Pickleball vs Tennis: Comparing Similarities & Differences

It’s time to line them up and fight it out: pickleball vs tennis. 

Over the last few years, the two sports have been duking it out in communities across the country as both vie for court time.

But for all of the jockeying, they are members of the same sports family–though they are probably more like cousins than siblings.

Pickleball and tennis have many similarities and also significant differences.

In this article, we will explore:

• The History of Pickleball and Tennis
• The Equipment
• Court Dimensions & Layout
• The Scoring Systems
• Tennis Rules vs Pickleball Rules
• Health Benefits
• And how you can transition from tennis to pickleball 

And we will finally answer the question: which is better–pickleball vs tennis?

Hint: they are both great.

History and Origins

The origins of pickleball and tennis are quite different.

The two sports were founded hundreds of years apart on opposite sides of the world.

But many people who love tennis also love to play pickleball.

Let’s see how each got its start.

Pickleball: The Beginnings

Pickleball is a paddle sport that was first invented back in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, which is a 35-minute ferry ride from Seattle, Washington. 

Three dads–Joel Pritchard, Barney McCallum, and Bill Bell–were on a family vacation to the island, and one day, they encountered a common problem that we all face as parents: bored kids!

So they got creative.

They found a plastic ball and ping pong paddles in the garage, and they went out to the old badminton court in the yard and began to hit the ball back and forth over the net.

And in the days that followed, they began to invite friends over to play.

The game was a hit.

By the 1980s, the game grew so much in popularity throughout the United States that a governing organization was formed called the USA Pickleball Association.

And in the present day, there are more than 30 million of pickleball players throughout America.

The invention of the sport was as American as you can get–a melting pot of three sports birthed from the resourceful minds of a few dads.

Even the origin of the name, “pickleball,” seems All-American. 

According to lore, pickleball was either named after the family dog (obviously named, Pickles) or from the pickle boat term from rowing.

A game named after a dog or another classic American sport?

They may as well have eaten apple pie and shot off fireworks afterward.

Alexa, turn on the Star Spangled Banner while I weep profusely.

Tennis: The Beginnings

Tennis, on the other hand, had more European origins compared to pickleball’s red-white-and-blue beginnings.

Tennis was officially invented in England in the 1870s.

But its origins stretch back hundreds of years before.

In the 12th century, people began playing a sport in France called jeu de paume, which means palm game or game of the hand.

Players would hit the ball over a net with their palm.

By the 17th century, players began using rackets.

But as the game spread throughout England, it slowly adapted into the game of tennis we know today.

The game was codified in 1874, and the first Wimbledon tournament was held in 1877.

It has since grown into a very popular sport worldwide with millions playing recreationally. 

And the professional ranks have also grown.

Tennis was introduced as an official Olympic sport and became known for its Grand Slam–a circuit of four major tournaments each year, around the world, that the pros could compete in.

And players like Roger Federer and Serena Williams have become household names in the last 20 years.

Tennis is one of the major sports worldwide.

The Pickleball Takeover

In recent years, pickleball has become one of the fastest growing sports in the United States.

Many pickleball players are taking over tennis courts across the country.

And there are now several professional pickleball leagues–the Pro Pickleball Association, Major League Pickleball, and the Association of Pickleball Professionals.

While pickleball is not currently an Olympic sport, its meteoric rise in popularity could garner consideration in future years.

According to the Lansing State Journal, 23 million played tennis in 2022 compared to over 36 million who played pickleball.

Pickleball is taking over, and it’s not going away anytime soon.

Pickleball vs Tennis: What’s the difference in equipment?

Since pickleball was adapted partially from tennis and other racquet sports, there is a lot of equipment crossover between the two sports.

Let’s look at the similarities and also some of the main differences.

Paddles and Racquets

Pickleball paddles and tennis rackets are very different from one another.

While tennis rackets have a stringed middle, pickleball paddles are a solid, flat paddle–closer in resemblance to a table tennis paddle with an edge guard.

And tennis rackets are larger and have an oval head compared to pickleball paddles, which are smaller and have a rounded rectangular top.

Let’s look at a breakdown comparison of pickleball paddles and tennis rackets.

