If you enjoy the thought of playing tennis or a comparable court-based sport that includes rackets and a ball but believe or have firsthand knowledge that other sporting activities are too challenging for you, you might be attracted to pickleball.
Pickleball is getting more and more popular these days, and among the many reasons that make people prefer it over tennis, at least at first, is that it is thought to be easier to learn than the latter.
But is this true? Is pickleball actually easier than tennis? With so many people diving right into pickleball thinking so, you might blindly follow them.
However, if you want to first find out the truth about how simple it is, keep reading below to find out!
Is Pickleball Easier Than Tennis?
Let’s get right to the issue raised in the article’s title.
Since tennis and pickleball are two different sports, irrespective of their resemblances, the best method for determining which one is the easiest one is to examine some specific elements they have.
What’s The Difference Between Pickleball And Tennis?
Although a few distinctions are much more subtle, the key differences between tennis and pickleball are pretty apparent.
Tennis, for example, is played with a stringed racket, whereas pickleball is played with a firm paddle.
The kinds of balls employed in each sport, as well as the dimensions of the courts and nets, are some further aspects that differ between the two sports.
Finally, the way the points are scored, and thus the system and guidelines are also clearly distinct.
So, apart from the fact that both tennis and pickleball are played with rackets and on a professional concrete surface of a court, there are several differences!
But let’s see at some other differences in more detail:
Movement
Pickleball could be deemed easier in terms of movements since it does generally involve fewer movements.
However, when it comes to being agile, quick, and alert, the level of effort is the same, irrespective of which of the two sports you choose.
Even so, the court is larger in tennis, resulting in more sprints back and forth and from left to right, which might make it sound harder to some.
Strength
Pickleball is widely misunderstood as primarily focused on powerful and effective hits.
Even though power-hitting can be beneficial, the important thing in pickleball is knowing how to place your body right and hit the ball rather than shooting it with maximum strength.
Physical Activity
A pickleball court is smaller, as previously stated, than a tennis court, meaning there is a smaller distance you need to cover when moving back and forth.
This, in turn, means you’re not working as hard as you would have if you were playing tennis. Does this imply that you are not required to be physically fit to play pickleball? No.
When it comes to the techniques you need to master to become good at pickleball, like learning how to place your body and shoot the ball right, pickleball is not easier than tennis, and even more so if you’re playing a singles game.
Rules And Restrictions
It appears to be a considerably more casual game than tennis in general, but what might be the more challenging aspect is that pickleball games are frequently either won or lost due to spontaneous mistakes.
While you must try not to make any double faults while playing tennis, when you engage in a pickleball game, you must also be aware of the no-volley zone, which means you must ensure that you aren’t in that exclusion space when volleying.
Moreover, serving is not taken that seriously in pickleball because it rarely results in a point.
On the contrary, a good service can be a decisive factor in winning a tennis match, either because it will lead to scoring points or to making your opponent fear you.
Another difference is that even though tennis players can hit the ball in a variety of ways, the pickleball paddle does not offer that flexibility.
Even so, this lack of options might be beneficial to some people, so it depends on the player whether this aspect makes pickleball easier or more difficult than tennis to players.
Racket And Accuracy
A pickleball paddle is smaller in size than a tennis racket (Also check out How To Hold A Pickleball Paddle), and so is a pickleball ball.
This means that playing pickleball does require players to be more precise and have a better perception to hit the ball with their paddle.
This aspect relates to mastering the shot placement and practicing it to become better and better every time, as in this case, pickleball is not easier than tennis.
Injury Risk And Intensity
This is possibly the most definitive distinction between tennis and pickleball. Regardless of how intense it can get, a pickleball match isn’t quite as strenuous or physically demanding as tennis, so the chances of getting injured while playing are not as many as those in a tennis game.
There are some rare cases where you might sweat a bit more, but, in general, all pickleball games are carried out at a similar tempo.
Especially when thinking of the numerous times when a tennis player has to run from the back line of their court’s side to the very front or overextend their reach to the side in an attempt to save the ball, you can understand how tennis can be much more strenuous.
The Bottom Line
There are some aspects that make pickleball easier than tennis, such as the court dimensions which are smaller for the former, resulting in less movement overall.
However, every player is different, so when it comes to the techniques and rules of each game, as well as things like the equipment used in each sport, it depends on the players whether pickleball is actually easier for them to play.
So, if you are not sure whether pickleball is going to be easier for you to play, try both to see which of these two sports suits you best!
Hello, I’m Damien Dansel and I have been playing pickleball for almost six years now. It all began in my first year of college when I was drowning in coursework and finals. I needed a stress reliever, but none of the usual suspects were working.
That’s when I saw that the pickleball court was free. I had a paddle, a ball, and a dream, and plenty of stress to unload. I encouraged some of my friends to come and play with me, and eventually, we even started a pickleball club at our college.
I started this site to get more people clued in and excited about pickleball. Please, take a look around and get as excited about this underrated sport as we are!
