How to Serve in Padel

The serve in padel is unique among racquet sports because it must be executed underhand. This fundamental difference affects strategy, technique, and the overall flow of the game. Mastering the underhand serve is essential for any padel player.

Legal Serving Position

Proper serving position is crucial for legal serves and effective play. Understanding where to stand and how to position yourself sets the foundation for successful serving.

Service Line Requirements

When serving, you must follow these positioning rules:

• Stand behind the service line (7 meters from the net)
• Position between the center mark and the side line
• Cannot step on or over the service line during serve
• Must serve diagonally to the opposite service box
• Can move laterally but must stay behind service line

Stance and Preparation

Proper stance sets up a successful serve:

• Feet Position: Staggered stance with front foot pointing toward target
• Body Position: Side-on to the net for better rotation
• Racket Position: Start with racket low and behind body
• Ball Position: Hold ball in non-dominant hand at waist level
• Balance: Maintain stable base throughout motion

Underhand Serve Mechanics

The underhand serve requires specific mechanics that differ from tennis serves. The motion emphasizes control, placement, and spin rather than raw power.

Step-by-Step Serve Technique

Follow these steps for proper underhand serve mechanics:

• Step 1: Position yourself behind service line with proper stance
• Step 2: Hold ball in non-dominant hand at waist level
• Step 3: Start racket motion from low position behind body
• Step 4: Release ball and begin forward swing simultaneously
• Step 5: Contact ball below waist level with racket face
• Step 6: Follow through toward target with controlled motion

Common Technical Mistakes

Avoid these common serving errors:

• Overhand Motion: Contacting ball above waist level
• Poor Timing: Releasing ball too early or late
• Inconsistent Contact: Hitting different parts of ball
• Weak Follow-through: Stopping motion after contact
• Foot Faults: Stepping on or over service line

Service Box Targeting

Strategic targeting of the service box can give you significant advantages. Different targets create different challenges for your opponents and set up favorable return situations.

T-Section Targeting

The T-section is the most effective target area:

• Forces opponent to choose which side to return
• Creates difficult angles for return shots
• Sets up net position for follow-up shots
• Reduces opponent's time to react
• Creates opportunities for winning shots

Wide Corner Targeting

Serving wide pulls opponents out of position:

• Forces opponent to move laterally
• Opens up court for next shot
• Creates space for drop shots
• Makes it harder to return with power
• Sets up cross-court winners

Body Serve Strategy

Serving at the opponent's body can be very effective:

• Jams opponent's swing
• Forces weak returns
• Reduces opponent's options
• Creates defensive returns
• Sets up easy put-away shots

First and Second Serves

Having two serve attempts allows for different strategies. Your first serve can be more aggressive, while your second serve should prioritize consistency and placement.

First Serve Strategy

Use your first serve to be more aggressive:

• Power: Hit with more speed and force
• Spin: Add more spin for control
• Placement: Target more challenging areas
• Risk: Accept higher fault rate for better results
• Intimidation: Put pressure on opponent

Second Serve Strategy

Your second serve should prioritize consistency:

• Safety: Ensure ball lands in service box
• Placement: Target safer areas of service box
• Spin: Use spin for control and safety
• Depth: Aim for deeper parts of service box
• Variety: Mix up placement to keep opponent guessing

Serve Selection

Choose your serve type based on the situation:

• Opponent's Weakness: Target their weaker side
• Court Position: Consider opponent's court position
• Score Situation: Adjust aggression based on score
• Previous Serves: Vary from previous serves
• Wind Conditions: Account for wind if playing outdoors

Let Serves

Let serves occur when the ball hits the net but still lands in the correct service box. Understanding when lets occur and how to handle them is important for proper gameplay.

Let Serve Rules

Let serves follow these specific rules:

• Ball must hit the net during serve
• Ball must land in correct service box
• Serve is replayed without penalty
• No limit on number of let serves
• Same server continues serving

When Lets Don't Apply

These situations are not considered let serves:

• Ball hits net and lands out of bounds
• Ball hits net and lands in wrong service box
• Ball hits net and doesn't cross to opponent's side
• Ball hits net during rally (not serve)
• Ball hits net and bounces back to server's side

Handling Let Serves

When a let serve occurs:

• Stop play immediately
• Return to serving position
• Replay the serve
• Don't change serving strategy
• Maintain focus and concentration

Advanced Serving Techniques

Once you master the basic underhand serve, you can develop more advanced techniques to gain strategic advantages over your opponents.

Developing Spin

Adding spin to your serves creates different effects:

• Topspin: Ball bounces higher and faster
• Slice: Ball curves away from opponent
• Backspin: Ball bounces lower and slower
• Side Spin: Ball curves sideways
• Combination: Mix different spins for variety

Serve Variation

Keep opponents guessing with serve variation:

• Change serve placement regularly
• Vary serve speed and power
• Mix different spin types
• Alternate between aggressive and safe serves
• Use opponent's positioning against them