The Key To Consistent Serves

Week 49

Welcome back to the Road to Pro Newsletter! Just by opening this issue, you are now automatically eligible to get a free paddle this week. Last week’s winner was Fisher from Florida!

Here’s what I’ve got for you this week:

• Two crucial techniques for consistent serves and drives

• A bonus pro tip for singles players

Now, let's get to it!

Big shoutout to Selkirk for sponsoring this newsletter and making all the paddle giveaways I do possible! They have way more than just paddles though. You should go check out their new Essentials clothing line if you’re in the market for some new pickleball clothes. I’ve basically been living in those clothes on and off the court. Super comfy, look great, really airy and moisture-wicking - I recommend! Here’s the link if you want to check it out → Selkirk Essentials. You can use code INF-Shea at discount for a gift card on a future purchase.

Focus on Deliberation

A powerful and consistent serve is not an accident — it’s a repeatable sequence that you control from the very first movement. It sounds simple in theory, but there are quite a few different techniques that take time to master if you want to start hitting a killer serve. I’ll share two that you can start working on right away.

Start with a controlled backswing.

However you typically serve the ball, it’s crucial to keep your backswing slow, steady, and intentional. I see way too many players rush it or fling their arm back without thinking — and that will never give you consistent contact with the ball, which leads to unpredictable serves you can’t control. But if you focus on a deliberate, controlled backswing, you’ll set the stage for repeating a successful serve the same way every time.

I can’t stress this enough - consistency is everything.

Engage your hips — every time.

Your hips are the secret weapon in your serve. Unless you’re the rare exception, every player wants to hit a powerful serve. When you keep your knees bent and get your hips involved in the motion of your serve, that’s where real power comes from.

As you move your paddle backward, think about coiling your hips back like a spring. Most pros lead their backswing with their elbow, bringing it slightly behind their body, while their hips twist back in sync. That gentle coil lets you twist forward and transfer power from your body into your serve, making it far more powerful than just using your arm.

Imagine a rubber band — pull it back to create tension, then release and let it snap forward.

Clean technique = consistent results.

If your serves are incredibly inconsistent (which usually happens below the 4.0 level), it’s not a fluke—it’s mechanical. In general, a lack of controlled movement is one of the primary reasons people can’t rely on their serves (or really any shot for that matter). So slow things down, focus on your form, and give your serve the attention it deserves.

And honestly, you can apply these same techniques in a very similar way on your drives. You don’t want to be flinging back your arm before you hit a drive. Just like with your serves, your backswing needs to be controlled and steady, otherwise your drives are always going to be a hit or miss. You also need to get your hips engaged on your drives for the same reason you do on your serves - you create more power when you use your entire body, than if you were only to use your arm.

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If you want to start working a killer serve, you can also go watch my recent YouTube video where I give you absolutely everything I know about hitting incredible serves.👇

Bonus Tip for Singles Players

For those of you who play a lot of singles, especially if you’re playing in tournaments, I want to share a reliable and easy strategy that 5.0 to pro-level players take advantage of. The strategy is this: If you’re returning the ball, return deep to the middle of the court and move up to the net. When you return deep, it gives you time to reach the kitchen before your opponent makes contact with the ball. And when you aim for the middle, your opponent has less angles to hit from, meaning the shots they hit you from that spot are going to be easier to return. You’re basically forcing them to hit the perfect shot if they want to win the point off their return; otherwise, you’ve put them in a defensive position with you on the attack at the net.

This strategy is specifically good to keep in mind when your opponents are players coming from tennis. Tennis players’ drives in pickleball are usually so good, they are hard to defend for long. So, if you take away some of their shot options, you put yourself in a really good position to win more points.

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