Master the serving rules

Every pickleball rally begins with an underhand serve hit diagonally to the opponent's service court. The server's arm must move in an upward arc, paddle contact must be below the waist, and the paddle head must be below the wrist at contact.

Key Requirements

• At least one foot must remain behind the baseline
• The serve must clear the kitchen line and land in the diagonal service box
• The kitchen line is "out" on serves
• A drop serve alternative allows dropping the ball and hitting after the bounce, with no paddle position restrictions

Tips

• The 2026 rulebook added the word "clearly" to serve requirements, meaning borderline serves are now called faults
• Practice the drop serve first as a beginner — it removes the paddle position restrictions and is easier to learn