Every sport or game has its own dictionary which includes different words which refer to the different aspects and entities of the game. Pickleball also has its own dictionary that includes several words like ace, dink, bert, kitchen, eme and many more. They all have their specific meaning. So, today we are going to discuss what is an ace in pickleball?
I have been playing Pickleball for more than a decade, so I have a good knowledge about every aspect of pickleball. So, I will be discussing here what is an ace in pickleball, how you can be a perfect ace, tips and techniques to do ace and many more to learn. So, let’s start.
What is an ace in pickleball?
An Ace is such a perfect serve that your opponent can’t hit back or return it to your side of the court. When a player makes such a serve that the ball lands directly in the opponent’s court and the opponent fails to respond to it or hit it back to the other side of the court, then this type of serve is called Ace.
If the game is multiplayer, then also if any player from one side of the court makes such a good serve that all the opponents on the opposite side fail to return it back over the net. Then also, it’s an ace in pickleball.
According to the USA Pickleball Association, each team needs to score 11 points to win the game or need to have 2 points more than the opponent to win the game. So each point in this game is important to win the game. Every ace helps you to score 1 point in pickleball. After ace, the serving side will again get the opportunity to re-serve and hence important in taking the lead in the game.
Different strategies to serve an Ace in Pickleball:
Scoring Ace in Pickleball can help you to make a lead in the game or it can turn the result of the game towards you if the game is too close. And everyone wants to learn the tips and techniques to score more and more aces in the game and make your lead more strong.
There are different serves which you can make your weapon to score an ace and get an easy point like lob serve, power serve, backhand serve, soft short serve, drop serve, angled serve, etc. So, we are here with some techniques that can really help you to score aces in the game:
Lob serving:
In this technique, you have to serve the ball high and it should land on the last part of the opponent’s court so that it becomes difficult for the opponent to return the ball above the net. And here you get an easy ace like this. The trajectory of the pickleball should be high in the shape of the U alphabet.
But, you need to be careful during this shot, because if your serve fails to land deep in the opponent’s court or it fails short near the net area, then the opponent can get an easy chance to score a point against you by smashing the ball on the ground to your side.
Power Serve:
To hit power serve and score an ace, you need strength and good precision in game. To score an ace using power serve, you have to hit the ball hard with your full strength so that your opponent can’t have enough time to respond against it and he miss the ball to return.
In a power hit, you should target to hit the ball in strategic areas of the court like the corners or areas which are a little away from the opponents position. It increases the possibility of an ace as your opponent can’t return the ball over the net.
Drop serve:
In a drop serve, you have to serve the ball short and close to the net from a few centimetres above the net. Drop serve are helpful in making aces against the experienced and advanced players.
In most of the drop serves, the opponent hits the ball into the net while trying to return it to your side. And like this you get an ace and a point.
You must have control over the movements of your paddle to land a successful drop serve. Your intention is to hit the ball at a low bounce with a little movement of the paddle only.
Backhand serve:
You can score an ace if you serve with technique and good precision. This service is delivered with a backhand grip. Your paddle should be a little behind your body to make a backhand serve. It creates sidespin and is helpful in tricking the opponent to score an ace.
Also Read: How much do pickleball referees make?
Challenges in serving an Ace:
When you serve an ace in pickleball, you get a point. But it is not as easy as it looks to you. There are many challenges that you might face while making opportunities to make an ace.
Unlike the tennis court, the court size in pickleball is around one fourth of the tennis court. So, due to the small size of the court, it’s easy for the players to have control all over the court. It is difficult or challenging to find an appropriate area where you can make an opportunity for an ace. You need to hit the ball away from the comfort zone of the opponent.
Also, your movement and physical strength have an important role in serving an Ace. So, you need to work a lot on your skills and mindset to serve a successful ace.
Conclusion:
So, today you learnt what is an Ace in Pickleball and how you can score an ace to score an immediate point. You can expertise in any of the strategies discussed above by practising it and making it your infallible weapon to score a quick point.
It’s time for your friends to know about Ace and learn the strategies to serve an Ace. So, share this article with your pickleball lover friends so that they can also learn and expertise themselves.
If you have anything to ask, then the comment section is open for discussion. Have a nice day ahead!
