shots, to create a solid and controlled return. For a visual example, you can watch a video from ThatPickleballGuy, where Nico expertly demonstrates this technique in action.

Get to the kitchen

After executing the return of serve perfectly, your next move should be reaching the NVZ line fast. If your opponent hits the ball before you get there, they gain an advantage, so don’t hesitate.

Many players hit the ball and stop, or move slowly toward the line, which is a huge mistake. Your goals should always be to push your opponents back and take control of the net as soon as possible.

Return of Serve Footwork

One of the biggest mistakes players make when returning a serve in pickleball is neglecting footwork, which can throw off their balance and leave them out of position for the next shot.

To stay ready, keep your knees slightly bent and stay on the balls of your feet, allowing for quick movement and better adjustment to the incoming ball.

The moment your opponent serves, react early to avoid getting caught off guard, especially against a fast or tricky serve.

A strong return starts with a step forward, helping you generate momentum and preventing you from leaning too far back or losing control.

After making contact, focus on recovery by moving quickly toward the non-volley zone, ensuring an efficient transition to your next move with a clear goal in mind.

Return of Serve Practice

Improving your return of serve requires consistent practice with a variety of drills that challenge players to adapt to different situations on the court.

Setting up sessions that focus specifically on hitting returns from various angles and adjusting to different spins helps build confidence.

Using cones or markers to target specific areas allows for better shot placement, whether you’re placing the ball deep or targeting your opponent’s weaker side.

Training with a partner who can vary the pace and placement of serves helps simulate game-like conditions, ensuring you’re ready for all types of matches.

Even without a ball, working on footwork, swing mechanics, and positioning is essential. Stepping into each shot and moving quickly toward the non-volley zone after the return puts you in control and keeps you prepared for the next exchange.

Developing a strong technique through repetition will make your returns more effective and your overall game more competitive.

In Conclusion

A strong return of serve should be placed deep near the baseline to keep the serving team from gaining an advantage at the NVZ line.

Instead of focusing on power, prioritize control to prevent a short return that allows your opponent to reach the net. Wait behind the baseline before the ball bounces, then move forward with momentum to hit an effective shot.

The preferred stroke is a forehand with a backswing and smooth follow through, ensuring proper stepping to meet the ball in front of the body.

A lofted return to the backhand side forces the receiver to react, giving you more time to get into a ready position.

If you can’t fully make it to the NVZ line, stop and set yourself to defend before continuing. This movement, often called a split step in tennis, helps you stay balanced and prepared for the next rally.