Pickleball or Tennis: Which is Best for You?

Tennis, a lifelong, beloved racquet sport that has dominated the United States since the 1870s, has a new competitor, pickleball. Pickleball has been growing in popularity and many tennis players have begun to enjoy playing pickleball more frequently. With its growth in popularity, pickleball courts have been increasingly emerging, allowing people to experience a social community while staying active.

Differences and Similarities
Similarly, tennis and pickleball are net-based racquet sports, but there are key components that make them different. Corey Noel , Tennis Pro at Cooper Fitness Center , shares some of the main differences of playing tennis versus pickleball:

• A tennis court can measure up to 75 feet long while a pickleball court is significantly smaller at about 44 feet long.
• Tennis uses a longer racquet than a pickleball paddle and it’s made from different materials.
• A tennis ball is designed to reach higher distances while the pickleball is like a wiffle ball and is meant to be hit with more control.
• For a tennis game, the server is allowed two serves per point while pickleball only permits one. In pickleball, only the serving team can win points.
• The length of a match can vary but most of the time tennis is 90-180 minutes on average. A pickleball match typically lasts about 30-45 minutes, half the time of a tennis match.
• A pickleball net is lower in height and width.

Those who have played tennis typically have an easier understanding of how to play pickleball due to the similarities between the two sports. A few similarities are below.

• Both can be played as singles or doubles
• Both have tournaments for all experience levels.
• Both require eye-hand coordination

Learn more about pickleball rules by visiting our Pickleball web page .

What’s best for you?
Both tennis and pickleball are recommended for anyone wanting to learn a new sport. Experience is not needed to play. Even if it’s your first time playing, Noel says, “If you have no experience at all, the only way to get experience is by trying. So, get out there and play a bit to see if you enjoy it.”

Pickleball can be seen as an easier game to play since it does not require you to move around a big court. For those who are looking to push themselves a bit more, tennis might be the best choice.

Starting a new sport can be enjoyable and exciting, but it’s important to remember that safety should always be a priority, especially when it comes to warm-ups. Warming up can look different for everyone, but it is an essential part of playing, says Jonny Wright , Professional Fitness Trainer at Cooper Fitness Center. “It’s never a good idea to start any physical activity—and especially not a match—without any warm-ups. You can come across a movement that you’re not used to which can cause you to injure yourself.” Not only will warming up help with preventing injury, but it can also help you improve your game. Watch our latest Exercise Move video on Pickleball and Tennis Warm-Ups .

Cooper Fitness Center offers tennis and pickleball programs for adults and children. To learn more, call 972.233.4832 or visit our website: Tennis Web Page | Pickleball Web Page .