Think your tennis background's going to save you on the pickleball court? Think again ... 'cause Genie Bouchard says the two sports aren't even remotely the same!!
The tennis star explained it all to TMZ Sports while out in Las Vegas for Super Bowl week ... saying straight up her talent with a racket did not instantaneously transfer over when she picked up a pickle paddle.
"People think there's an automatic transition from tennis to pickleball and there's not," she said. "It's a completely different sport."
Genie, of course, knows all about it firsthand... after years of dominating on the tennis courts, she just recently made the move to play on the PPA Tour -- a league for pro pickleballers -- and she's had some growing pains.
Obviously, she's flashed some ridiculous talent ... but she nonetheless fell in her singles debut last month.
"It requires different skills," she said.
Regardless, Bouchard told us she's determined to get better ... explaining she's hoping to dominate a sport "that's just, like, taking over the country."
And, watch out pickleballers ... given her track, don't be surprised if that's relatively soon!!