The Pickleball Paddle

• Length: 15-24 inches
• Weight: 6-14 ounces
• Paddle Materials: Graphite, Fiberglass/Composite, Carbon Fiber, Wood
• Paddle Core: Poly, Aluminum, Nomex
• Price: $10-$250

The Tennis Racket

• Length: 19-29 inches
• Most adults play with a 27-inch racket (or bigger) with smaller rackets for younger players who are learning the game.
• Weight: 10-13 ounces
• Racket Materials: Graphite or Composite
  • Most tennis rackets are made with a graphite frame. It’s provides a stiff and strong support for power players. A composite frame can be made from a combination of materials ranging from carbon fiber, titanium, fiberglass, graphite, or more.
• Strings: Polyester, Synthetic Nylon, or Animal Intestines (no joke).
• Price: $15 to $300

Tennis Balls vs Pickleball Balls

Tennis balls and pickleball balls look as though they are from the same family line–they are similar in size and color–but if they were human, they would be more like distant cousins than identical twins.

In the family line, the pickleball, with its smooth plastic surface, would be the pre-pubuscent cousin who has yet to sprout his first facial hair.

The tennis ball, on the other hand, is covered all over its body with neon-green fuzzy felt–like some bearded viking coming to pillage the tennis court with his man-fur. 

A pickle ball is a plastic wiffle ball that has perforated holes all around it and comes in different colors. The holes help it fly better in the wind, especially when playing outdoors. And there are indoor balls and outdoor balls with different-sized holes (the outdoor has smaller holes) to fit the setting.

A tennis ball is similar in size to a pickleball (6 cm in diameter versus 7 cm), but it has a solid core–a rubber ball hollowed out on the inside. That rubber ball is covered by the aforementioned felt. 

This covering makes a significant difference. While the pickleball gets held up in the wind, the tennis ball can fly at speeds up to 120 mph when hit by tennis racquets.

Like we said, the tennis ball is a man-bunned viking. Hide your children.

Pickleball vs Tennis: Court Dimensions and Layout

Playing Surface

We have already covered a lot of big differences between pickleball and tennis.

Now, we come to one of the similarities: the surface of the court.

Originally, the tennis court was made of grass. 

But by the 19th century, tennis players were competing on clay courts and then hardwood flooring and then, more recently, concrete surfaces.

In the present day, tennis is regularly played on grass, clay, or hardcourt concrete.

And concrete surfaces are the go-to outdoor surface for recreational tennis in the United States.

Outdoor pickleball games can also be played on a range of court surfaces: concrete, asphalt, clay, 

While you can play pickleball on grass, you really need a solid surface to allow the ball to bounce.

Most outdoor pickleball courts are set up on a concrete surface, such as a converted tennis court or basketball court.  

This is a main reason why there are so many fights popping up over old tennis courts–because pickleball players are taking over the surface for their game during the warm months.

During winter months, pickleball is also regularly played indoor on poly sports surfaces, like a basketball or volleyball court.

Court Size

When comparing pickleball and tennis courts, one of the key differences you’ll notice is the court size difference.

The dimensions of a pickleball court are much smaller than tennis.

A standard pickleball court measures 20 feet wide by 44 feet long–more similar to a badminton-sized court.

The size of a tennis court is much larger.

For singles matches, a tennis court is 27 feet wide by 78 feet long. For doubles, the size of the court expands to 36 feet wide while keeping the same length.

With its smaller court size, pickleball lives up to its claim to be a game for the whole family. Older adults and younger children can play pickleball more effectively because there is less ground to cover.

Non-Volley Zone

One other unique part of the pickleball court is the non-volley zone.

In tennis, a good net player can work their way up to the tennis net and try to control the game.

In pickleball, players cannot hit the ball out of the air at the net due to the non-volley zone.

The non-volley zone, also known as the kitchen, is a 7-foot area marked off by pickleball lines on both sides of the net. 

In this area, players are not allowed to volley the ball (hit it out of the air).

The creators of the game of pickleball invented the NVZ after they realized that tall players could get to the net and dominate the game by spiking it straight down. 

Since the pickleball floated more than a tennis ball, they needed to push players deeper into the court.

So in order to keep a fair playing field, they invented the non-volley zone to keep players back from the net (unless they are dinking). 

On the pickleball court, there is a line of demarkation, called the non-volley zone line, so that you know if you are inside the kitchen.

We know this can be confusing for beginner players.

So to sum it up:

In tennis, get up there and control the rally at the net like you’re Serena Williams.

In pickleball, you better not touch the ball in the air if you are less than Shaquille O’Neil’s height from the net.

And if you need Shaq to come lay down on the court during your game–just so you know the right distance–I can try to call in a few favors. He owes me.

The Net

The pickleball net and the tennis net look very similar to the naked eye.

But they differ from one another in height. 

