Yes, you can indeed play pickleball on a tennis court! In fact, there are many individuals who find pleasure in playing both pickleball and tennis on a same court.
Pickleball is the most entertaining sport for all ages and skill levels. Also a great way to stay active and have fun, but if you currently lack access to a dedicated pickleball court, fear not, because a tennis court serves as the ideal alternative. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, you’ll enjoy playing your game on a tennis court too. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when going to play there.
How To Play Pickleball On Tennis Court
Court Size
The court should be divided into two halves, with the pickleball net in the middle. A tennis court is approximately four times larger than a pickleball court. The pickleball court is smaller than a tennis court, but you can play pickleball on tennis. A pickleball court is 20 feet in width and 44 feet in length, while a tennis court is 36 feet in width including tramlines for doubles and 78 feet in length.
Net Size
A tennis net height is 36 inches in the middle and 42 inches at the poles. Whereas, a pickleball net is 34 inches in the middle and 36 inches at the poles.
Decide Non-Volley Zone/Kitchen Area
Pickleball has a Non-Volley Zone, an area also known as kitchen area that is 7 feet from the pickleball net on both sides and runs the entire width of the court. The Players can’t volley the ball while standing in the non-volley zone or on the non-volley zone line (sometimes called the kitchen line). After you make all these required changes, Now you can enjoy the game on tennis court.
Can I Wear Pickleball Shoes On Tennis Court?
As we discuss earlier in our other article(tennis shoes vs pickleball shoes). A tennis shoe can be used to play pickleball because of the similarities in nature of these sports. If you are playing on an indoor court, you can wear pickleball shoes without any problem. Pickleball shoes have a non-marking sole, that is necessary for indoor court play. However, if you’re playing pickleball on a outdoor tennis court, you should be wearing the right shoe for outdoor court that provide excellent grip on these courts.
The grass court and the hard surface outdoor court are totally different to each other. You need a specific outdoor tennis court shoe for stability and maximum traction. We’ll never recommend you to wear any pickleball court shoe on outdoor grassy courts.
Are Tennis and Pickleball Courts The Same?
If we compare the courts where these sports being played, tennis usually being played on 3 types of different courts, Clay Court, Asphalt Court, Grassy or lawn Court, and sometimes on artificial grass court.
On the other hand, Pickleball is generally played on Indoor and Outdoor courts. Mostly the indoor courts have hardwood polished surfaces but the outdoor courts have hard surfaces, commonly asphalt floors.
Tennis, Pickleball and Other Court Shoes
Tennis and pickleball specific shoes are specially made for lateral support. In both sports (tennis and pickleball) you need lateral motion stability and outsole traction response on maximum requirement. We’ve countered some basketball shoes for outdoor courts. Those b-ball sneakers are good enough to play tennis with, But only on Omani courts. They’re not meant to wear on grassy court or a clay court.
Choosing the right footwear in tennis and pickleball is important for a number of reasons. The first thing is the difference that a tennis shoe gives you compared to other court shoes on the market. Pickleball/Tennis shoes are very good at giving you lateral support. One of the main move that players make while playing tennis or pickleball is side to side(LATERAL) motion. There’s much less chance of rolling your ankle wearing a tennis shoe compared to a running shoe. That will only support you moving forward.
