Tennis to Pickleball: The Best Friday Paddle for Tennis Players in the UK

I've spent my career as a head tennis coach, and for the last two years I've captained and coached Team England at the Pickleball World Cup. So I get asked one question more than any other: "I play tennis, which pickleball paddle should I buy?"

Tennis players are the fastest-growing group picking up pickleball in the UK, and you arrive with a real head start. But you also bring habits that can work for or against you depending on the paddle in your hand. Here's how I'd match tennis players to the right Friday paddle in the UK.

What tennis players bring to pickleball

Tennis converts usually have three things going for them straight away:

• A full, confident swing on drives and serves.
• Topspin instincts that most newcomers take months to build.
• Court sense: footwork, positioning and reading the ball off an opponent's racket.

The catch? Pickleball rewards soft hands as much as big swings. The kitchen (the non-volley zone) means many points are won with resets, dinks and fast hand battles at the net, not baseline power. The right paddle should let you keep your weapons while helping you learn the soft game.

Why the Friday Aura Pro suits most tennis players

For the majority of club and county tennis players I coach, the Friday Aura Pro is the paddle I point them to first. A few reasons it clicks with a tennis background:

• Gen 4 dual-foam core: gives the pop and plough-through tennis players expect when they hit through the ball, rather than the dead feel of many entry-level paddles.
• Raw T700 carbon fibre face: grips the ball, so your natural topspin actually translates. Tennis players notice this within a few rallies.
• ElasTECH™ perimeter weighting: adds stability on off-centre hits, which matters when you're still adjusting to a much shorter hitting surface than a racket.

Every Aura Pro is available from UK stock with UK delivery, from £149.99.

Which Aura Pro shape for your tennis game?

The Aura Pro comes in three shapes, and your tennis style is the best guide to which one you'll enjoy.

Baseliners and big servers: Aura Pro Elongated

If you love to dictate from the back of the court with heavy groundstrokes, the Aura Pro Elongated (16.5" x 7.375") will feel most like home. The longer face and higher swing weight reward a full, two-handed-backhand-style swing and generate serious head speed on drives and serves. It's also the choice for singles players who need reach.

Serve-and-volley and doubles players: Aura Pro Widebody

If your tennis was built around the net, quick volleys and doubles, look at the Aura Pro Widebody (16.0" x 7.875"). It has the lowest swing weight and the highest twist weight in the range, so it's fastest through the air in hand battles and most forgiving when you block a hard ball at your body.

All-court players: Aura Pro Hybrid

Not sure? Most tennis converts I coach end up loving the Aura Pro Hybrid (16.375" x 7.625"). You get extra reach for drives and serves, plus a wider sweet spot and quicker hands at the kitchen line. It's the safest pick if you're playing mostly doubles at your club.

The three habits to unlearn (and how the paddle helps)

1. Swinging too big at the net. A tennis volley has a short punch; a pickleball volley needs even less. A lighter-feeling paddle like the Widebody or Hybrid makes compact blocks easier.
2. Hitting every ball hard. The best pickleball players reset more than they drive. A stable paddle with a big sweet spot makes soft resets far more consistent while you learn.
3. Using your wrist like you do with a racket. Pickleball shots are more about the shoulder and a firm wrist. A paddle with good stability on mis-hits reduces the temptation to "flick" to save the shot.

Tennis player on a budget? Start with the Friday Original

If you're testing the waters before committing, the Friday Original at £69.99 is a brilliant first paddle. Its raw T700 carbon face still rewards your spin, and its honeycomb core gives controlled touch for learning the dink game. Plenty of tennis players start here and move up to an Aura Pro once they're playing weekly.

Tune it like you would a racket

Tennis players are used to customising string tension and adding lead tape to their rackets. You can do the same in pickleball: Friday's lead tape lets you add head weight for deeper drives, or weight at 3 and 9 o'clock for more stability. Pair it with a paddle cover to protect the carbon face between sessions.

My recommendation

If you play tennis and want one paddle that keeps your strengths while helping you master the soft game, buy the Friday Aura Pro Hybrid. Big baseline hitters should go Elongated, net players should go Widebody, and anyone on a budget should start with the Original.

All Friday paddles in the UK are sold through PKBR Sports, the official UK distributor, with UK stock and delivery. Shop Friday paddles UK, or come and try one at a PickleVan demo day.