5 Situations Where a Drop Serve Can Help You in Pickleball

Pickleball has two kinds of serves: (1) a regular volley serve (i.e., hitting the pickleball in the air, before it touches the ground), and (2) a drop serve (i.e., hitting the pickleball after it bounces on the court surface). The official rules of pickleball first introduced the drop serve for players who had a physical disability (for example, a pickleball player with only one arm). But, since 2021, the official rules allow this different way of serving for all players.

According to the official rules of pickleball, “the drop serve is made by striking the ball after it bounces on the playing surface and can be made with either a forehand or backhand motion.” To do a pickleball drop serve, you have to drop or let go of the pickleball from any natural (un-assisted) height, either by using one hand or letting the pickleball slide off of your paddle, and then hit the pickleball with your paddle after the pickleball bounces on the court. “There is no restriction how many times the ball can bounce nor where the ball can bounce on the playing surface.” Also, importantly, the usual rules of the volley serve about the point of contact (e.g., the paddle head must be below your wrist and the point of contact must be below your belly button) do not apply to the drop serve.

This drop serve method can be useful on the pickleball court when used smartly. Here are 5 situations where the drop serve can improve your pickleball game:

1. When You Are New to the Game: 

The drop serve can be a helpful tool when you are just starting to learn pickleball. The drop serve is, often, simpler for beginners to learn, as dropping the pickleball helps beginners get better timing and rhythm, as they can expect the pickleball’s path more easily compared to a volley serve where they have to time their swing while the pickleball is in the air.

2. When You Want to Add Spin: 

The pickleball drop serve lets you create different spins, as the usual rules of the volley serve about the point of contact do not apply to the drop serve. As a result, you can change your paddle angle and point of contact in order to change the angle and direction of your serve. You can put backspin, topspin, or sidespin on the pickleball, making it harder for your opponents to guess the path of your serve and return it well.

3. When You Have a Powerful Two-Handed Backhand:

Besides creating various spins, the drop serve also lets you hit a two-handed backhand on the serve. For those pickleball players who have strong two-handed backhands, the drop serve could give them a new effective serve for their game.

4. When You Want to Surprise Your Opponents: 

By using a drop serve, you can make your serve more unpredictable. Since most serves in pickleball are done with a regular volley serves, a well-done drop serve can make your opponents confused, making it harder for them to expect and return your shot well. So, use the drop serve to make your serves more diverse and keep your opponents guessing from time to time.

5. When You Need Help Overcoming Serving Anxiety:

The drop serve in pickleball can also help players who suffer from serving anxiety, which means a psychological problem where a pickleball player loses confidence or control during his or her serve. A drop serve helps to reduce some of the stress related to serving. By letting the pickleball bounce, you have an extra chance to get control, improve your timing, and get ready for your shot. Also, with less focus on timing and coordination, you can pay more attention to doing proper technique, which can help you regain confidence and consistency in your serves.