Can You Play Pickleball on a Tennis Court?
- Alex Horscroft
- Last updated
Want to play pickleball but have no court? Ugh. How frustrating. Looks like you can’t play pickleball… or can you? There is, in fact, a solution, my friends, and it’s staring you right in the face: tennis courts.
Can you play pickleball on a tennis court? You certainly can. Tennis courts are great for pickleball as they are abundant, have the perfect ground, and even have markings and a net that you can use (provided you can lower it). Using a tennis court for pickleball is far easier than making your own court from scratch.
So read on to learn how to take advantage of tennis courts scattered everywhere. Don’t miss out on the opportunity!
Can You Play Pickleball on a Tennis Court?
The bottom line is that you can use a tennis court for pickleball, but you have to adapt it. You see, tennis courts are much larger than pickleball courts and also have different markings. This means you can’t simply grab your pickleball gear and start playing — you need to make some changes first.
Differences Between Tennis Courts and Pickleball Courts
| Pickleball Court | Tennis Court | |
| Court Dimensions | 44 ft x 20 ft | 78 ft x 27 ft |
| Net Height | 36 inches at the sidelines and 34 inches at the middle | 42 inches at the sidelines and 36 inches in the middle |
| Ground material | Asphalt/concrete | Asphalt/concrete |
| Double Sidelines | No | Yes |
| Non-volley zone | Yes | No |
The most obvious difference between tennis courts and pickleball courts is the size difference. Tennis courts measure 78 ft x 27 ft, whereas pickleball courts measure 44 ft x 20 ft. As a result, the markings for each court are different too. This means you’ll have to mark most of the court lines when you convert a tennis court into a pickleball court.
The tennis net is also 6 inches higher in the middle and 2 inches higher at the sides. This may not seem like a big difference, but we can guarantee you that it is. You don’t want to be playing pickleball on such a high net.
Ultimately though, tennis courts are close enough to pickleball courts that they are well worth adapting. With some fairly minor changes, you can enjoy this wonderful game conveniently.
Read More: Pickleball vs. Tennis: Which Is Best for You?
Playing Pickleball on a Tennis Court
To adapt a tennis court into a pickleball court, you first need to know the various dimensions of the game. As you already know, pickleball courts are smaller at 44 ft x 20 ft. They also have two service boxes on each side which measure 15 ft x 10 ft, and a non-volley zone which measures 7 ft x 20 ft.
Option 1: One Pickleball Court From One Tennis Court
The simplest way to play pickleball on a tennis court is to perform a one-for-one switch. This lets you take advantage of the already present tennis court net so you don’t have to use your own. Of course, the caveat here is that the net needs to be adjustable. You need to lower it from 42 inches to 36 inches at the side and 36 inches to 34 inches in the middle.
Some tennis nets are adjustable, so the job can be easy. However, many are not, so adapting a tennis court in this way is not always the best option. Fortunately, there is a way to modify non-adjustable tennis nets for pickleball. Pick up a purpose-built pickleball net adapter. They allow you to convert the net for pickleball in just a few minutes.
Option 2: Two Pickleball Courts From One Tennis Court
Adapting one tennis court into two pickleball courts is the most common route pickleball players make. Not only is it a more efficient use of the space, but also, the tennis net acts as a boundary that minimizes runaway balls. On the flip side, it does mean neighboring games will occasionally interrupt your own.
Due to the position change of the courts, you also have to use your own pickleball net, which bumps up the cost. However, we don’t see this as too big of an issue. It also means you can be sure that your net is regulation size.
Option 3: Four Pickleball Courts From One Tennis Court
The final method is to transform one tennis court into four pickleball courts. As you can see, it’s ultra-efficient and a bit of a squeeze. We prefer using two pickleball courts, but if there are many players, four can certainly work.
The middle horizontal tennis court line no longer serves as a means to split the pickleball courts into left and right. Instead, the tennis courts’ singles lines fulfill this purpose. As a result, you have the same number of lines to mark yourself compared with if you were using two pickleball courts or just one.
The disadvantage of opting for four pickleball courts is that your games will be interrupted far more often. In particular, the court beside your own will be a bit of a nuisance. With nothing to act as a boundary, the ball from this game will make its way onto your court regularly.
Also, the tennis court net does not extend to the width of each court. This, again, means more ball chasing.
Read More: Pickleball Net Height & How It Compares With Tennis
Marking Out the Pickleball Lines on a Tennis Court
How to Mark Pickleball Lines on a Tennis Court
Even though tennis courts have markings of their own, very few are usable when it comes to pickleball. This means you have to mark out most for yourself. We strongly recommend avoiding using anything too permanent as it’s a surefire way to land yourself in hot water.
