The return of serve is an important shot because it sets you and your partner up for a successful point.
There are a multitude of strategies for the return of serve, but the most important goal is to create enough time for you and your partner to advance toward the kitchen line. This enables you to dictate the rally.
Strategies for pickleball returns
As a general rule, you want to hit your return as deep to the baseline as possible. This will put you in a position to make a great following shot that allows you to move forward to the kitchen line.
In singles, the easiest way to get to the kitchen line quickly is to hit your return to the opposite side of the court from where your opponent is serving. Doing this makes your opponent run the full width of the court, causing them to scramble from the start of the point.
While it can be an effective strategy to hit this type of return often, make sure to switch up your returns every once in a while to keep your opponents on their toes.
If you notice they’ve picked up on your strategy and have started cheating to the opposite side of the court after their serve, it’s time to try a different return. Rather than hitting your return to the opposite side of the court, wait until your opponent starts cheating to the opposite side, and instead hit a return down the line behind them. If you’re successful, they will likely quit cheating to one side or the other after their serve.
For doubles, it's often most effective to send the ball to players' backhands and target the weaker or more predictable player. If one player is always hitting drives, you know what to expect if you send your return to them.
It’s also important to position yourself in a spot to receive your preferred shot. For example, if you are right-handed and prefer to hit a forehand, cheat to the left side of the court so that you have more space to hit a forehand.
Your opponent will inevitably hit a serve that you weren’t prepared for. When you’re scrambling to return a serve, remember: You can never go wrong with the middle.
Aim to hit the ball as deep as you can in the middle of the court. Then, reestablish your footwork to hit your next ball in a place that allows you to move to the kitchen line.
Where to position yourself for the return of serve in pickleball
The ultimate goal of a return of serve shot is to enable you to move forward toward the kitchen line, where your partner is already positioned. Doing so allows you and your partner to be firmly positioned at the non-volley zone, ready to receive your opponent’s third shot.
When you hit your return of serve, ensure that your body momentum is already propelling you forward. So, it’s important to position yourself well behind the baseline to receive the serve.
If you’re on the baseline and your opponent hits a deep serve, you’ll be forced to back up to hit your return. In this scenario, you’ll likely be hitting your return of serve off balanced, and it will then be difficult for you to shift your backward momentum in time to get set at the kitchen before your opponent’s third shot.
Standing further back from the baseline ensures that no matter what type of serve your opponent hits, your body momentum will be going forward when you hit your return of serve. You will be balanced as you hit the shot and be able to quickly transition to the kitchen afterward.
Pickleball return of serve variations
In the earlier days of pickleball, it was important to hit the return of serve deep to the baseline every time. This is because the third shot was almost always a third shot drop, so a deep return of serve made it more difficult for opponents to execute their drop.
Now, however, as players introduce more variations to their third shots, that school of thought has changed.
If you hit your return deep, but it’s high, there’s a good chance your opponent will hit a third shot drive. This immediately puts you and your partner on the defense rather than the offense.
As such, many players are switching to a slice shot for their return of serve. This allows them to hit a deep return but keep it low on the court, forcing their opponents to hit a third shot drop.
How to hit a slice shot
A slice is a groundstroke or volley hit on your backhand side with backspin. To hit your return of serve with a slice, you’ll want your paddle face to be slightly open.
As you swing through, try to make contact with the back bottom of the ball. As you move forward, swing your paddle from low to high in a long U shape. Finish with your arm stretched out in front of you at shoulder height.
As you practice this shot, make sure you are running through the shot, using your momentum to get to the kitchen line.
Drills to improve your return of serve
Now that you have a basic understanding of return strategies for singles, it’s time to work on the skills involved.
Return to the middle
Have your partner serve balls at you at varying speeds and locations on the court. No matter whether you’re hitting forehand or backhand — or are steady or off-balance — hit your return as deep to the baseline in the middle of the court as possible.
Move the server
Have your partner serve the ball to you and practice hitting a return that is on the opposite side of the court from where they served. This will get your opponent moving from the very first shot of the rally.
Once you feel comfortable hitting cross-court, practice hitting some shots at the exact spot your partner served from. This will help you switch up your shot selection when your opponent thinks they have your cross-court strategy figured out. As they cheat over after their serve, you can hit your return behind them.
Split step
Now that you’ve practiced hitting returns to various spots on the court, it’s time to practice getting to the net. Have your drilling partner serve the ball and hit a return to any spot of the court you choose.
When your opponent (or in this case, your drilling partner) is scrambling, start moving toward the net. As soon as you see them start their motion to hit the ball, perform a split step and prepare to receive the shot.
A split step is a small jump with both feet that gets your hips square to the net. This centers your body properly to react to the shot coming toward you. After you split step, you’re better positioned to move laterally across the court.
You do not have to get to the net after your first return shot. You will likely stay back to hit a shot that is deep and low. Wait for a shot that is shorter and/or higher to start your approach to the net.
