Pickleball is getting super popular, not only in the USA, but all over the world.  With this rise in popularity, many people are getting curious. They have questions!

We are often asked: “What is the difference between paddle ball and pickleball?” or “Are pickleball and padel the same game?” And sometimes people wonder about paddle tennis.

These are good questions. Figuring out the differences between all these paddle sports can get a little confusing, we know.

So, since we’re your go-to resource for all things pickleball, we’ve put together a definitive guide to paddleball vs. pickleball. That way, the next time someone asks, you’ll have all the answers!

The history of pickleball is a fascinating one. In 1965, some families in the Seattle area had a shed full of sports equipment and an empty badminton court. But instead of badminton racquets, they decided to use ping-pong paddles, and as fate would have it, they found a wiffle ball.

These families started playing and something clicked. They tweaked the rules a bit, fine-tuned the game, and voila, pickleball was born.

Their local community quickly caught on, and before you knew it, one of the neighbors was building a pickleball court, solidifying the game in the neighborhood.

And as they say, the rest is history…

Pickleball rules combine elements of tennis and ping pong with some unique twists. When you serve in pickleball, you serve underhand, diagonally across the court. A rally begins, and when someone finally slips, the opposing team scores a point.

Scoring in pickleball is more like ping-pong than tennis, and we have an entire article dedicated to explaining how pickleball scoring works.

One unique aspect of pickleball is the “kitchen,” a 7-foot area on either side of the court, also known as the non-volley zone. You’re not allowed to hit a volley – that is, a shot that comes out of the air – while any part of your body is in the kitchen.

As for equipment, let’s talk about pickleball paddles. A pickleball paddle is about the same size as a paddleball paddle, but it doesn’t have holes in it. Pickleball paddles are made of wood, plastic or, more commonly these days, composite materials with a graphite face.

The pickleball itself is a lightweight, hollow ball, perforated for aerodynamics, made of plastic. It has fewer holes than a traditional wiffle ball, so it’s a little heavier.

As for the net, pickleball nets are similar to tennis nets, but about 6 inches shorter. A standard pickleball net is 22 feet wide, with a height of 36 inches at the posts and 34 inches at the center.

Paddleball has a history that goes back even further. There is a version of the game called “one-wall paddleball,” which is an offshoot of handball. As the story goes, players came up with the idea of using paddles to protect their hands, especially during cold winters, possibly around the 1940s.

Four-wall paddleball, on the other hand, has a more detailed origin story. It was the brainchild of a physical education teacher named Earl Riskey who was at the University of Michigan in 1930. He realized that playing racquetball with a paddle instead of a racket could create an exciting new variation of the game.

Now, the rules of paddleball are quite different from those of pickleball.

For starters, there’s no net in paddleball. Instead, opponents stand side by side and hit the ball off a wall.

The game starts with the first player serving. This involves hitting the ball off the back wall and letting it bounce. The next player’s job is to hit the ball back off the wall.

From there, the goal is for each player to return the ball to the wall without letting it bounce more than once. In four-wall paddle tennis, the ball can even hit multiple walls during a point (more on this in a moment).

Now, a paddleball paddle differs from a pickleball paddle in that it has holes in it. These holes are added to minimize drag and allow for quicker swings. Paddleball paddles tend to be slightly more rounded in shape.

Paddleball balls are very different from pickleball balls; they are usually small, soft rubber tennis balls. They’re slightly larger than ping pong balls and resemble squash balls.

In four-wall paddleball, you may come across the use of a racquetball. The type of ball used for paddleball may vary depending on where you are in the country.

Before we go on, it’s essential to differentiate between paddle tennis and ‘padel’. Padel is a game that originated in Mexico and is most popular in Spanish-speaking countries. It’s similar to tennis but is played in an enclosed court where the ball can bounce off the walls.

There are two versions of paddleball: one-wall paddleball and four-wall paddleball, which can almost be considered different games.

One-wall paddleball, the first version, can be played in singles (1 vs. 1) or doubles (2 vs. 2). This game originated from handball and is typically played against a single wall using a small rubber ball, which is quite similar to a handball. The rules closely resemble those of handball.

On the other hand, four-wall paddleball is more akin to squash. It’s played on a slightly larger court that’s entirely enclosed by four walls and features a 20-foot-high ceiling. This version can be played by 2, 3, or 4 players, and the rules are nearly identical to racquetball.

• Paddles: Both sports use paddles with flat, rounded faces on a short handle, although the designs may differ slightly.
• Skills: Players in both sports need to be agile, have quick footwork, and the ability to change direction swiftly. They also require power, accuracy, and the capacity to put spin on the ball.
• Court Size: The dimensions of the courts in both sports are relatively similar, and they share some common rules, such as serving diagonally across the court.
• Net Games: Both games involve hitting a ball over a net. In paddleball, players hit the ball against a wall while standing side by side, and in pickleball, a net is used.
• Fast-Paced: Paddleball and pickleball are both fast-paced sports, requiring quick reactions and strategic thinking.

These shared elements make it easier for individuals to transition from one game to the other, leveraging their skills and knowledge.

• Paddle Design: Pickleball paddles have a smooth, untextured face, while paddleball paddles often have added grip features and holes in the face to reduce wind resistance.
• Balls: Pickleball uses lightweight plastic wiffle balls with holes, while paddleball typically uses small, soft rubber balls, although racquetballs or tennis balls can also be used.
• Scoring and Serving: The scoring systems and serving techniques differ between the two sports. Pickleball uses underhand serves, while paddleball serves are taken overhand with full force against the back wall.
• Court Dimensions: Pickleball courts are the same size as badminton courts, measuring 22 feet by 40 feet. Paddleball courts are 20 feet wide and either 34 or 40 feet long, and they don’t have a net.
• Popularity: Pickleball is significantly more popular, with nearly 5 million players in the USA alone, while paddleball has a smaller following.

Conclusion

The world of paddle sports can indeed be complex, but we hope we’ve clarified the differences between pickleball and paddleball for you. If you have any further questions or comments, feel free to reach out to us on our social media. We’re here to help!