Where to Stand in Pickleball

Even though I’ve played pickleball now for over 7 years, I’m still learning the nuances of the game, even simple things like where to stand in pickleball can make a huge difference. Here’s what I’ve learned about where to stand and how it has helped me learn the game faster.

I’m going to break this article up into four sections based on the most common places to stand in pickleball. First, we’ll get into standing at the baseline and discuss where to stand in a game of pickleball when you’re serving, receiving the serve, and receiving the return of serve.

Then, we’ll cover where to stand at the kitchen line. Being in the right spot at the net can maximize your opportunity to put away winners at the net.

Where To Stand As The Serving Team

Let’s start with the serving team.

First, pick a good diagonal cross-court position. This will allow your serve to hit beyond the kitchen line and land in bounds. The best place to stand is beyond your baseline, anywhere within your serving quadrant. This can be in the middle of your serving quadrant, towards the left corner, or the right corner.

As long as you’re behind the baseline and not in your partner’s quadrant, you’re good to go.

Most players, tend to choose a serving spot somewhere in the middle without hugging the corners too much. You rarely see an advanced player serving tight from one corner.

How close to the baseline should you get when serving? Well, that’s a player preference. I like to hug the baseline because I want every advantage I can get. This allows me to blast a deep serve with a consistent swing and follow through every time.

If I’m too far behind the baseline, my serve becomes too inconsistent. When I’m too close, I risk a foot fault by crossing over the baseline. That’s an unforced error that is easy to avoid.

Serving Team – Footwork

When serving, experts recommend not standing with both feet parallel and shoulder width apart.

Instead, your dominant foot (same side as your serving hand) should be back. Your other foot should be up at the baseline in a comfortable spot.

Since I’m right-handed, I keep my right foot back and my left foot up towards the baseline. See the pic above for a perfect example.

Other Content You Might Like: Looking to upgrade your paddle? Check out which one is my absolute favorite after play-testing over 20 paddles!

Where To Stand As The Server’s Partner

If I’m the server’s partner, where should I be standing?

In this situation, I’m also going to be standing on the baseline, in the quadrant next to the server. But since I am not the server, I can have my feet right on the baseline – touching it or even a little in front of it on the court.

I technically can be anywhere but, it’s in my best interest to be back because the return of serve must bounce. For more on the two-bounce rule, click here.

As the server’s partner, don’t cheat up too much. Watch the return team’s return shots. If they’re always deep, stay back with your partner and don’t creep up too much.

More Serving Team Positioning Tips

If the return team isn’t hitting deep returns, you can move up a little and have your feet standing on the baseline or even closer if it feels comfortable.

Be careful here though. If my partner serves, and I as the teammate am too close to the kitchen line, I’ve become a target for the return team because I haven’t given myself enough room for the shot to bounce.

If I don’t let a blasted shot bounce, I’m out of position, giving my opponent the edge. Again, eliminate those unforced errors.

Either way, always give yourself enough room to move forward to attack a return of serve shot. It’s always easier to move forward toward a ball than to have to move backward on it.

If you’re having to back up to get to a return of serve, you’ve positioned yourself too far up the court. Move back and allow yourself time to charge the ball moving forward.

This allows for a much more natural swing mechanic and even allows you to hit a ball more aggressively with some top spin behind it.

In short, the serving team should be standing back behind the baseline and adjust accordingly based on how deep the return team’s shots are.

Quick Tip: If you’re on the serving team, regardless of whether you served or not…stay back. Expect a deep return back to the baseline. If your weight and momentum are propelling you forward to hit the third shot, you’re in position. If you’re moving backward, you’re out of position.

Where To Stand In Pickleball – The Return Team

Let’s move on to the subject of where to stand in pickleball when you’re on the return team.

If you are opposite the server, the place to stand is approximately one to two feet behind the baseline. This gives you ample room to approach a ball hit shallow but also enough room to still get behind a serve that is hit deep.

When I’m returning the serve, I like to stand so that I set up my forehand and minimize the need for my backhand because it’s just not as consistent. To do this, I simply stand off to the left or off to the right depending on which side the serve is coming from.

