Does Pickleball Damage Tennis Court? All You Need to Know

Pickleball is not an intense sport and is played easily using a paddle and a ball similar to a wiffle ball. Pickleball can be played on tennis and badminton courts. If we talk about courts, a point comes to our mind that pickleball might damage the tennis court, but this is not true. Does pickleball damage tennis court?

Pickleball is not an intense sport that can damage a tennis court. The Pickleball game uses a much smaller paddle than the tennis racquet and is played by using a ball like a Wiffle ball. Tennis courts are capable of withstanding the harsh environment and are durable enough to play pickleball.

It is implausible that the tennis court will be damaged due to a pickleball play.

Causes Behind the Damage of Tennis Court:

There are various reasons behind the damage of the tennis court while playing pickleball game. Courts can withstand harsh environments, but sometimes, it starts to wear off due to lack of care. Some of the common reasons are as below:

• Lack of Maintenance:

Although tennis courts last longer and sometimes pickleball games are played on a tennis court or a badminton court, courts start to wear out due to a lack of care and maintenance. If the courts are not cleaned and drained regularly, the debris, leaves, and pine needles accumulate overtime on the court.

These things leave deep stains if not cleaned on time and can lead to discolouration of courts. It is recommended to clean the courts after a few weeks, and the rough debris like dust and leaves etc. should be swept off daily.

• Growth of Algae and Mold:

Sometimes algae and mold grown on the courts can damage tennis courts. The algae and mold usually result from food and drink spills, decayed trash or leaves, and other materials are thrown on the court’s surface. The sticky stains and marks of such materials can damage the courts and make them slippery.

• Poor Drainage System:

A proper drainage system is considered an essential part of any court. Water is the most damaging thing for any court as excess water can sit on the surface or beneath the court and lead to various problems.

A proper drainage system installed in a tennis court can divert excess water from the court. To avoid leakage and protect the court from damage, it is advisable to check the structure and drainage system of courts every week or two.

• Surface Damage and Cracks:

Sometimes due to lack of proper maintenance and care, cracks may develop on the surface of the tennis courts. The cracks might develop to excessive use of non-marker tennis shoes on the court, dragging of several items like chairs, benches, or use of skateboards and rollerblades.

Asphalt and concrete courts often show the development of hairline cracks causing damage to the courts.

Converting Tennis Court into a Pickleball Court:

A Pickleball court can be converted into a tennis court without causing any damage to the tennis court. It can be done through these two options:

Option 1	On either side of the tennis court, a person can set up two pickleball courts. A net can be placed in between the baseline and the service box line of the court. In this way, the pickleball court extends back to the tennis court baseline.
Option 2	Four pickleball courts can be set up on a tennis court. Two can be set on either side and the net can be placed in the same area. If you want to place courts side-by-side then option 1 is the best idea.

What Damages a Tennis Court?

It is a hypothesis that playing pickleball over a tennis court damages the court in all aspects. However, this is not true. The fact is that playing another sport on a tennis court, especially noting that the game isn’t as aggressive as tennis, does not damage the court. 

Other factors play an essential role in damaging the tennis court. Those factors are listed below.

Lack of Cleaning and Maintenance:

Sports courts and fields require proper maintenance and cleaning frequently. If this is not done correctly, it might lead to damage occurring in the court.

Algae, Mold and Mildew:

All these results from food and drink spills, decaying trash or leaves, and other foreign materials on the court’s surface. All these make the court slippery and can cause severe damage if not checked in time. They can also be a cause of injury to the players.

Improper Drainage System:

Water plays an essential role in destroying a court. If the drainage system of the court is ruined or is not proper, it can easily lead to the destruction of the court, that too, in a very numbered days. 

Preventing Tennis Courts from Damage while Playing Pickleball:

Here we will mention some maintenance tips for preventing the damage to pickleball courts caused sometimes due to lack of maintenance and other associated factors.

Remove Debris and Leaves on Regular Basis:

It is recommended to regularly remove all the solid debris like branches, leaves, weeds, paper, rocks, and plastic-based items from the court. If not discarded, all such debris regularly creates heaps of debris in court and can lead to damage.

When not removed, such debris can result in stains, growth of mildew and moss, and can lead to trapped moisture on the court’s surface, which can disturb the colour of the court’s surface.

Cleaning the Net:

Nets are necessary for playing in pickleball games, and just like a court, their cleanliness also matters. If you want to get the nets clean from any dirt and dust, it is necessary to remove them from the court. If there is no game for weeks in the court, then it is recommended to remove the net from the court to be cleaned thoroughly.

Use Pressure Wash:

It is recommended to pressure wash the court to prevent the pickleball court from damage. Washing the court with perfect pressure and nozzle can speed up the cleaning process and prevent the wand scars from the surface. If you are using an incorrect nozzle, it can result in sudden pressure of water which can create uneven blotches on the court.

Can You Use a Paddle Tennis Court for Pickleball? Is There a Damage Concern?

Yes, you can use a paddle tennis court for pickleball. Paddle tennis is played on an all-weather surface (usually asphalt, concrete, or macadam). The game originated as an “in-between” game when ball tennis was impossible because of bad weather.

As the name suggests, paddle tennis uses a solid paddle (in place of a racket) to strike the ball (similar to paddle usage in paddleball). Paddle tennis uses air or grounds inflated rubber balls. During the 1920s and 30s, paddle tennis was an extremely popular game throughout the United States and Canada. It is most popular in Southern California, Florida, and Hawaii.

