Pickleball Guide Serve
Serve strategy
The three serve placements that win points: body serves, the deep backhand corner, and when to attack the forehand — with court diagrams.
YouPartnerOpponent
BestGoodRisky
Dashed = soft shotMovement
You serve diagonally from the baseline. Only ONE player (the designated receiver) can return it. Read their setup before each point.
Body / hip shot
Aim at the receiver's hip or torso. Jams their swing, limits return angles. No power needed — placement wins every time.
Most coaches call this the #1 serve. Even skilled players can't generate a quality return when jammed at the hip.
Related topics
Put it into practice
Find a tournament or round robin near you and test this for real.