Pickleball continues to be the fastest-growing sport in the United States, and adoptees include former and current tennis players. Both pros and recreational tennis players have made their way to pickleball — but why? Here are 5 reasons tennis players switch to pickleball:
Physical demand
Tennis courts are much larger than pickleball courts, and the most popular form of play is singles. That means a lot of running, speed, and reaction time for players.
Conversely, pickleball courts are fairly compact and the most popular form of play is doubles. Pickleball paddles also tend to be much lighter than tennis rackets.
As tennis players get older or do not rise to the top of their sport, pickleball becomes a great alternative. They can be a star without destroying their bodies.
Injuries
Speaking of physical demand, many tennis players make their way to pickleball because of previous injuries. When your knees, hips, ankles, wrists, or any other body part begins to go out or is constantly injured, tennis may no longer be a good option for you.
Pickleball offers less constant strain on your body, allowing injuries to heal and allowing for tools to avoid injuries.
Social community
Because tennis courts are so large, tennis games are usually played in silence (besides the sounds that players make while exercising). But because pickleball courts allow players to be so close to each other, it creates a more social atmosphere:
At its furthest (usually during the pickleball serve and serve return), players are only around 44 feet apart. But the game is mostly played at the kitchen line, which means players are around 14 feet apart (each kitchen expands from the net up the court 7 feet).
Fourteen feet is close enough to carry on a conversation between all players.
Also, because players work with different partners, you learn the personalities and playing types of all different people. In pro pickleball, the game tends to be more social than tennis because of both the popularity of doubles but also the constant changing of partnerships.
The pickleball game is faster
Because of the smaller size of the pickleball court, the game of pickleball tends to be a much faster game than tennis. Because the majority of the game should be played at the kitchen line, you are constantly hitting the ball only 14 feet to the player across from you, causing a lot of quick shots and reaction time.
The different type of game play offers a fun new challenge for tennis players who move to pickleball.
Skills are transferrable
All racket sports have a lot of things in common, with similar language, rules, and transferable skills to play each of them. A lot of tennis players make the move to pickleball because it’s an easy transition.
The court is somewhat similar (even though it is smaller), the tennis racket and pickleball paddle are similar, and the game itself has a lot of the same rules. Perhaps the most important similarity though is that the movements are similar: Although the court is smaller and the game is faster, you will have a forehand and backhand, you still have a lob, and you still have an overhead shot.
Tennis players who have the muscle memory of a game they have played their whole lives will find it easy to transition from tennis to pickleball.