Returning The Serve

Unless you are quite experienced in pickleball, you might think the way to return the serve is obvious. It should be fast and low toward the back of the court, right? Not necessarily. This is true for 4.0 and lower games, but when you get to more advanced play, it may not the most advantageous return. You do want it to go as far toward the back of the opponents’ court as possible, but you might consider sending it slow and somewhat high. Why? This gives you a chance to get up to the kitchen. If you return the serve fast, that third shot may come back too soon and catch you moving forward, in “no-man’s land,” where you have less control of the game.