Ultimately, tennis courts are designed for tennis, so we shouldn’t ruin the experience for tennis players. Fortunately, there are lots of temporary marking options to choose from. Here are some of our favorites:
- Chalk: Washes away with heavy rain.
- Crayons: Lasts a little longer than chalk
- Pickleball court marking kit: Well-priced and doesn’t leave a trace of your presence. The drawback is that it only marks corners, not lines.
- Marking tape: Easy to remove but hard to reapply as adhesion diminishes over time. More of a permanent option (works well when left on the ground).
- Pickleball marking straps: The best temporary way to mark out a court. Doesn’t leave a trace, marks out the whole court, and doesn’t interfere with play. The main drawback is the cost — it’s overpriced in our opinion.
Beyond your means of marking the court, you’ll also need a tape measure and potentially some tape as well. Pickleball marking straps, for instance, will shift with little wind if they are not taped to the ground.
Read More: Pickleball Court Dimensions + How to Set Up Your Own Court
How to Convert a Tennis Court Into a Pickleball Court
First thing first, you need to decide how many pickleball courts you want, as this will influence where the markings go. Below we’ll outline the procedure for converting a tennis court into a single pickleball court using marking tape.
- Adjust the net height so that it is 36 inches at the sides and 34 inches in the middle
- Measure 20 ft across the length of the net and mark both points
- From these points, mark two further points on each side of the court that are 22 ft away. These will serve as the sidelines.
- Measure these marked points to ensure that they are 20 ft apart (otherwise, the court will not be straight)
- If they are, connect these points with tape. If not, adjust the angles until correct and connect.
- To construct the kitchen, measure 7 ft from the net in either direction along the sidelines and connect these points.
How Much Does It Cost to Transform a Tennis Court Into a Pickleball Court?
While professionally converting a tennis court into a pickleball court costs thousands of dollars, the switch is relatively affordable if you go the DIY temporary route.
At its cheapest, you could just cover the line marking cost (provided the tennis net is adjustable). And the most inexpensive method of marking a pickleball court is chalk. We’re talking under 5 bucks here. You don’t get any more budget-friendly than that!
If we, instead, look at the most expensive DIY route. The figure is around $315. This uses the wildly popular Pickle-Ball Inc 3.0 portable pickleball net system and the Cortable pickleball straps for marking the court (which we think is one of the best options). However, you probably don’t want to spend this much unless you’re a super keen player.
Instead, a good mid-point is to use the A11N portable pickleball net, which is still highly rated but 70 bucks cheaper, and to use the Franklin Sports court marking set. Sure, the Franklin Sports marking set only marks where the court’s lines meet, but its ease of use and cheap price tag make it a great purchase. Picking up these two items costs $155.
Read More: How to Play Pickleball (the Hottest Game Going!)
Closing Thoughts
Can you play pickleball on a tennis court? You certainly can, my fellow pickleballers, and for those of us without nearby pickleball courts, it’s the best way of playing the game.
Just way up your options for marking the pickleball court to see which is best for you. I usually use tape to mark out my court, but there’s no denying it’s fiddly. That’s why the Franklin Sports court marking set is so alluring.
Ultimately though, it’s your net you need to pay the most attention to. Make sure you don’t accidentally purchase a half-court net and ensure you pick up a model with a central support to validate the height is regulation size.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pickleball Played on a Tennis Court?
Pickleball is not conventionally played on a tennis court. Pickleball courts measure 44 ft x 20 ft whereas tennis courts measure 78 ft x 27 ft. Pickleball courts also have a small area adjacent to the net known as the kitchen. This is not present in the sport of tennis.
How Do I Play Pickleball on a Tennis Court?
Can pickleball be played on a tennis court? Yes. You simply have to modify the existing court for pickleball. Lower the net to a height of 36 inches at the sides and 34 inches in the middle. Then mark out all of the pickleball court specifications. You can use chalk, marking tape, or a court marking kit to do this.
How Do I Get a Tennis Court With Pickleball Lines?
There are many ways to mark a tennis court for pickleball. The most common temporary methods include chalk, crayons, marking tape, court marking kits, and pickleball marking straps.
If you want to go the permanent route, paint is probably your best choice.
Freelance writer. Table tennis enthusiast. Lover of all things online. When I’m not working on my loop game I’m probably binge-watching some fantasy show.
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