INSTRUCTION
How to Hit an Effective Slice Serve
A
good slice serve begins with an understanding of the purpose for the serve in the first place . What is your objective ? You want to force your opponent to have to adjust . Rather than letting him just set up and hit a clean return , you want him to have to move his feet and get low for the return . You want your opponent to be off guard . You want him to have to hit the ball with an upward trajectory ; your slice serve has dug into the surface so that he has to lift his return . And you want variation in your serve toolbox . Since good footwork is the key to good pickleball , you want to make your opponent take an extra step and bend a bit lower . He has to fine-tune rather than “ routine ” the return .
The mistake so many players make is that they see the slice as a chop . It is not a chop ; it is a peel . When you watch a good player serve , you tend to see the downward movement of his arm . But , instead , watch for a fluid cupping of the ball .
By Alice Tym
To learn a good slice serve , begin with Step 1 : The Stance . Because the slice is a fluid motion , you want to line up with your left shoulder and left hip pointed toward the spot where you want to serve . Point your left foot at the spot . Think linear . You are serving in a straight line . Use this stance for all of your serves — lob serve , drive serve , topspin serve , etc . so that you do not telegraph your slice .
Next , Step 2 : The Delivery . You want to have a consistent ball delivery to your paddle , i . e ., the toss . Consistency is augmented by keeping your head down and watching the ball hit the paddle . Maintain a consistent stance and ball delivery . If you do a drop serve , avoid dropping the ball all over the place . You want the ball to hit the same spot on the paddle every time . If you jerk your head up to see where the serve is going , you will shank the ball . The precision of the delivery depends on your watching the moment of impact .
The Stance . Here Vic Vosen is lined up like an archer . His feet , hips , shoulders , and arms are pointing in the direction that he is going to deliver an arrow or a serve .
The Delivery . Vic Vosen has his head down , watching the ball in preparation to contact the ball at the same spot on the paddle every time .