The return of serve doesn’t get as much attention as the third shot drop or the dink game, but it might be the highest-leverage shot in pickleball for developing players to get right.

The reason is simple: a good return of serve puts the serving team under immediate pressure. A bad return of serve hands the serving team an easy setup. Since every point involves a return of serve, getting it consistently right compounds across an entire match.

I see players at all levels leave points on the table by not thinking about their return. This is how to use it properly.

The Goal of the Return

The return of serve has one primary job: get the ball deep and buy your team time to get to the kitchen.

After you return, you and your partner should be moving to the non-volley zone. The return buys you the time to get there. A deep, well-placed return lands near the baseline, giving the serving team less time and worse positioning for their third shot. A short, weak return gives the serving team an easy setup from mid-court.

Secondary goals: keep the ball low (harder to attack), aim toward the backhand side when possible, and don’t give up an easy drivable ball.

Where to Aim

Deep is the priority

Aim for the back third of the court, within two to three feet of the baseline. Deep returns force the serving team to hit their third shot from as far back as possible, making the third shot drop harder to execute.

Most return errors happen because players aim too conservatively, targeting the middle of the court “to be safe.” The middle of the court is not safe; it’s an easy setup. Deep is safer than you think because the court is longer than most beginners feel.

The backhand side

If you can hit the return to the opponent’s backhand side, do it. Most players are less comfortable with their backhand and the return to the backhand makes the third shot drop harder to execute cleanly.

This doesn’t mean sacrificing depth for angle. Depth first, then directional preference.

Down the middle in doubles

A return that splits the two opponents, aimed down the middle, creates the same communication doubt that works in the kitchen game. Who takes it? If they hesitate, you gain the advantage.

Down-the-middle returns also travel through a lower part of the net (the net is lower at the centre than at the sides) and have more margin for error.

The Technique

Position

Stand a step behind the baseline when receiving. This gives you more time to read the serve and more court to step into on contact. Many beginners stand too close to the baseline and find themselves cramped on deep serves.

After you hit the return, you’re moving forward, so starting slightly back gives you room to step through the shot and begin your advance to the kitchen.

Swing

The return doesn’t need to be a winner. It needs to be consistent and deep. A controlled, reliable swing is better than an aggressive swing that produces errors. Think of the same compact swing you’d use on a controlled rally groundstroke, not a full-power drive.

Moving after the return

This is where many players lose the point before it even starts: they hit the return and stand and watch it. You should be moving toward the kitchen as soon as the ball leaves your paddle.

Your partner should already be at or near the kitchen line (the receiving team doesn’t have the two-bounce rule restriction on their second shot). You’re the one who needs to close the gap. Commit to moving forward. The return and the forward movement happen together.

Return Variations

The drive return

Sometimes a hard, flat return is the right play, particularly if the serve is weak or short and the serving team hasn’t had time to set up position. Drive it deep and hard at the server’s body or feet. This can put the serving team on the back foot immediately.

Don’t use the drive return as a default, though. Hard returns are easier to handle for experienced servers who are expecting them. Mixing pace keeps opponents off-balance.

The lob return

Used sparingly, a high deep lob return can catch the serving team off guard, particularly if one or both opponents have begun moving forward before you’ve hit the return. The lob lands deep, pins them at the baseline, and buys your team easy kitchen time.

The risk: if the lob is too short, it’s attackable. Reserve the lob return for moments when you see both opponents leaning forward.

Soft returns

Against servers who are clearly moving forward aggressively after the serve, a soft angled return can catch them at the transition zone: not at the baseline, not at the kitchen, but stuck in no-man’s land. This is an advanced play but effective when read correctly.

Common Mistakes

Returning short. The most common error. Aim deeper than feels comfortable until “deep” becomes your default.

Not moving after the return. Hit and move, every time. Even if the return isn’t perfect, you’re in a worse position standing at the baseline than moving forward.

Going for too much. The return doesn’t win points. It sets them up. A consistent, deep, controlled return is better than an aggressive return that goes wide or in the net.

Ignoring the score. At key moments (serving to stay in the game, up in a close match), the return strategy might change. High-stakes returns should be your most conservative: depth over everything.

Putting It Together

The perfect return pattern is: ball deep to the backhand, you moving to the kitchen as it travels, arriving at the line in a neutral or advantaged position. That sequence, repeated consistently, makes you very hard to play against.

Start with consistency: deep and in. Once that’s automatic, add directional variation. Once that’s automatic, add pace variation. Build it layer by layer.

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Playing better starts with thinking more deliberately. Gear matters too: the DINQ paddle gives you the feedback to know where your returns are going.