A pickleball net is 36 inches at the outside of the court, near the posts.

But as it moves into the court, it drops to 34 inches at the middle of the net.

The tennis net is taller.

It starts out at 42 inches high near the posts, and then drops down to 36 inches in the middle of the net.

But both are a net game.

Scoring System: How weird can tennis make it?

Pickleball has a straightforward scoring system.

The serving team can win one point per rally, and the first team to 11 points wins the game (win by 2). 

In tennis, the scoring is much more complex.

This is where tennis turns into the creepy uncle of the family–doing things at the family reunion that make everyone confused and uncomfortable.

Instead of increasing one point at a time, you will add 10 or 15 points each time you win a tennis rally. 

It’s complicated and as the game progresses you start using terms like deuce and love.

If you’re feeling confused, don’t worry. You should be. It’s freaking weird.

But let’s break it down together.

During a game of tennis, before the first serve, the score is Love (aka 0-0). 

When a player scores the first point, they go up 15-0.

If the other player scores next, the score becomes 15-15. 

And the scoring progresses from there.

When a player has:

• 0 points=Love
• 1 point=15
• 2 points=30
• 3 points=40
• 40-40=Deuce

In tennis, you can score on any rally, and after you hit 40, you must have two more points than your opponent to win.

Pickleball Rules vs Tennis Rules

Tennis and pickleball are similar in their simple rules.

Hit the ball over the net and keep it inbounds. 

Simple enough.

But the more advanced rules of pickleball are very unique in the racquet sports family.

This is one of the biggest differences between the two sports.

Serving Rules

In tennis, you serve overhand, smashing the ball at top speeds to destroy your opponent.

But in pickleball, you must use an underhand serve behind the service line. This extends the rally by making the serve more playable for your opponent.

In both sports, you have to hit the serve across the net into the square diagonal from your serving box.

Two-Bounce Rule

After the serve, tennis players can volley the ball out of the air as soon as possible.

But pickleball players cannot hit a volley until the third shot of a rally.

They must follow the double bounce rule, and it’s as straightforward as it sounds.

After the serve, the receiving team must allow the ball to bounce before returning it. 

When they hit their return, that shot must also bounce before the original serving team can hit it.

After that, both teams can volley the heck out of the ball.

Kitchen Rule

As we learned earlier, there is a 7-foot area near the pickleball net called the kitchen or non-volley zone.

Players cannot hit a volley while standing in the kitchen. If they go into the NVZ, they must reestablish their feet outside the non-volley zone line before hitting a volley.

Tennis does not have the NVZ or the kitchen rule.

You can charge your side of the net like you are Roger Federer trying to control Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros. 

Health Benefits of Pickleball and Tennis

There are incredible health benefits to both pickleball and tennis. 

No matter which you play, you will get an excellent cardio workout. 

According to Healthline, a tennis player can burn up to 295 calories from 30 minutes of gameplay.

During a game of tennis, you run all over the court.

And though pickleball is on a smaller court and you may not run as much, it’s still a great sport for exercise.

A pickleball player can burn around 250 calories over 30 minutes of play.

With a smaller court, pickleball also inflicts less pounding on the joints, making it ideal for people of all ages.

Social and Mental Health Benefits

During the warmer months, pickleball and tennis can get you outside into the fresh air and sun.

And both sports are also incredible social environments that will surround you with other tennis and pickleball enthusiasts.

But pickleball may have a leg up in this category.

With the smaller court, you are in closer proximity to the other players, allowing you to talk more.

The game is also slightly slower giving more space for interaction.

It truly is a social sport.

At the local park in my city, there are always people at the courts.

My son and I just went to play today and there were around 15 other people at the pickleball courts.

You will meet a lot of people and make a lot of new friends, especially if you find some local recreational courts or leagues.

Popularity: Why is pickleball one of the fastest-growing sports?

Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States. 

Since 2020, pickleball has grown by 158 percent and is still exploding across the country.

Even former Division 1 tennis players are jumping into the competitive pickleball world.

But why has pickleball had such an expansive growth compared to tennis and other racket sports?

One of the main reasons is accessibility–people from all ages and athletic backgrounds can play and compete on a pickleball court. 

With the increase in interest, pickleball players have begun taking over tennis courts.

In my town, several outdoor tennis courts at our local park have been retro-fitted for pickleball play. I love playing on them.

If you are a newer player, there is plenty of opportunity for recreational play.

For more advanced players, there are many options for league play and even tournaments.

Pickleball vs Tennis: How can I transition from playing tennis to pickleball?

