2 Pickleball Serves EVERYONE Needs in 2025

2 Pickleball Serves EVERYONE Needs in 2025

2 Pickleball Serves EVERYONE Needs in 2025

Mastering the Two Key Serves for Pickleball in 2025

In the fast-paced world of professional pickleball, the game is evolving quickly, especially when it comes to serving. The MLP and PPA have updated their serve rules multiple times this year, and for good reason: players are constantly looking for ways to gain an edge. If you’re not working to gain an advantage with your serve, you risk being left behind. So, what are the key serves you need to dominate in 2025? Let’s break it down.

What’s the Goal with Your Serve?

Before we dive into the specifics of the serves themselves, it’s important to understand what we’re trying to accomplish with our serves. The primary goal is depth. If you can consistently land the ball in the back 5 to 6 feet of your opponent’s side of the court, you’re already ahead of the game.

While spin, power, placement, and trajectory all play a role, they’re secondary to achieving depth. And if you’re making 100% of your serves, you’re probably not taking enough risks. In fact, you should aim to make about 90% of your serves. This allows you to be aggressive and put pressure on your opponent, without risking too much.

The Two Key Serves for 2025

To stay competitive, it’s essential to master two types of serves: the high, spin serve and the powerful, flat serve. Both of these serves can be effective at keeping your opponent off balance, but the key is to use them strategically to vary the pace and depth of the ball.

1. The High Spin Serve

The first serve you’ll want to master is the high, loopy spin serve. The goal with this serve is to get the ball to arc high and deep, pushing your opponent back into the baseline. This gives you an opportunity to dictate the point early.

How to execute it:

  • Angle your shoulders and pelvis: Start by tilting your shoulders and pelvis slightly upwards to get underneath the ball.
  • Focus on brushing up the back of the ball: This generates the necessary topspin, but be careful not to use too much wrist—just a controlled, smooth motion.
  • Transfer your weight: Even though you’re leaning back when you hit the serve, make sure to transfer your weight through the shot. This ensures you’re still putting enough power into the ball while creating the necessary height and spin.

Once you’ve got your opponent pushed back with the high spin serve, you can start thinking about switching up your strategy.

2. The Harder, Flatter Serve

Now that your opponent is expecting the high, spin serve, it’s time to throw them off with a powerful, flat serve. This serve is designed to keep your opponent off balance by changing the pace of the game.

How to execute it:

  • Contact point: Move your contact point further out in front of you to avoid being on your back foot. This will allow for a more linear swing that generates power without the excessive height of the spin serve.
  • Focus on depth: While you’re changing the speed of the serve, don’t forget about your depth. It’s still crucial to keep the ball deep in your opponent’s side of the court.
  • Linear swing: Instead of swinging upwards like you would with the spin serve, focus on a more direct, linear motion to keep the serve fast and aggressive.

Practice Makes Perfect

The best way to practice these two serves is by incorporating them into your training routine. Grab your Uptime Energy drink for that extra boost of energy, and hit the courts with your Chris Olson Target for precision practice. A bucket of balls and some focused drills will help you fine-tune your technique and consistency.

In summary, dominating in pickleball in 2025 comes down to mastering two key serves: the high spin serve and the hard, flat serve. These serves will give you the depth and variety needed to keep your opponents guessing, while also putting pressure on them to return your shots effectively. By focusing on depth, varying your pace, and practicing regularly, you’ll be able to elevate your serving game and stay ahead in the competitive world of pickleball.

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