How far back should you stand as a returner? Well, the serving team is going to try to pepper that baseline you’re standing by…so give yourself room to adjust without having to carry your momentum backward.

Remember, hitting a ball on point when your momentum is traveling in reverse is a LOT more difficult. And even if you did manage to keep the ball in play and hit the ball back to the server, you might be an attackable ball. Which is not good.

More Return Team Positioning Tips

I typically stand two feet off the baseline and as a former tennis player, I love the feeling of running up on a short serve and blasting it back at my opponent with some low to high topspin.

I simply can’t do that when I’m positioned inside the baseline and don’t give myself enough room.

As far as footwork is concerned, keep it simple. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, on the balls of your feet with your paddle gripped firmly in your dominant hand in the middle of your body.

This is the ideal “pickleball ready” position.

I also like to have my other hand softly on the paddle handle, for a double grip tailor-made for any type of hit thrown at me.

Where To Stand As The Return Team’s Partner

Where do you stand if you’re on the return team but not being served to? The most common place to stand as the return team’s partner is up at the no-volley zone.

Remember, as the return team, you only have to let the serve bounce. That’s the only shot on your side of the net that needs to bounce. So, the return team can get to the net first.

If you’re on the return team but not being served to, you might as well be standing in the ready position – at the kitchen line.

You’re the first one at the net. So take advantage of it. Be ready to put away any weak third shot hit your way.

Where To Stand In Pickleball – Receiving The Return of Serve aka “The Third Shot”

Now we’re back to the serving team and you’re getting ready to hit the return team’s shot coming back at you…also known as the “third shot.”

When you’re hitting the third shot in pickleball, where should you stand? Because the ball has to bounce, you and your partner should still stay back near the baseline.

Even if you’re playing singles, this rule still applies. Stay back at the baseline and expect a deep shot back from the returner.

But where exactly on the baseline should you stand?

Well, your court position here is going to mimic that of the return team playing the serve. You’ll want to be at the baseline, give or take a few feet.

Again, give yourself some extra room and stay at the baseline. I tend to stand directly on the baseline or even hedge a little closer.

Players hit return of serve shots deep, but rarely as deep as a serve. So expect the ball to land in front of the baseline but give yourself room to adjust.

Standing near the baseline, on the balls of your feet, shoulder width apart ready to move laterally is the best place to be. Now, you’re in the position to hit the third shot drop.

Where To Stand In Pickleball When Dinking At The Net

For doubles play, this is relatively self-explanatory. You and your partner should be standing right at the kitchen line, in the center of your quadrant of the court, ready to cover all angles for drop shots.

You also need to be ready for now popular “drive shot” hit at you. These are the opposite of drop shots and tend to be ripped right at you.

I wrote a super helpful article on what a volley technically is and all the different types of volleys in pickleball here.

For positioning at the kitchen line and footwork, again stand on the balls of your feet with your feet shoulder-width apart.

Be ready to step forward into the no-volley zone when the ball bounces in the kitchen.

If the ball is hit to your left, step with your right foot and make your left foot your pivot foot. If the ball is hit to your right, step with your left foot and use your right foot as your pivot foot.

This allows you to cover more ground in a shorter period.

For simple tips on how to dominate at the net, click here.

If you’re playing doubles and prefer a specific side of the court; it is legal to switch sides with your partner and get to your desired spot on the court.

If you’re right-handed and your partner is left-handed, aim to play on the court’s left side, with your partner on the right.

This allows you each to cover the middle of the court with your dominant hands and maximize your best shot – the forehand. This is called “two forehands down the middle”.

Switching sides with your partner mid-point, is an advanced strategy called “stacking,” which I’ll cover in the section below.

Doubles Pickleball vs Singles Pickleball 

Where you stand on a pickleball court will vary depending on if you’re playing singles or doubles.  I outlined above, from start to finish, a common point seen in doubles pickleball.  But, it will be a little different for singles pickleball.

The strategy and positioning are going to be slightly different in a singles game.  Do you stand anywhere you want in singles pickleball because you have no partner?  No.  There is much more strategy than that.  

A game of singles pickleball is played more at the baseline than a game of doubles pickleball. Being in the right position is even more crucial in singles pickleball.  As is knowing when to move up to kitchen line.

