Zane Navratil Pickleball Serve Secrets: Professional pickleball player Zane Navratil explained how to build a stronger serve during a training session that focused on risk, technique, and control. Navratil demonstrated ways to add spin and depth to the serve to keep opponents back and gain an early advantage in rallies.
Accepting Risk to Gain Power
Zane Navratil said players should not aim to make every serve. “If you’re making 100% of your serves, you need to take on more risk. You should never make 100% of your serves. That’s my mindset. I’m okay with missing,” he explained. He added that depth is the top goal, saying, “If I can get this ball to land in the back six feet of the court, it accomplishes my objective of keeping my opponent back and getting me an easier third shot as a result of it.”
Navratil shared that he is fine missing about 5% of serves in doubles and up to 10% in singles. “Never miss in the net,” he said. “If I miss in the net, I wasn’t even close. Missing wide doesn’t do a tremendous amount for us… If I’m going to miss, I’m going to miss my serve deep.”
Grip and Contact Tips
For a strong topspin serve, Zane Navratil uses a semi-western grip. “The first step is throwing your paddle on the ground. Now, we’re going to put our hand on top of the paddle just like this and pick it up,” he said. This grip allows players to “brush off of the back of the ball, get a little bit more height on our serve, and get a little bit more depth.”
He noted that a continental grip works for flat serves but is harder for heavy spin. Navratil stressed making contact in front of the body: “I want to be meeting the ball out in front… I’m actually going to load in the back leg and then go get the ball out in front of me here.”
Mixing Serves to Keep Rivals Guessing
Zane Navratil encouraged using two types of serves. “Pro players are throwing in two different types of serves. They’ll throw in the harder flatter serve like that and they’ll throw in a loopier sort of deeper serve so that your opponent can’t get a rhythm off of your serve,” he said. The higher serve makes it tougher for opponents to move forward, giving the server a better chance to control the next shot.
He explained how to adjust the toss and hip angle for a higher arc. “I’m going to angle my hips slightly upwards to get a little bit more arc on this ball,” Navratil said. Players should still move their weight forward while creating spin.
Staying Confident Under Pressure
In tight moments, Zane Navratil relies on his usual strategy. “My mindset is do what got me here,” he said. “There have been matches in pro singles or pro doubles where I’ve missed serves on match points and lost those matches. Does it suck? Of course. But it’s the way that I’m going to play… When 10–10 comes around, you got to trust what got you there.”
Navratil believes sticking to a consistent plan is key. “I fear the regret of not going for it more than I fear the failure of I missed my shot even though I went for it,” he added.
Why It Matters
Zane Navratil’s method shows that serving is not just about starting the point but about setting up the next shot. His focus on depth, spin, and variety can help players of all levels create pressure and win more points by keeping opponents away from the kitchen line.
News in Brief: Zane Navratil Pickleball Serve Secrets
Pro Zane Navratil revealed how to serve big in pickleball. He urged players to accept misses, aim deep, and mix flat and spin serves. His tips on grip, contact, and stance help create power and variety, giving servers an edge and making it harder for rivals to reach the kitchen.
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