Pickleball Game Plan
Foundations · Skill 3 of 8

Return of Serve

The return is the receiving team's free ticket to the kitchen line; a deep return keeps the servers back and buys you time to get forward.

Think about this while you play

  • Return deep and down the middle; depth beats pace.
  • Compact swing, then start walking forward right away.
  • Be split-stepped at the kitchen line before their third shot.

Where to stand and aim

DeepWalk inYou
Return deep and down the middle, then walk in to the kitchen line before their third shot.Your team Opponents Shot Move

In the app

For subscribers

The Return Ladder Challenge drill, a 10-minute warm-up, and a challenge you can count in your next open play, so you know when you've got it.

Practice it, don't just read it

Pickleball Game Plan gives you one skill at a time with a drill, a warm-up and a challenge you can count, plus gym and match-day plans.

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