For tennis players that want to start playing pickleball, I have great news. 

With your background in racket sports, you are already set up for success.

But you will still want to get familiar with the nuances of pickleball so that you can hit the ground running.

Here are a few tips to help you transition in the best way:

1. Learn the rules

We covered some the unique rules of pickleball in this article, such as the kitchen rules and the double-bounce rule. 

But there are many more pickleball rules that you should know before hitting the court.

We have a complete guide on Simplified Pickleball Rules to help you along, and you can even print them off to take with you to the court (links).

2. Adjust to a smaller court

When I first started playing pickleball after years of tennis, it was difficult.

One of the things that I loved about tennis was covering the court.

In pickleball, there’s less ground to cover, especially if you are playing doubles.

You will want to mentally prepare yourself for that.

And with the smaller court, you need to be ready to react quick. 

On a tennis court, you have time to read and react.

On a pickleball court, the ball could be on you in a moment.

3. Refine your finesse game

Many former tennis players want to smash everything when they start playing pickleball.

But pickleball is more a game of finesse around the net than a game of power.

So learn to play small ball.

Practice your dinks, your third shot drop, and your volley work around the net, and you will be ready to dominate this court as well.

4. Practice the Underhand Serve

When I play tennis, I love to hit hard overhand serves (admittedly, they are not very fast, but they seem fast in my mind).

But in pickleball, one of the key differences, is that you hit your serve underhand.

The paddle head should stay below your waist. You must follow these rule to hit a legal serve.

When I first started playing, I went to the court and hit underhand serve after underhand serve deep into my opponent’s court.

I wanted to be ready.

5. Get out and play

For nearly a year, I kept wanting to try pickleball. 

I kept showing up to the tennis court to play tennis, and as I was leaving, I would think: I should get a pickleball paddle and learn.

But I was always afraid to take the leap.

Will I hate it?

Will the pickleball crew accept me?

What if I’m not any good?

Finally, my family gave me a paddle for my birthday, and I pulled up my big boy pants and showed up at the pickleball court. 

And guess what? I loved it.

If you’ve been wanting to dive in, just dive in.

Stop waiting.

Stop making excuses.

Stop letting your fear keep you from a game you will love.

And if you’re getting ready to make the jump, we have a great blog post to help you on your way. 

Check out our Ultimate Guide to Pickleball for Beginners. 

It will walk you through, step by step, everything you need to know to get started.

Pickleball vs. Tennis: FAQs

How is pickleball different from tennis?

Pickleball and tennis are different games.

The major differences between the tennis and pickleball is in the rules and equipment.

Pickleball has unique rules like the double-bounce rule and non-volley zone that make it different from most racket sports.

The equipment is also an obvious difference.

A tennis ball is rubber and covered in felt, and the pickleball is more like a perforated whiffle ball. 

And the tennis racket and pickleball paddle are made with different shapes and materials.

How is pickleball a similar game to tennis?

Pickleball and tennis are both racket sports that are played by hitting a ball over a net to an opponent.

In fact, pickleball combines elements of tennis, table tennis, and badminton.

But pickleball is actually more closely-related to platform tennis or POP tennis (paddle tennis).

Can you play pickleball on a tennis court?

Yes, you can play pickleball on a tennis court.

In cities that have not, yet, built designated pickleball courts, many pickleball players set up temporary nets and lines to play on existing tennis courts.

Is pickleball easier on joints than tennis?

Yes, the sport of pickleball is probably easier on the joints than tennis.

Since it is played on a smaller court, there is less running in pickleball, as compared to tennis.

During a doubles game, you won’t have to run much at all, except to get to the non-volley zone line.

But you can still burn calories in both sports.

Pickleball just lets you burn those calories without killing your knees. 

That’s why the sport of pickleball has become so popular: people with different physical abilities and skill level can compete against one another without getting a personal trainer.

That’s a good thing in our book.

Pickleball vs Tennis: Which sport should I play?

Both. 

Why do you have to choose just one?

That’s like asking, “Do I want chocolate or vanilla ice cream?”

I’ll take both, plus a scoop of strawberry.

Pickleball and tennis can each give you a great workout while also surrounding you with new friends and competition.

And each one is a fun game, just in different ways.

So go play both.

If you enjoyed this comparison of tennis and pickleball, we have also done articles breaking down:

Platform Tennis vs Pickleball and POP Tennis vs Pickleball.

And if you are learning how to play pickleball better, we’ve got you covered to get you to your first game. Check out this article next.