pickleball glossary
What is a Drop serve in Pickleball?
A drop serve is a pickleball serve hit after the ball bounces (rather than hit out of the air). Allows the server to use any swing motion (overhead, sidearm) instead of being restricted to underhand. Made legal in 2021.
Example in a match
You bounce the ball, let it drop and bounce, then hit it with a sidearm motion. Drop serve.
Pickleball scoring with Volley
Volley scores pickleball with all the standard rules built in. Pick the sport at match setup, name your sides, and tap to score. Volley applies the rules from there — including the ones that involve "Drop serve".
Free on iOS and Android. Multi-sport scoring across 9 sports with proper sport-specific scoring engines, ELO rating tracking, and tournament running.
Frequently asked questions
What is a drop serve in pickleball?
A drop serve is a pickleball serve hit after the ball bounces (rather than hit out of the air). Allows the server to use any swing motion (overhead, sidearm) instead of being restricted to underhand. Made legal in 2021.
Does Volley handle drop serve automatically?
Yes. Volley's pickleball scoring engine handles every standard rule including drop serve. You don't have to track it manually — pick the sport at match setup and Volley applies the rules.
Where can I learn more pickleball terms?
The full Pickleball glossary is at /pickleball-terms-glossary, with 20 of the most common terms explained.