Pickleball vs Badminton vs Tennis: Courts, Nets and Rules Compared
Pickleball and badminton share almost the same court, but the net height, the kitchen rule and the equipment change everything. A clear comparison with tennis, including which are Olympic sports.
Quick answer
What is the difference between pickleball and badminton?
Pickleball and badminton use an almost identical court — about 13.4 m by 6.1 m — but the pickleball net is far lower, 0.86 m at the centre against badminton's 1.524 m. Pickleball adds a 2.13 m no-volley "kitchen" at the net, uses a solid paddle and a perforated plastic ball, and is played to 11 points.
Pickleball, badminton and tennis get lumped together as “racket sports on a rectangle”, and people picking a court are often surprised by how differently they play. The quickest way to tell them apart is to compare the three things that decide the game: the size of the court, the height of the net, and the rules at the net.
Court size: pickleball and badminton are near-twins
The surprise for most people is that a pickleball court and a badminton court are almost the same rectangle. Tennis is in a different league of size.
| Sport | Court (length × width) | Net height (centre) | Governed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Badminton | 13.4 × 6.1 m (doubles) | 1.524 m | BWF |
| Pickleball | 13.41 × 6.10 m | 0.8636 m | USA Pickleball / IFP |
| Tennis | 23.77 × 8.23 m (singles) | 0.914 m | ITF |
Note that the pickleball court is the same size for singles and doubles — unlike badminton and tennis, which widen for doubles. And the pickleball figures come from the USA Pickleball / IFP rulebook, which is the standard used worldwide in practice.
Net height: this is where they diverge
Identical footprints, very different nets. Badminton’s net sits high — 1.524 m at the centre — because the shuttle is struck downward and floated. Pickleball’s net is roughly 66 cm lower at 0.8636 m centre (0.9144 m at the sidelines), because the ball is driven and dinked flat over it. Drop a badminton net to pickleball height and you have changed the whole character of the game.
The kitchen: pickleball’s defining rule
Pickleball has a feature neither of the others does: a 2.13 m non-volley zone either side of the net, universally called “the kitchen”. You may not volley — hit the ball out of the air — while standing in it. That single rule is what stops pickleball becoming a game of smashing at the net and is the first thing a badminton player has to unlearn.
Equipment and scoring
- Pickleball: a solid paddle and a perforated plastic ball. Games are typically to 11, win by 2, with an underhand serve.
- Badminton: a strung racket and a feather or nylon shuttlecock. Rally scoring to 21, win by 2.
- Tennis: a strung racket and a felt ball. Scored in games and sets.
A note on the Olympics
Badminton and tennis are long-standing Olympic sports. Pickleball, despite its speed of growth, is not an Olympic or IOC-recognised sport as of 2026. If a source tells you otherwise, it is ahead of the facts.
Why this matters for a multi-sport ground
Because a pickleball court and a badminton court are the same rectangle, one indoor space can serve both — the difference is the net and the lines. That is how our facility runs it: pickleball and badminton on courts built to spec, indoors, and available at any hour. Pick your sport and send a slot from the book a slot page and we will confirm it back.
Want to play Pickleball?
Squats Que has a regulation-size pickleball court in Dilshad Garden, East Delhi — one of very few dedicated courts in the city. It suits both singles and doubles, is open 24 hours a day every day, and paddles and balls can be arranged. Book by the hour on WhatsApp.
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Related questions
Almost exactly. A pickleball court is 13.41 × 6.10 m and a badminton doubles court is 13.4 × 6.1 m — the same rectangle within centimetres. The nets and rules are what differ.
A pickleball net is 0.8636 m at the centre; a badminton net is 1.524 m at the centre. The pickleball net is roughly 66 cm lower.
The kitchen is the 2.13 m non-volley zone on each side of the net. You may not volley the ball — hit it out of the air — while standing inside it. Badminton has no such zone.
For most people, yes. A much smaller court, a lower net, an underhand serve and a slower plastic ball make pickleball quicker to pick up than tennis.
Not as of 2026 — pickleball is not an Olympic or IOC-recognised sport. Badminton and tennis both are.
Yes. Because the footprints match, one indoor space can serve both — the difference is the net height and the lines. That is how a multi-sport venue runs them.