Welcome back to the 30-Day Pickleball Serving Challenge! We’re already on Day 6, and today, the Z Sisters are excited to introduce you to a serve that can truly disrupt your opponent’s game and add a layer of strategic brilliance to your arsenal: the 2-Bounce Drop Serve.
2-Bounce Drop Serve
You might be thinking, a two-bounce serve? Is that even legal? Absolutely! In fact, this often-underutilized serve can be a surprisingly effective tactic to throw off your opponents and gain a crucial advantage. Join us as we delve into the mechanics and strategic benefits of the 2-bounce drop serve, and learn how you can incorporate it into your pickleball repertoire.
As Carrie Z demonstrates in today’s video, the beauty of the drop serve lies in its simplicity and its inherent unpredictability. Unlike a traditional volley serve where you release the ball and hit in the air, the drop serve requires you to do exactly that – drop the ball and strike it after it has bounced. For today’s variation, we’re focusing on letting it bounce not once, but twice!
“This serve is really fun to hit and see the opponents look of WHAT IS THAT? on there faces!” CARRIE Z
The Mechanics of the 2-Bounce Drop Serve
The fundamental principle of the drop serve is that you must release the ball from your hand without any upward or downward propulsion. Think of simply opening your hand and letting gravity do its work. Here’s a breakdown of the key elements:
- The Drop, Not the Toss: This is crucial. The rules explicitly state that you cannot throw the ball up or propel it downwards. A clean drop ensures a legal serve. You can have your hand held high and simply release, or start with your hand lower and let the ball fall naturally.
- The Double Bounce: This is where the magic happens. Allow the ball to bounce once, and then a second time before making contact with your paddle. The lower trajectory resulting from the second bounce can catch your opponent off guard.
- The Strike: Because the ball is so low after two bounces, you’ll naturally need to get underneath it and lift your paddle through the point of contact. This will help you generate the necessary height to clear the net.
- Foot Placement: Just like any serve, remember the golden foot fault rule: your feet must remain behind the baseline until after you’ve made contact with the ball. You can move your feet after the serve.
- Where Can It Bounce? The great thing about the drop serve is that the ball can bounce on either side of the baseline as long as your feet are behind the baseline. This opens up interesting strategic possibilities.
Strategic Advantages of the 2-Bounce Drop Serve
So, why add this seemingly unusual serve to your game? Here are some key strategic benefits:
- Disrupting Opponent Timing: This is the primary advantage. Opponents are accustomed to the rhythm of a traditional serve with a single bounce. The extra bounce throws off their anticipation of when the ball will be struck, potentially leading to rushed returns or errors.
- Lower Trajectory: The second bounce results in a very low trajectory over the net. This can be particularly effective against opponents who prefer higher serves and struggle with bending low to return the ball.
- Unpredictability: Because the two-bounce drop serve isn’t as common, your opponents may not be as practiced in returning it. This element of surprise can give you a significant edge.
- Generating Different Angles: Experiment with where you let the ball bounce. A bounce closer to the sideline can create a wider angle, while a bounce closer to the center can set up a more direct shot.
- A Change of Pace: Incorporating the 2-bounce drop serve keeps your opponents guessing. Mixing up your serves makes it harder for them to anticipate your strategy.
See the One Bounce Drop Serve in Action here!
Today’s Pickleball Serving Challenge
Ready to try this tricky serve? Today’s challenge from the Z Sisters is:
- 10 serves with a 2-bounce drop serve on your right-hand side.
- 10 serves with a 2-bounce drop serve on your left-hand side.
Focus on the clean drop, the two distinct bounces, and getting under the ball to lift it over the net. Don’t worry if it feels awkward at first – practice makes perfect!
As Carrie Z mentions in the video, tricking your opponent can be half the fun! The 2-bounce drop serve is a fantastic way to introduce that element of surprise into your game. Don’t forget to check out Carrie’s Corner on Z Sisters Pickleball Website here!
Catch Up on the 30-Day Serving Challenge
Missed the previous days videos? No worries! You can catch up here:
- Day 1 – Find Success With Our Pickleball Serving Challenge DAY 1
- Day 2 – The 30 Day Pickleball Serving Challenge Will Help You! Day 2
- Day 3 – Master the Pickleball Lob Serve in 3 Minutes
- Day 4 – How to Practice Pickleball ANYWHERE Without a Court?
- Day 5 – Free Throw Pickleball Serves – Silly Fun
Comment Below!
We encourage you to try the 2-bounce drop serve today and let us know in the comments how it goes! Did you surprise your practice partner? What challenges did you encounter? We love hearing about your progress! Keep practicing, keep experimenting, and most importantly, keep having fun on the pickleball court! #zsisterspickleball #pickleball #pickleballserve #dropserve #2bouncedropserve #pickleballservingchallenge
