Do you know the new rules for the drop serve as well as the volley serve?
Let’s start with the same rules for both serves
On both serves, the feet must be positioned behind the baseline and cannot be touching an imaginary extension of the center line or the sideline when the ball is served.
The Drop Serve
For most players, especially those without a racket sport background, this is the easiest serve to execute. There are no rules on how the paddle has to move. However, there are some rules about the drop itself.
- 1st – When you execute the drop, your opponent has to be able to see it. You have to do it with an open hand or you can’t hide, you can’t turn. The opponent has to be able to see the drop.
- 2nd- You cannot propel the ball in any manner. A drop serve is simply that, allow the ball to drop. I am not allowed to take the ball and bounce it or send it down to the ground in any way. So think of dropping the ball by opening your hand.
- You can’t hide your drop from your opponent.
- Different from the volley serve, there are no rules for the paddle motion.
The Volley Serve
A volley serve is a ball that we hit out of the air. So no drop involved, just hit the ball from the air. There are three rules:
- The server’s arm must be moving in an upward arc at the time the ball is struck with the paddle.
- The highest point of the paddle head must not be above the highest part of the wrist (where the wrist joint bends) when the paddle strikes the ball.
- Contact with the ball must not be made above the waist.
Watch the full video for more details on pickleball serve rules.
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CJ Johnson
Hey there — I’m a professional three-sport athlete and coach who has spent my entire adult life earning a living from playing and coaching sports. Since I started coaching more than three decades ago, one thing has remained the same: My commitment to see students not as they are but as what they can become and to move heaven and earth to help them realize their untapped potential. You should know that when it comes to helping pickleball players over 50 live their best lives on and off the courts, I'm an expert. Good pickleball is not just technique; it's the mind and body working holistically. That's why I'm also a personal trainer and weight management specialist. When I’m chillin', you'll find me watching Star Trek with my husband John and our two fur babies, Shirley and Ralph. (Yes, Happy Days)