Every point in padel starts with a serve. Unlike tennis, the padel serve is played underhand, not overhead. So what is the correct technique for the padel serve? Below are three simple steps to help you learn how to serve in padel.
1. Starting position for the serve
How should you position yourself on the court to serve correctly? Before serving, make sure you are standing behind the service line and aiming diagonally into the opponents’ service box. For right-handed players, the left foot should be slightly in front of the right foot, and the opposite applies for left-handed players. The grip used is the same as for most padel shots: the continental grip, also known as the hammer grip.
2. Serve motion and contact point
Embed from Getty ImagesTo execute the padel serve, start with the racket slightly behind you and around head height, while the hand holding the ball is positioned in front at shoulder height. The ball is not tossed upward, but simply dropped in front of you, from the side of the opposite foot. The contact point with the ball should be around waist height.
3. Follow-through
After contact, the racket continues its motion and finishes high, near the opposite shoulder. The back foot should remain relaxed and not fixed to the ground, allowing rotation and proper weight transfer. To add even more weight and pressure to your serve, you can move slightly forward after contact or follow the serve by coming up to the net.