Paddle tennis courts are usually marked with a regular ball tennis court outline (although there may be some differences). A pickleball can fit freely inside a standard paddle tennis court.

Whether the paddle tennis lines are in play for pickleball is usually up to the individual groups that use it. Some areas play with “no service line” rules, which means that pickleball cannot bounce over the service line in front of the serving area. This may result in a few pickleball balls being returned towards the pickleball court.

Tennis Court to Pickleball Court Conversion:

A Tennis court can be converted easily to a pickleball court by changing the following things. It will not damage the tennis court, and a perfect pickleball court will be achieved. The changing methods include:

• The net
  
• Pickleball lines
  
• Pickleball court dimensions and configurations

The Net:

There are two basic ways of converting the tennis court net for playing pickleball.

Lowering and adjusting the tennis net	A tennis net is higher in height as compared to a pickleball net so you can lower that net for adjusting it for a pickleball game. Lower the net to 36 inches on the sideline and 34 inches on the center. An adjuster is sometimes required for lowering the tennis net.
Buying a portable pickleball net	You can simply buy a portable pickleball net which is a preferred method. An adjuster can be used for changing the height of the net which can be used for both pickleball and tennis play.

Pickleball Lines:

The Pickleball game involves different zones for playing the game. These zones can be adjusted and made using removable lines on a tennis court.

The zones such as volley and non-volley zone can be adjusted by drawing some lines using chalk or other removable material on a tennis court. In this way, the tennis court can be converted into a pickleball court.

Pickleball Court Dimensions and Configurations:

The court dimensions and configurations are different for pickleball and tennis courts. For tennis courts, the dimensions are 60-by-120, while for pickleball courts, the dimensions are between 20-by-44.

In this way, it is estimated that four courts can be set up as pickleball courts in a tennis court, but usually, two pickleball courts are the best options with an area of 30-by-60.

Setting One Pickleball Court:

If you want to set up just one pickleball court, you can lower the centre net. Draw a non-volley zone using a marker and draw sidelines at a distance of three and a half feet from single lines. Do these all changes on a tennis court and draw a baseline for playing pickleball on the tennis court.

Setting Two Pickleball Courts:

You can also set up two pickleball courts on a single tennis court. It is advisable to keep the baselines a little far away from a tennis court net. It will act as a barrier between two pickleball courts. Use a portable pickleball net for setting up two pickleball courts and use a marker to draw pickleball lines.

Setting Four Pickleball Courts:

You can also set up four pickleball courts by adjusting the baselines at a distance of 6 feet instead of 8 feet. Maintain a distance of 2 feet in between the side-by-side pickleball court. It is recommended to have more space, and the tennis court should be converted to either a single or a double court instead of four pickleball courts because it seems a bit messy.

Also Read:

How is Pickleball Different From Tennis? Pickleball Vs Tennis
What Kind of Ball is Used in Pickleball?

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQs):

Does pickleball damages tennis courts?

It is unlikely that a pickleball game can damage a tennis court. Pickleball is a fair game, and tennis courts are built to withstand harsh conditions.

Does pickleball hurt the tennis game?

This thing depends on the skill of the player and practice. Pickleball is a game that a tennis player can easily play. But if tennis is not practised and the player plays just pickleball for several months, it might damage the tennis game. After such a pause, it would become difficult for the player to hit the ball properly in a tennis game.

Can a tennis court be used as a court for pickleball?

The standard dimension for a tennis court is 50 feet in length and 20 feet in width. While for pickleball court dimensions, a traditional court is recommended, which should be six feet shorter in length. Tennis courts can be transformed easily into pickleball courts according to dimensions.

Which surface is considered best for playing pickleball?

Pickleball can be played easily on a plain concrete surface. It can also be played on grass or clay but preferably a professionally smooth and durable concrete surface with a specialist acrylic coating.

Are the pickleball courts considered the same as the tennis courts?

Pickleball courts are smaller in size than a tennis court. Tennis court holds dimensions according to singles and doubles category. A non-volley zone is extended seven inches back from the net in pickleball court, commonly called the kitchen.

What is the difference between pickleball and platform tennis?

A platform tennis court is four feet longer than a pickleball court. Tennis includes a net two feet higher and allows the player to come right up to the net. On the other hand, pickleball has a shorter yield, and it does not allow the players to go right up to the net, which is called the no volley zone.

How often can a person resurface the pickleball court?

A pickleball court can be resurfaced every four to eight years which is a good rule.

What is the slope of the pickleball court?

It is recommended that pickleball slope in courts should be in one plane, side-to-side, end-to-end, and corner-to-corner with a minimum of one inch in ten inches to a maximum of one per cent.

How much total cost is estimated to convert a tennis court to a pickleball court?

The cost falls between $11 to $22 per square foot for building a pickleball court.

Can a person play pickleball on a grassy region too?

Pickleball is mainly played on hard surfaces like a tennis court, but it can also be played on grass for having a casual version of the game. 

What do you mean by a pickleball court?

Pickleball court is the same size as doubles badminton court, and its measurement and dimension fall between 20-by-44 feet. 

How long does a tennis court last?

 Tennis court can last approximately 25 years if maintained properly.