Can You Serve An Ace In Racquetball? (Effective Tips)

Racquetball is a sport that has gained popularity in the world. Humans have gradually become sportsmen since the invention of this game. Though it is easy to play, you need to learn the techniques and skills involved to ensure efficiency in which serving is one of them.

Knowing how to serve; with different intentions like making an ace can be of many benefits. As a means you use to start your racquetball game, serving allows you to hold your service and maintain the starting shot. If you can do that, you’ll have more confidence and control over the game.

Due to the nature of this sport, probably played with walls, questions abound whether one can serve an ace while playing.

You are permitted to serve an ace in the racquetball as long as it is a legal serve, and depending on your plan and talent, the opponent may not be able to return the ball. This results in a point for the server. You will continue to serve aces until the opposing player returns the ball.

I remember Cliff Swain, whose serve was so hard to return(check at his Official Website). He was a lefty and served a drive serve on his left side. He was also so successful that they changed the standard ball to a higher compression ball. There are many misconceptions about serving aces in racquetball games. 

Some coaches even feel players can bounce their racquetball ball twice before serving an ace. Well, I’m not sure of that. I will share more tricks and insights you may not be aware of, so stick around.

How to Effectively Hit Aces In Racquetball?

Aces can be fun to hit or serve in racquetball games. It’s better to get good service often, rather than a good service once in a while. Consistency in serving aces may depend on your level.

Some players can burn in a fast flat serve which could normally result in an ace sometimes. But unfortunately, their opponents are usually fast enough to get to it and make a Killer return.

Hitting aces is mostly about deception. You get the returner expecting you will serve the ball down the middle, and you’ll hit it way outside or vice versa. It simply means that you need to be able to control where you place your serves.

The only way you can control your serves is through hitting thousands of serves. Consistency will allow you to develop confidence and control. Like I earlier said, aces can be fun, though even pros don’t hit aces most at times.

 If your opponent is a decent returner, he will generally be competent enough to get a racquet on the racquetball ball. I believe you’re better off going for a good and solid serve when you place them to your opponent’s weakest side.

 For instance, if they tend to use a forehand swing more often, aim for their backhand and vice versa. That way, even if you don’t get an ace, you’ll set yourself up to hopefully win the point on the next show or two!

Going for aces tends to cause you to overhit and hit more faults. Also, continually needing to rely on hitting second serves allows the returner to relax and start going for great returns, which will place more pressure on your serve.

Just going for aces is not so much a high percentage way to play. Going for high-quality serves that force a weak return from your opponent is a better percentage style of playing, resulting in winning.

Read also: What are Racquetball Skill Levels? (Full Explanation)

What Are the Best Strategies For Serving an Ace?

Some factors can determine good serving aces in racquetball games. These factors are the various strategies with rules that racquetball players use to ensure a good service. Consider the following;

• As a server, you must bounce your racquetball ball once and have it hit the front wall. The ball will then have to come back across the solid red line behind the server. It may hit one side wall after the front wall on service as it crosses the red line behind the server.
• Different thoughts go into finding your appropriate service start position within the service zone. I suggest you determine how close to the front wall you can start inside the service box. 

Years ago, a rule changed about the front line service foot fault. Your foot is allowed to go over the service line during your service motion, as long as any part of it remains on the line. 

This rule permits you to start closer to the front wall. After all, there’s no point in making your serve travel any extra distance.

Work backward using your natural footwork strides to find your starting point. Your heel Consistently lands on the service line.

You might be interested: How Do You Hit a Racquetball Harder? (7 Rules of Thumb)

What Are Some Different Types of Serves In Racquetball?

Drive serves

The fundamental aim of all drive serves is to hit the ball as hard and low to the ground as possible while avoiding faults by not hitting it beyond the serve line.

Straight Drive Serve – Stand in the center of the court and hit the ball directly in front of you, so it passes so close to you on the way back. It can be successful because you block your opponent’s view of the ball until it passes through you, allowing you little time to arrange your body in such a manner that a perfect return is possible.

Lob serves

The basic concept behind Lob serves to hit the ball with significantly less force and much higher than you would for a drive serve. The goal is for the ball to bounce high and land in one of the corners. A lob serve has a lower possibility of faulting than a drive serve; but, bad execution of the Lob serve may allow your opponent to deliver a very forceful return, putting you on the defensive and wasting whatever advantage you once had.

A high lob serve is designed to have the ball bounce exceptionally near the fault line and fly into the corner in a high arc.

Half Lob Serve – a serve that falls between a lob and a drive. The goal is for the ball to bounce as near to the corner as possible.

The High Lob Nick Serve – the ball bounces to the floor after hitting the sidewall near a corner.

Cutthroath racquetball

Three players can participate in cutthroat racquetball without the need for a fourth. One person serves against the other two players, known as returners, in this game. If the server wins the point, he keeps serving. If one of the two returners wins aside, one of those two players becomes the server, and the previous server becomes a returner.

The server stands in the server’s box as the game begins, and the returners split the backcourt. The first player is on the right, while the second is on the left. This game’s rules are normally informal.

If the server hits a ball that cannot be returned to the front wall before it touches the floor, the point is won. In racquetball, the player who started on the right side of the court becomes the server if the returning team records a side out.

What Makes a Serve Invalid In Racquetball?

Serving allows you to be in the frontcourt while your opponent is far from the front wall. With this advantage, you can make a wide variety of shots.

No matter the number of shots you’re able to make, if you don’t follow the rules and correct dynamics, referees may consider your service faulty. There are many situations and instances in which referees can consider service invalid. Below are some of them.

• After you’ve bounced your racquetball ball and stroke it, it’s put into play after making contact with the play wall first and then passes into the rear half of the court. During its flight, it may strike one sidewall, though not more. If it hits three surfaces, including the ceiling or back wall, before bouncing, your service is considered invalid.
• As a serving player, if you bounce the ball outside the service zone during your serve or step in front of the service line, it’s a fault that will consider your service invalid.
• Also, once you hit the ball out of the service zone, it must hit the front wall before it hits the ground or a sidewall. If the ball hits the spot where the floor and front wall meets, there’s a fault, and as such, the referees will consider your service invalid.

I’ll leave you with a helpful trick when playing your racquetball. Always try to block your opponent’s view. This obstruction will reduce their reaction time, putting them at a severe disadvantage and increasing their chances.

Related: Can You Serve Overhand in Racquetball? (Serving Guide)