Serving

When serving, the server must be behind the baseline on one side of the center line and serve the ball to the opponent's diagonally opposite service court. Two types of serves are permitted, a volley serve or a drop serve.

• Volley serve: When the server's paddle strikes a ball without the ball contacting the ground, it must be served with an underarm stroke so that contact with the ball is made below the waist in an upward arc, and the highest point on the paddle head must be below the wrist. In 2022, the USAPA announced a rule change that became effective in 2023: imparting spin onto the ball during its release from the hand (known as the 'spin serve') was banned.
• Drop serve: When a ball is dropped to the ground and allowed to bounce before the server's paddle strikes it, the ball cannot be tossed or impelled by the server in any way. The ball can bounce more than once before being hit, and unlike the volley serve, there are no restrictions on how the player must hit the ball.