Though physics wasn’t my favorite subject in school, I learned one essential principle: The Impeccable Law, which states that two like objects can’t occupy the same space at the same time. This makes me wonder—can Tennis and Pickleball coexist?
Although tennis and pickleball share some basic elements like a ball, net, court, and the use of a paddle or racket, they are actually quite different. The similarities stop at the equipment, as the players and playing styles in each sport are distinct.
Let’s look at the differences between the equipment.
- The Ball
- Pickleball balls have a predictable lower bounce while tennis balls go higher and are more variable. Pickleball balls are lighter and slightly bigger in diameter. Pickleball balls have holes, while tennis balls have fuzz. Tennis balls use felt/rubber, while pickleballs use plastic/polymer.
- The Net
- A pickleball net is thirty-six inches high at the side posts and thirty-four inches of height at the center. A tennis net is forty-two inches high at the side post and thirty-six inches in the center. The biggest difference is the width, Pickleball nets are only twenty-one feet nine inches wide, while tennis nets are forty-two feet wide.
- The Court
- A pickleball court is less than half the size of a tennis court. A pickleball court is twenty feet by forty-four feet while a tennis court is thirty-six feet by seventy-eight feet. On a side note, the U.S. Tennis Association says that 10% of tennis courts in America have been taken over or repainted since the pickleball boom began.
- The Paddle/Racket
- A pickleball paddle must not exceed twenty-four inches from the edge guard to the butt cap. Additionally