How to Mix Up Your Serve for Maximum Advantage in Pickleball
In pickleball, I believe the serve is an underutilized weapon. Too many players treat it as nothing more than a way to start the point. That’s fine— but you can gain a real edge by adding more serving options to your toolbox. A well-placed, varied serve can immediately put your opponent on the defensive, force weaker returns, and set you up to dictate the point.
The key is variation: changing speed, spin, depth, and placement so your opponent never settles into rhythm. I like to implement this when my team is ahead and I’m the first server— so even if I blow my chance with a more aggressive serve, my partner is still there to keep us going.
Why Varying Your Serve Matters
When your opponent knows what’s coming, they can step in, adjust, and attack. Predictability makes you vulnerable. By mixing up your serve, you:
Disrupt timing: Changing speeds prevents your opponent from finding rhythm.
Force weaker returns: Spin and depth variations create off-balance or shorter returns that allow me to come mid-court and crush it.
Control positioning: Strategic placement moves opponents out of their comfort zone. I will target my opponent's weaker side.
Gain a psychological edge: Keeping them guessing makes them hesitate, giving you the advantage. I love being able to make my opponents uncomfortable!
Serve Variations That Win Points
Speed – Mix in hard, driving serves with softer, slower ones. A fast serve jams your opponent, while a slower, well-placed serve can draw errors.
Spin – Slice, topspin, and flat serves each demand different adjustments. A slice pulls the ball low and away, while topspin jumps higher and forces awkward returns.
Depth – A deep serve pushes opponents back, buying you time. A shorter (still legal) serve pulls them forward, opening the court behind.
Placement – Aim wide to stretch them, at the body to jam them, or down the middle to create confusion in doubles. Placement keeps opponents off balance and disrupts their shot patterns.
Drills to Develop a Versatile Serve
Target Drill – Place cones or markers in different areas of the service box (deep middle, wide corner, short forehand, short backhand). Serve 10 balls to each target until you can consistently hit your spot.
Spin Drill – Alternate 10 slice serves and 10 topspin serves. Focus on making the bounce noticeably different so you can execute both on demand.
Speed Drill – Serve in sets of five: one hard, one medium, one soft. Track where your consistency breaks down and adjust your mechanics.
Pressure Drill – Simulate a match by calling out the serve variation before you hit it. This forces commitment and builds confidence under pressure— just like in a medal round when referees are announcing scores.
When to Use Each Serve in a Match
Deep, fast serve: Use early to establish dominance and push opponents back.
Short or off-speed serve: Mix in after a few deep serves to disrupt timing.
Wide serve: Great for pulling an opponent out of position, especially in doubles.
Body serve: Ideal when your opponents thrive on angles— jam them to limit options.
Topspin serves: Effective against players who struggle with high balls or tend to pop shots up.
Game Point
Your serve isn’t just the start of the point— it’s your first weapon. Players who understand this gain an immediate edge. Don’t be predictable. Vary your speed, spin, depth, and placement until your opponent never knows what’s coming next. That uncertainty is where you can set the stage to kill it.
Let's gooooo!
About the Author: Gina Cilento is a top 10 Senior Pro and multi-APP medalist who splits her time between competing and coaching. She’s the co-founder of The Pickleball Lab, a pod player for the Denver Iconics in the National Pickleball League, and co-host of Keeping It Real with Gina & Neil. Off the court, Gina shares her passion through her apparel line, The Pick, and her work with Empower Pickleball.
