Padel Serving Guide – Learn The Serve Rules

Mastering the art of serving in Padel is a great strategy for improving the game. A good serve improves your chances of winning. But whether you land an initial win or not, your padel serving should boost your momentum and give you the courage to take advantage of the entire game. 

Ready to learn about the different types of padel serving, the rules, and important tips? Read on to discover these and more.

Padel Serve Rules

There are basic padel serve rules that can enhance your performance whether you’re a newbie or a passionate player of the sport. Below, we’ve described the major rules for serving

Serve Position

You must stand behind the right service line which is in between the centre line and the back wall and remain in position till the serving ends. Ensure to place at least a foot or both on the ground while serving. You must not move across the service line during a padel serve. However, you are permitted to have contact with the ball irrespective of its position.

Serve Height

A valid padel serve height is basically at the underarm level. While serving, ensure you hit the ball when it is directly at or below your waist height.

Legal Serve

To ensure your serve is legal, the ball must bounce once, and then aim diagonally into your opponent’s service box. Your receiving opponent must be ready to receive the ball before you serve. The ball must bounce first in the service boxbefore hitting against the wall.  A serve is also legal if your ball hits the net and then bounces in the service box before hitting against the wall. This event is referred to as a `LET’.

Illegal Serve 

An illegal padel serve occurs if the ball hits either you or your teammate, or lands outside the service box. If you miss the ball while serving or the ball hits the net and lands back into your box, serving is said to be wrong. Padel serving may also be considered illegal if you do not serve the ball diagonally.

Repetitive Serve

If you are serving the game for your team, you’ll be given two attempts. You receive a second chance to serve if a let occurs during the first serve. For instance, serving when your opponent or the receiver is not yet prepared. Also, you get a second serve if the ball hits the net before landing into your opponent’s service box. However, your team loses its points to the opponent if the second serve goes wrong while your opponent becomes the server.

Substitute Serve

Players in a team can take turns in padel serving. If there are two in a team, both players will decide who serves first. From then, each player takes turns to serve in every round. If the wrong player mistakenly serves, the one who should rightly serve takes over immediately after the error is detected.

Serve Return 

The Padel serve return rules are specifically for the receiving team. At the start of the game round, the receiving team selects a team member who will receive the ball from the server. Once the ball is served, the receiver quickly strikes the ball to prevent it from bouncing a second time. The server lands a win if a double bounce occurs before the receiver strikes it back.

Types of Padel Serving

Various types of padel serving exist based on each player’s preference. The type you choose to employ depends on what you wish to achieve and each one comes with different strategies. Here are the different types of serving.

Slice ServePadel

The padel slice serve type involves brushing the surface of the paddle over the back of the ball. This makes the ball spin a little then curve and bounce while changing its direction. The slice serve can be a bit dicey as it makes it difficult for your opponent to decide the area from which the ball comes. Hence, returning the ball becomes a challenge due to the speed involved. 

Backhand Serve Padel

The backhand serve is mostly incorporated by professional padel players. To use this technique, stand by the side of the ball and take the paddle back over your shoulder before you hit to help you swing fully. This padel serving type is best done at the left-hand side of the court especially if you are a right-handed player. This is because it takes the ball closer to the glass wall.

Short Serve Padel

If you’re doing the short serve, all you have to do is hit the ball gently and straight away into your opponent’s service court. By doing so, the ball does not bounce repeatedly making it difficult for your opponent to land a return. It is considered the best serve in padel for every first serving.

Straight Serve Padel

The straight serve in padel is mostly incorporated into a second serve. It is done with all caution, less speed, and a sense of safety. Since you do not want to miss this serve, you need to hold the paddle firmly, aim directly, and strike straight into your opponent’s box.

Lofted Serve Padel

The lofted padel serve may come as a shock to your opponent. This is because the ball is shot so high and descends with a large bounce on the wall. And so, the serving becomes unpredictable making it hard for your opponent to land a successful return.

Tips for an Effective Padel Serve

Here are key tips to help you serve rightly and effectively.

• Firmly hold the paddle on your preferred hand to take control and ensure direct aiming.
• Your grip should be at the center of the paddle.
• Stand in a slanted position while facing the net.
• Ensure the ball is standing at your front.
• Do not be too fast while serving. The slower, the better.
• Aim for the glass so that while the ball bounces you’ll have enough time to get closer to the net.
• Ensure to avoid serving wrongly on your second attempt.

Professional Padel Players with Great Serving

If you’re ready to serve like a pro, here are some professional players with great serving you can look up to.

Juan Martin Diaz

Juan Martin Diaz is a renowned professional padel player with an exceptional serving skill. He has garnered many titles, partnered with fellow top players in the field, and bagged numerous awards over the years. He has ranked number one in the World Padel Tour for 14years in a row. With his excellent serving style, Juan has mastered the use of the service court.

Alejandro Galán

Alejandro Galán has a unique serving skill which makes him stick to the padel serve height rule even when he prepares his movement from behind. He knows how well to exert much strength while striking the ball. Even while serving with great speed, he still manages to keep it low. 

Juan Lebrón

Another player with great serving strategy is Juan Lebrón who always takes advantage of the game through his speed and stability. Having hailed from Spain, he was recognized as the most influential sports personality in the country. Juan begins his shot by stepping away from the service line, throwing the ball to the front, and moving forward for a hit. This gives him the chance to reach for the net in time. 

Maxi Sanchez

Maxi Sanchez, an Argentine is a great force in the padel world having bagged several awards and titles over the years. His unusual speed, strength, and striking patterns put him at the top of his game. Maxi exercises great tactics which he uses to undo his opponents. 

Bea González

Bea González is a professional female server who has participated in various premier padel tournaments. Having played 64 matches, won 54, and lost 10, she has had 19 consecutive wins. Bea González gets her opponent confused through her heavy spin. She starts on both feet but ends with a foot, usually her right in the air. 

Fernando Belasteguín

Renowned for his unmatched playing style which has brought him many titles and awards, Fernando is a very successful padel player. He mostly plays the backhand serve and does his servings from the left-hand side position of the service court. Fernando has played 87 matches, won 56 of them, lost 31, and earned 9 consecutive wins. 

Padel Serving – Don’t be tempted to take with levity

Padel serving is a neglected aspect of the sport. Most newbies concentrate on learning the actual game-play than the serve. In the long run, they become confused on the right strategies to employ while serving.

The serve is a major aspect of the sport as it sets the stage for the game and initiates your points. Understanding padel serving gives you ideas on how and where to aim your ball and the specific type of serve to employ at every stage. 

Constantly practicing serving enhances your skills and your overall gaming ability. Ensure you put to effective use the different rules and techniques of the sport. Furthermore, be sure to employ the various serving techniques in the actual game as it helps you master the serving strategies for an improved performance.