For four decades, tennis was my jam. I’d pick up a racquet a handful of times each year, and enjoy the muscle memory established as a kid.
It wasn’t a serious commitment, but it was a constant in my life—until it wasn’t.
Two years ago, I discovered pickleball.
Like many others, I was seduced by the game’s rapid-fire game-play, social atmosphere, total inclusion, and ease on my body when compared to tennis.
Before I knew it, tennis faded into the background, and pickleball became The Choice.
For over two years, I didn’t touch a tennis racquet. Not once.
I reveled in the quick reflexes and strategic positioning that pickleball demanded. And I figured I was still maintaining my “racquet sports skills,” albeit on a smaller scale.
Boy, was I wrong.
Yesterday, I hit a few tennis balls, and what transpired left me frustrated and fascinated by the differences between these two sports.
The Shock of the Familiar
The moment I stepped onto the tennis court, everything felt off. The court seemed impossibly vast. My trusty Prince Diablo, once an extension of my arm, now felt unwieldy and foreign in my hand. Heavy, long, cumbersome.
But the real shock came when I had to return my first ball…against a 9-year-old.
The speed was incredible!
After two years of pickleball, it was clear that my reaction time was off.
My long sweeping forehand, once a point of pride, had devolved into an awkward flailing. The muscle memory I had built over decades was overwritten by two years of pickleball. I found myself dinking tennis balls, a recipe for defeat.
As I spent more time on the court, I realized that it is important to me to maintain my tennis skills. So, what are the challenges in transitioning back to tennis? These will be my areas of focus:
Challenges of Returning to Tennis After Pickleball
COURT SIZE: The tennis court felt enormous. After playing on a pickleball court (which is roughly a quarter of the size), I struggled with court coverage and positioning.
Remedy: I’m starting with mini-tennis in the service boxes and slowly expanding to the full court to regain my sense of space and positioning.
BALL SPEED: The velocity of a tennis ball is significantly higher than a pickleball. My timing was off, and I found myself consistently late on my shots.
Remedy: I’m using a ball machine and practicing against a wall, gradually increasing the speed to help me adjust to the faster pace of tennis balls.
SWING MECHANICS: Pickleball relies more on quick, compact strokes, while tennis requires a fuller swing. My tennis swing had lost its fluidity and power.
Remedy: I’m doing shadow swings and recording my practice sessions to consciously rebuild my full tennis swing, paying extra attention to my follow-through and weight transfer.
SERVE ADJUSTMENT: The serving motion in tennis is entirely different from pickleball. I had to consciously remind myself to toss the ball up and use a full overhead motion.
Remedy: I’m dedicating time each practice session to serving, starting with slow, exaggerated motions to retrain my muscle memory for the proper toss and overhead strike.
FOOTWORK: Tennis demands much more court coverage and lateral movement. My footwork, adapted to the smaller pickleball court, felt sluggish and uncoordinated.
Remedy: I’ve incorporated tennis-specific agility drills and ladder exercises into my routine to improve my lateral movement and overall court coverage.
SHOT SELECTION: In pickleball, dinks and soft shots are crucial. In tennis, I had to relearn when to hit with power and when to use finesse.
Remedy: I’m practicing drills that alternate between power shots and touch shots to relearn when each is appropriate in a tennis match.
MENTAL ADJUSTMENT: The strategic elements of tennis (like playing the baseline or approaching the net) required a different mindset from pickleball’s rapid exchanges.
Remedy: I’m watching professional tennis matches and studying strategy guides, then deliberately applying these tactics during my practice sessions to reinforce the tennis mindset.
The Best of Both Worlds
After my experience, I’ve realized that the debate between tennis and pickleball doesn’t have to be an either/or proposition. In fact, playing both sports can offer the best of both worlds.
Pickleball provides a fast-paced, socially engaging experience that’s easy on the joints and accessible to players of all ages and skill levels. Its smaller court and slower ball speed make it an excellent option for quick, fun games and for maintaining overall fitness and hand-eye coordination.
Tennis, on the other hand, offers a more physically demanding and strategically complex game. It challenges your endurance, power, and mental fortitude in uniquely satisfying ways. The larger court and faster pace provide a different kind of thrill and a test of athletic ability that many find irreplaceable.
Players can enjoy a more diverse and well-rounded racquet sports experience by engaging in both sports. The skills developed in pickleball—quick reflexes, soft touch, and rapid decision-making—can enhance your tennis game. Conversely, the power, endurance, and strategic thinking honed in tennis can elevate your pickleball performance.
Ultimately, unless a physical limitation makes one sport unsuitable, there’s no reason to choose between tennis and pickleball. Both offer unique benefits and joys. By embracing both, you can enjoy a richer, more diverse sporting life that caters to different moods, social settings, and fitness goals.
The court is wide open for you to enjoy the best of both worlds.