You’ve probably heard of this strange sport called pickleball. Is it really played with pickles?
No, it’s not, but you may be unaware of how you do play it. It is an unusual sport that is often compared to tennis.
If you’d like to get in on the action of this fun game, keep reading to learn the difference between pickleball vs. tennis, and discover which may be best for you.
What Is Tennis?
You probably already know what tennis is, but what sets it apart from other similar sports?
Tennis is defined as being a game that is played by either two or four opposing players, using rackets that are tightly strung to hit a ball that is of a specific size, weight, and bounce, over a net on a rectangular court.
So, what is pickleball?
What Is Pickleball?
While pickleball is similar, it is also very different from tennis. It is defined as being a sport played with a Pickleball Paddle, which combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis.
It is generally played as doubles but can also be played as singles, and the court is an abbreviation of a tennis court and net, using a mix of rules from various racquet sports.
Why is it called pickleball? Click here to learn more.
Pickleball vs. Tennis: Major Differences Explored
One of the major differences between tennis and pickleball is the type of ball that is used. Tennis uses a ball that is very bouncy due to its rubber core.
A tennis ball will bounce very high, whereas a pickleball doesn’t bounce much at all. If you’re expecting a pickleball to behave similarly to a tennis ball, you would be in for quite a surprise.
A pickleball is essentially a Wiffle ball made out of hard plastic. They have a shell with no core and usually have holes in them to help them soar through the air.
When playing pickleball, you must hit the ball much harder than you would when playing tennis, which comes to the next significant difference: the racket and paddle.
A pickleball paddle is about half the size of a tennis racket. While a tennis racket will bend its strings to accommodate a tennis ball, a pickleball paddle is more of a stone wall, making it a bit noisier when playing.
The last major difference between pickleball vs. tennis is the size of the court. A standard pickleball court is 20’ x 44’, which is about a quarter of the size of a standard tennis court playing doubles.
Because of this, a pickleball court seems like a miniature version of a tennis court, and you’re much closer to the net. However, don’t let this fool you into thinking it’s much easier to play.
Getting the pickleball over the net is just as hard as getting the tennis ball over the net; it’s just a different type of challenge.
Which Is Your Favorite?
So, now that you know the main differences between pickleball vs. tennis, which do you prefer? Are you usually a tennis player but want to try something new?
Or, perhaps you’ve always found tennis intimidating and want to try out pickleball. Whatever the case, both sports have a lot to offer, and both are extremely enjoyable.
If you are looking for more sports-related articles like this one, browse through our collection today!