The non-serving player in a singles game may choose to stay back at the baseline longer.  This allows players to cover more areas on the court running forward.  Versus having to cover ground backpedaling. And, this keeps more of the court wide open to attack the ball.

Advanced Strategies For Where To Stand In Pickleball – Stacking

What many new players don’t realize is that the only two players on the court that must stand in a specific spot during a game of pickleball are, the server and the returner.

Anyone else, on both sides of the net, can stand wherever they’d like. They can even stand out of bounds.

If you want to know the ins and outs of stacking, check my complete guide here.

For this article, I’ve given a brief example of where to stand in pickleball when you’re attempting to stack and get to your optimal on-court position.

If you’re the partner to the server and the server is serving from the right side, which just so happens to be where you’re at your best, you can stand to the right of your partner just outside of his or her swing range and wait.

Yep, you’re waiting out of bounds right by your partner.

Once your partner has served, he or she would move over to the left quadrant (left empty by you) and then you would shift into the right quadrant where they started.

Now each player has their desired side in place despite the server starting from a fixed point on the court.

You and the server both “stacked” on the right-hand side of the court, a strategy known as stacking.

The same rules apply regardless of the serving side. You can stack on either side and position yourself immediately after serving the ball.

Be careful though, if you are stacking and need to shift to an open area on the court, do it quickly so your opponent doesn’t have an open alley to hit to.

Can The Return Team Stack?

Yes, the return team can stack. Here’s how it works.

First, the designated returner must return the serve. The rule book says the server must serve each opponent equally.

So, the stacking or shifting of players cannot happen until the proper returner hits the serve back over the net. Once this has happened the return team can shift positions.

So, when stacking as a return team, where do you stand?

Well, the returner is going to stand behind the baseline like we’ve outlined above (one to two feet off the baseline) while their partner is going to stand off of the court at the kitchen line but on their partner’s side.

If the serve goes right, the returner stays at the baseline, while their partner stands off-court near the kitchen line. After returning the serve, the return player quickly moves diagonally to the left’s vacant kitchen line spot.

We see this all the time in tournament play but if you’re still learning the game, don’t worry about it. Learn the main on-court positions first, and attack advanced strategies like stacking; later.

Where To Stand In Pickleball – Final Thoughts

In closing, the two most common spots to stand in pickleball are the baseline and the no-volley zone or “kitchen line.” Mastering when to stay and when to move from those spots can make the difference between winning and losing a point.

When serving, both players will be standing at the baseline until the first two shots have bounced. Then they can get to the net. When returning, one player is back at the baseline and one player is already up at the net.

Master the little nuances of where to stand in a game of pickleball and you’ll quickly improve your game. Which in the end, always makes pickleball more fun. Good luck!

Pickleball Positioning: Other FAQs

Q: What is the non-volley zone in pickleball?

A: The non-volley zone, often referred to as the NVZ, is a seven-foot area on either side of the net where players are not allowed to hit the ball out of the air without letting it bounce first.

Q: How does positioning in pickleball differ between singles and doubles play?

A: In doubles play, both players stand on the same side of the court and are responsible for covering specific areas, while in singles play, the player covers the entire court alone.

Q: Can you explain the “stack” strategy in pickleball positioning?

A: The “stack” strategy in pickleball positioning refers to when both players on a team stand on the same side of the court, typically used to allow one player to dominate the middle area.

Q: What are the recommended pickleball court positions for the serving and receiving teams?

A: The serving team is required to stand in the correct service court, while the non-serving team should position themselves close to the centerline to return the serve effectively.

Q: How should players position themselves when near the non-volley zone line in pickleball?

A: Players should avoid stepping into the non-volley zone when hitting the ball, ensuring they maintain the appropriate distance from the net.

Q: What are some key pickleball rules regarding player positioning on the court?

A: Players are required to stand in the correct service court based on the score, avoid stepping into the non-volley zone except after hitting a bounce, and positions should be adjusted based on whether the team is serving or receiving.

Q: How can players improve their positioning and strategy in pickleball?

A: By understanding the rules, practicing court positioning, and communicating effectively with your teammate, players can develop a solid strategy for success on the pickleball court.

About Me

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