Pickleball players notice it first: Tenndel uses a deflated tennis ball, not a perforated plastic wiffle ball. The weight is different. The bounce is truer. Rallies don't die in awkward floaters — they develop.
Tennis and padel players feel at home immediately. The ball responds like equipment they already trust, just slowed enough for longer exchanges on a smaller court. Badminton players get more time to read the flight without losing the athleticism of a real rally.
At roughly half normal tennis-ball pressure, the deflated ball rewards clean contact over pure placement. You can still shape points with spin and depth, but mishits are less punishing for newcomers — which is why most first-time players are rallying within minutes.
That single equipment choice is what separates Tenndel from pickleball on the same court dimensions. Add tennis scoring, open-court volleys, and a padel-style serve, and you have a sport that borrows from every racket background without cloning any of them.
Official Tenndel balls are recommended for tournament play. For casual sessions, any standard tennis ball deflated to the same pressure works — just make sure both sides are using the same ball before you start.