What Is The Difference Between Pickle Ball And Tennis?
What is the difference between pickle ball and tennis? While both sports are played with a racket and a ball, there are some key distinctions. For instance, pickle ball is played on a smaller court with a lower net, and the ball is served underhand. Tennis, on the other hand, is played on a larger court with a higher net, and the ball is served overhand.
Pickle ball
Pickle ball is a paddle sport played on a court with the same dimensions as a badminton court. The game is played with a perforated plastic ball and paddles. The sport can be played as singles or doubles.
History
The game of pickle ball was invented in 1965 by three men – Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum. The original name of the game was “paddle tennis” and it was created as a backyard game for their families. The name “pickle ball” is rumored to have come from the Pritchard family dog, Pickles, who would chase after the ball and cause havoc during games!
The first pickle ball courts were crudely marked out on badminton courts with a net strung across the center. The paddles were simply modified ping-pong paddles and the balls were paddle balls or Wiffle balls. In 1972, the first US Court was built in Bainbridge Island, Washington and in 1976, the USAPA (USA Pickleball Association) was formed.
In recent years, pickle ball has seen a surge in popularity with people of all ages. It is now one of the fastest growing sports in America with over 3 million players nationwide!
Court
Pickleball is played on a court that is one fourth the size of a tennis court. The net is also lower than a tennis net.
Equipment
Pickle ball is played with a paddle and a plastic ball with holes. The ball is similar to a Wiffle Ball. The paddle can be made of wood, graphite or composite materials. Pickle ball is played on a court smaller than a tennis court, and the net is lower than a tennis net.
Tennis is played with a racket and a leather- or rubber-covered ball. The ball is significantly larger than a pickle ball, and the racket head is much larger as well. Tennis is played on a full-sized tennis court, with a high net.
Tennis
Pickle ball is a great game for people of all ages, but what is the difference between pickle ball and tennis? Pickle ball is a paddle sport that is played on a badminton-sized court with a hard paddle and a wiffle ball. The game can be played as singles or doubles, and is similar to tennis, but with a few key differences.
History
The game of pickleball was invented in the 1960s by three friends – Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum – who were looking for a summertime activity the whole family could enjoy. The game is named for Pritchard’s dog, Pickles, who would chase after the ball whenever it was hit.
Pickleball is played with a paddle and a perforated plastic ball similar to a Wiffle Ball. The game can be played indoors or outdoors on a badminton-sized court with either doubles or singles. Pickleball can be traced back to 1976 when the first set of rules was written. In 1984, the USAPA (USA Pickleball Association) was formed to promote the growth of pickleball nationwide.
Tennis is an outdoor game that can be played solo or with doubles partners. The game consists of hitting a felt-covered ball over a net into your opponent’s court using only a tennis racket. Tennis can be traced back centuries to games like “Jeu de Paume” and “Real Tennis” which were popular among French nobility. Modern tennis began in Birmingham, England in 1873 with lawn tennis. The first Wimbledon tournament was held in 1877
Court
The game of pickle ball is played on a badminton-sized court, with a net that is hung at a height of 36 inches (91 cm) in the middle. The doubles court measures 44 feet by 20 feet (13.4 m by 6.1 m), while the singles court measures 20 feet by 44 feet (6.1 m by 13.4 m). The service boxes are located 21 feet (6.4 m) from the net on either side, and the non-volley zone is 7 feet (2.1 m) from the net in Pickle ball, which is longer than the tennis non-volley zone of 2 feet (0.61 m).
Equipment
The biggest difference between pickle ball and tennis is the equipment. Pickle ball is played with a paddle and a perforated plastic ball, while tennis is played with a racquet and a felt-covered tennis ball. The pickle ball paddle is similar to a ping-pong paddle, but larger. The perforated plastic ball is similar to a Wiffle Ball.