The Z-Serve in Racquetball is a Must-Have in Your Game

Racquetball is a sport that you strategically hit a ball away from your opponent so they can't get to the ball before it bounces two times. When serving in racquetball it is important to be able to hit the ball many different ways from many different spots in the service box. A very effective, easy serve to do that can cause your opponent many problems is the Z-Serve.

A Z-Serve, just like its name, travels in the letter Z angle. If you are right handed playing a right hander, a Z-serve to their backhand will resemble the letter Z. A Z-serve to their forehand will travel like a backwards Z. The ball leaves your racquet and goes directly to the front wall, then hits side wall, then rebounds to the opposite side wall. The serve must bounce after hitting first side wall before hitting second wall for it to be a playable serve.

A Z-Serve is hit many times to keep opponents off balance. They may cheat a lot to their backhand side, assuming you are going to serve it there more often than not. This is a great way to keep your opponent honest so they don't cheat to one side or another on receiving end. A good Z-Serve can be a powerful offensive serve if hit at the right time and at the right angles and at the right speeds.

It is important that you vary where you hit in the service box. You don't want to serve from the same spot every time. Nor do you want to serve it to the same spot every time, unless you know it will cause offensive opportunities every time you serve it there.

The harder you hit a Z-Serve the more of a spin it will take off the side wall into your opponent. Try to hit your Z-Serves deeper but not too deep where it comes off the back wall. You can hit a junk Z lob serve, you can hit a hard drive Z-Serve, or you can hit a high lob/soft Z-Serve. They are all very effective and are most effective when you mix it up. Find your opponent's weakness. He or she will have one.

When serving a Z-Serve, the best way that I have found to hit a good one is to meet the ball right in front of the leading foot, around the pinkie toe area. Practice 25 Z-Serves focusing on hitting the ball off the pinkie toes. Focus on arm extension at contact with ball around 6" in front of your foot and at knee-high level. Make your adjustment from there as you are drilling.