What is the Difference Between Tennis and Pickleball?

What are the differences in equipment used?

Ah the classic question, what is the difference between tennis and pickleball? One of they key differences between the two racquet sports is that it is played with a different sized hitting object, or more commonly known as a racquet in tennis and a paddle in pickleball. Tennis racquets are larger with strings whereas a pickleball paddle is smaller in size with a solid hitting surface.

Another key difference between tennis and pickleball is the ball. In tennis as we all know it is a bouncy, fluffy green ball. Pickleball uses perforated plastic balls with 27-40 holes in it, making it lighter and slower, suitable for the smaller court size it is played on.

What are the differences in rules?

In tennis the point starts with the server who will have to serve to place the ball within the box diagonally. Similarly, in pickleball the serving will serve underhand into the service box. In pickleball, there is what is known as the double bounce rule which means that the ball has to bounce on each side of the court before any big smashes and volleys can be hit at the net. Keep in mind though, you can’t volley while standing in the kitchen! As they say, “If you can’t handle the heat, get out of the kitchen!”

Similarly in tennis, points are decided when someone hits the ball into the net, if it double bounces, or if they hit the ball out of the court. Here’s the trick with pickleball. You can only win a point if you are on the serving side. When you are playing doubles in pickleball, both players get to serve, with the person serving continuing until they lose a point which is when it is handed over to their partner who will then serve. Once the serving team loses the point with their second server it is then passed onto the receiving team.

What are the Differences in Scoring?

In tennis matches are scored in sets and games. To win a set, one must win six games and be leading by two games. Points in tennis are scored as:

15 - One point

30 - Two points

40 - Three points

To win a game, the player must win four points with a two point advantage over their opponent.

If the game gets tied up at 40-40, it is called deuce, where a player still needs to win by two clear points to clinch the game.

On the other hand in pickleball, a game is scored first to 11 points, with a winner taking success by two clear points similar in tennis. Scoring in pickleball is called as the server first, and then the returners, which is followed by the serve number. As an example in pickleball scoring, the score could be 4-1-2, which translates into the serving team being up in the game 4 points to 1, but with the second server, as the team has already lost a point on their serve.

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