One pickleball court per tennis court.
The simplest way is to just lower the tennis net to 34" in the center. Lines can be painted on the court for pickleball. Then the court can be used for both tennis and pickleball very easily. The pickleball lines are yellow in the photo on the right. Because of the size of the tennis court, you might want to have some sort of temporary barrier for the balls so that they don't have to be chased the full length of the tennis court.
Note the hold-down arrangement at the ends of the net to bring the net down to the correct height for pickleball (34 inches in the center, 36 inches at the sidelines). Alternatively, the center strap could be used to bring the net down to 34 inches in the center. If the tension on the net cord is very tight, the tension might have to be loosened slightly by adjusting the ratchet on the net post.
Photo courtesy of the Bella Vista Pickleball Club
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Two pickleball courts per tennis court.
The diagram on the left shows 2 pickleball courts laid out on a tennis court. A standard tennis court pad is 60'x120'. The minimum recommended size for a pickleball court is 30'x60'. That is exactly one fourth the size of a standard tennis court pad. Therefore, it is possible to put 4 pickleball courts in the space of a tennis court except for the possible existence of angled corners that are on some tennis courts.
If the corners are angled, then two courts can fit very nicely as shown. If the conversion is temporary or it is desired to be able to continue to use the court for tennis, then portable net stands can be used for the pickleball courts and the tennis net can be left in place as a backstop for the two pickleball courts.
Note: If the courts are outdoors and the tennis court is oriented in the normal north/south direction, do not place the pickleball courts are right angles to the tennis court. If you do, one player will be looking directly into the sun in the early morning or late afternoon.
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Four pickleball courts per tennis court.
The diagram on the right shows four pickleball courts on a tennis court. Note how the position of the pickleball courts has been shifted by two feet to allow for the angled corners of the tennis court. That leaves only 6 feet between the pickleball baseline and the tennis net. That is a little tight, but works in a pinch. The compromise is especially acceptable if the tennis court is being used temporarily while permanent pickleball courts are being built.
If the tennis court does not have angled corners, then move the courts 2 feet so that there is an 8-foot distance between the pickleball baseline and the backstops. Note how the lines are made to coincide as much as possible with the tennis court lines in order to minimize line confusion for the players. Note also that this layout does not allow room for fences between the side-by-side courts.
To serve as a backstop for the balls, the tennis net should be extended with netting or some sort of temporary barrier.
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Permanent Conversion of Tennis Courts
This diagram shows 2 tennis courts that are permanently converted to 8 pickleball courts. If a single tennis court is converted, just refer to half of the diagram. Angled corners are squared off if necessary. If the tennis court is a standard dimension of 60'x120', that only allows 5 feet between the pickleball sidelines and the fences. That should be considered the minimum dimension. If space and budget allow, add some additional overall width. That will give the more active players more room and also give room for seating on the courts.
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