Know the court
Tennis Court vs Pickleball Court: What Is Actually Different
By the TennisCourtFinder team · Updated June 29, 2026 · 5 min read
Pickleball has exploded, and a lot of that growth happened right on top of existing tennis courts. If you have shown up to your local park lately and found new lines painted across the tennis court, or a set of lower nets rolled out, this is why. The two sports share space, but the courts are built to different numbers.
The size difference is bigger than it looks
A regulation pickleball court is 20 feet wide and 44 feet long, the same size for singles and doubles. A tennis court is 36 feet wide and 78 feet long for doubles. That gap is why you can fit several pickleball courts inside the footprint of one tennis court. With a standard layout you can lay out four pickleball courts on a single tennis court, which is exactly what a lot of parks have done to keep up with demand.
Net height and the lines on the ground
Tennis nets sit 3 feet high at the center and rise to 3 feet 6 inches at the posts. Pickleball nets are lower, 34 inches at the center and 36 inches at the sidelines. The pickleball court also adds the non-volley zone, a 7 foot area on each side of the net that players call the kitchen, where you are not allowed to hit the ball out of the air.
Can you play pickleball on a tennis court?
Yes, and people do it all the time. The simplest version is a portable net and a roll of tape for temporary lines, which lets you set up a pickleball court in a few minutes without touching the tennis lines. Permanent conversions paint pickleball lines in a different color so both sports can read their own court. If you are sharing a blended court, the rule of thumb is to learn which color is yours and ignore the rest.
Why so many courts are converting
Pickleball is easier to pick up, gentler on the body, and more social, since four people share a smaller space and games run short. Tennis still draws the dedicated crowd that loves longer rallies and the full court workout. Most communities are not choosing one over the other. They are fitting both into the space they already have.
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Frequently asked questions
- Much smaller. Pickleball courts are 20 by 44 feet. Tennis courts are 36 by 78 feet for doubles, so roughly four pickleball courts fit on one tennis court.
- Yes. Use a portable net and temporary lines, or play on a blended court that has both sets of lines painted on it.
- It is the non-volley zone, a 7 foot strip on each side of the net. You cannot volley the ball while standing inside it.