Paddle Tennis vs Pickleball: Key Differences

Paddle tennis and pickleball are both racquet-family sports played with solid paddles on courts smaller than a tennis court, but they differ in nearly every detail. Paddle tennis uses a depressurised tennis ball, a solid paddle and a single underhand serve on a court about the size of a tennis doubles service area, while pickleball uses a perforated plastic ball, a smaller court and a unique no-volley zone at the net called the kitchen.

The confusion runs deeper than these two, because “paddle tennis,” “platform tennis” and “padel” all sound alike and get mixed up constantly. This guide separates paddle tennis from pickleball first, then clears up where padel and platform tennis fit.

The core differences

The clearest split is the equipment and the net play. Pickleball’s plastic ball with holes flies slower and lower than paddle tennis’s depressurised tennis ball, which changes the whole rhythm of a rally. Pickleball also has its signature kitchen, a seven-foot zone on each side of the net where you cannot hit the ball out of the air, forcing the soft “dink” game that defines the sport. Paddle tennis has no such zone, so net play is more aggressive.

Serving differs too. Pickleball requires an underhand serve and, in doubles, a specific serving rotation, while paddle tennis traditionally allows a single underhand serve with no second-serve safety net. Both reward touch over raw power, which is a big part of why older players and families love them.

Court, ball and scoring compared

The table below lines up the essentials. Figures for pickleball follow USA Pickleball’s standards; paddle tennis dimensions reflect the common American game.

If you are new to pickleball specifically, our pickleball rules for beginners covers scoring and serving in full, and the kitchen in pickleball explainer digs into the one rule that trips up almost every newcomer.

Where padel fits in

Padel is the sport people most often confuse with paddle tennis because of the near-identical name. It is a different game: played in doubles on an enclosed court roughly 20 by 10 metres, surrounded by glass walls and mesh fencing that the ball can rebound off, much like squash. Serves are underhand, and the wall play adds a tactical layer that paddle tennis and pickleball simply do not have.

Padel is enormous in Spain and Latin America and is growing fast in the US, though it spread more slowly here because it needs a purpose-built glass court. That construction cost is the main reason pickleball, which can be painted onto existing tennis or gym floors, grew faster. If you want the specifics of the walled court, our padel court size guide has the measurements.

And platform tennis

Platform tennis, sometimes just called “paddle,” is a fourth relative and the one governed in the US by the American Platform Tennis Association. It is played outdoors in cold weather on a raised, heated aluminum court surrounded by tight wire screens. Like padel, the ball can be played off the screens after it bounces, and it is almost always a doubles, winter-season game. It shares the solid paddle but little else with pickleball.

Which should you try?

Choose by what is near you and what you enjoy. Pickleball is the easiest to find and to start, thanks to cheap, plentiful courts and a gentle learning curve. Paddle tennis suits players who like a faster, tennis-flavoured game without walls. Padel and platform tennis are worth seeking out if you enjoy the extra dimension of playing the ball off walls or screens.

The bottom line: paddle tennis and pickleball are cousins, not the same sport, differing in ball, court and the kitchen rule, and neither should be confused with padel or platform tennis, which are wall-based games with their own courts and traditions.