Pickleball is like Ping Pong, where You play while standing on Table

Published on 01 January 2022 4 minutes 4 minutes

Pickleball is a new sport that is gaining popularity around the world. But this game naturally comes to a Ping Pong player for multiple reasons :-

Similarity in size of paddle
Ball weights
Spin
Techniques
Easy on the body (Except at Professional level)

Pickleball is actually like ping pong where you play while standing on the table.

Your ping pong skills will quite easily transfer to pickleball and you can even defeat some of the experienced players ;)

Pickleball paddles are manufactured by some of the famous brands such as Head, Wilson, Babolot, Adidas, Diadem, Gamma etc. Tennis players are familiar with most of the brands as they create best quality tennis rackets. Check Tennis Warehouse for some of the rackets.

The pickleball court is quite similar to badminton courts and the net is similar to tennis court. The paddles are similar to table tennis and ball is a hollow ball which is quite light weight. In all, it is a mash up of all three of sports but at the same time quite similar. But for a table tennis player, skills transfer is much better since the paddles and the balls have similar techniques as of pickleball.

Trivia : Do you know how pickleball name was invented? :)

Comparison of pickleball with table tennis

Let’s look at pickleball and table tennis similarities and differences -

Type	Table Tennis	Pickleball	Similarity
Racket Base	Wooden base(plus sometimes carbon layers) with rubber on both side	Wood or carbon fiber	Similar
Racket Shape	Mostly Round(Or Cybershape)	Square but more like Table tennis	Similar
Racket Grip	Relaxed and Use of Wrist	Relaxed and Use of Write	Ditto
Attacking	You need to use body for shots	Body and use Space for shots	Same
Scoring	Point-a-Rally to 11	Hand-In-Hand-Out to 11	Different
Techniques	Chop, Topspin, nospin	Same with similar motion	Same (Pickleball Slice is more like Table tennis chop than tennis slice)
Serving	Tossing the ball up and hitting	Same but you can spin when you throw	Similar but different because of tossing with spin
Pro Rackets	Equipment Approved by ITTF	Approved by the USAPA (USA Pickleball Association)	Similar

Some Interesting points and analysis

Elbow shots

Good pickleball players usually try to hit at other elbow as that is a transition point for backhand/forhand. Good ping pong players are already habitual to such things and those elbow shots doesn’t bother them much. Watch out pickleball player if you play with TT guy, it might be you would get hunted ;)

Volley

In Table Tennis there is no concept of volleys, you need to have on bounce on your side before hitting ball to opponent. Plain and simple but in Pickleball. you can hit a volley(similar to tennis) and this is a surprise element for table tennis players.

Scoring

Basically in Table Tennis you win a set when you score a point when you win a rally. In Pickleball. you need to break others serve and only then you can score point on your own serve.

Ball on legs tough for Ping Pong Player

One part that is tough for ping pong player is when the ball is hit near legs, because in table tennis you are not in the court and the paddle size is small. You need to create space, that is a skill that is lagging but it is also a skill that can be learned easily.

The biggest different is that you are standing on the table, just like Ma Long ;)

Ma Long on Table Tennis Table after WTTC 2015

Conclusion

Pickleball and Table Tennis are quite common where you have to throw the ball over a net to your opponent’s side until someone isn’t able to return it. Pickleball is another racket sport game which is fun and easy on the body and as a ping pong player, you will enjoy it for sure.

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