While pickleball and tennis are different sports, they do hold some similarities – and as a result, you may be wondering to yourself if it is at all possible to play the ever growing popular sport of pickleball on a tennis court.
Luckily, it is possible to play pickleball on a tennis court, despite tennis courts being much larger than pickleball courts.
Of course though, you probably have many more questions about this subject – so we’ve decided to help you out with this.
We’ve written this handy guide to help you understand everything you need to know about playing pickleball on a tennis court.
So, if you’re ready to learn more – then read on and find out what you need to know!
Is It Possible To Play Pickleball On A Tennis Court?
As we said, yes it’s possible to play pickleball on a tennis court. The only thing is, a tennis court is much larger than a pickleball court, so you will need to account for the difference in the size.
So, how would you do this? Well, the easiest way you can do this is by examining the ratio in size between a pickleball court and a tennis court.
Size Ratio: Pickleball And Tennis Courts
You might be slightly surprised to hear that on a full sized tennis court, you can fit four pickleball courts within it. Generally though, most players who use tennis courts for pickleball will draw out two pickleball courts within them.
This is most likely due to the fact that drawing out four courts would be incredibly messy and would be unpleasant to the eye.
So, if you can work out the dimensions of a pickleball court, then you should be able to happily draw out two, which is optimum.
It’s actually very common. Many colleges and pickleball coaches will draw out these courts within tennis courts frequently, so it is not as difficult as you might think.
Where Would You Usually Play Pickleball?
Traditionally, you would play pickleball in your backyard or in a park. However, the game originated on a ferry – so you can also play the sport there too.
Nowadays though, pickleball has evolved and you can find many designated pickleball courts around the country.
Much like tennis courts (which as we know, you can adapt to a pickleball court), you can play pickleball on grass or clay – as well as the “usual” hard court surfaces.
If you are looking to get some pickleball equipment for setting up your court and for the general playing of the game, then you can find plenty of stores online that will accommodate your needs.
This also includes the markings that you would require to draw up your own pickleball court, or adapt one of the many tennis courts that are around the country.
Could Pickleball Damage A Tennis Court?
Tennis courts are designed in such a way so that they can withstand a lot of damage from the player’s movements and the style of play that tennis requires.
As a result of this, it’s very unlikely that you’ll damage a tennis court playing pickleball.
However, this does not mean that you can just draw up a pickleball court on a tennis court without anyone batting an eyelid.
Some tennis courts, especially within tennis clubs, will be very well looked after and the owners will not always appreciate the conversion.
Having said that though, many tennis courts now have been converted to accommodate both sports, or signs might be present stating that pickleball is allowed to be played on certain courts.
If you are unsure about whether a court could be converted or not, then it is best advised that you speak with the owner of the court if possible. If not, only use chalk to draw up the lines that you need.
Try to avoid using paint, because even though the sport might not damage the tennis court, it does not mean that paint wouldn’t be a problem.
As we said earlier, it might be better for you to look online for a pickleball set that includes marking kits. These will leave as little debris behind as possible, so you will not damage the court at all.
What Part Of The Tennis Court Could You Play Pickleball On?
Pickleball courts are small – much smaller than tennis courts (Check out How Small Can You Make A Pickleball Court?). However, because the court is only two feet longer than the service box on a tennis court, it’s pretty easy to mark two pickleball courts on a tennis court.
Pickleball court lines aren’t as wide as the singles lines on a tennis court though – in fact that’s by three and a half feet. So, while bearing this in mind, you will need to make adjustments.
Speaking of adjustments, you also need to remember to lower the tennis court’s net for pickleball.
And of course, if you are going to have two pickleball courts in use at the same time – you’re going to need to source another portable net.
Luckily though, as we spoke about earlier – a lot of tennis courts these days are dual-purpose. So, you will likely find that there are pickleball lines already drawn up on the tennis court.
Be aware though that some tennis courts will have dual-purpose lines drawn up for the use for basketball – so if you are a beginner at pickleball, be sure you’re using the right markers!
Asides from asking someone else, you will notice that the colors of the sporting lines are all different – pickleball normally being yellow.
Final Thoughts
Yes, you can certainly play pickleball on a tennis court – however, you need to be careful with using some courts, in case the owner is not happy with you doing so. Generally though, you can find dual purpose courts all around the country.
Pickleball has been played for decades, and it is a great way to let off some steam, engage in friendly competition, and improve your fitness levels.
Hi, my name is Joe Polls and my family and I are keen pickleball players. My parents actually met on a pickleball court, and the rest is history.
I have always loved pickleball, no matter how many times I hear that it’s not a real sport. It has helped me get through some challenging times in my life - whether that be a breakup, finals, or even bereavement. The reason I made my website is so that I can teach more people about the wonders of pickleball, and maybe even get them interested in playing.
Pickleball could always use more players, so what are you waiting for?
Please, enjoy my website and I hope it teaches you something of use. Who knows, maybe I’ll catch you out on the court one day!
