The standard racquet size represents one of the major differences between racquetball and other indoor racquet sports, such as squash. Racquetball players use a larger and wider racquet than squash players. The United States Racquetball Association's Official Rules of Racquetball describe specific guidelines about the kind of racquet you can use in competition.
Size Specifications
You cannot use any racquet longer than 22 inches. A racquet's measurement includes the racquet face, the bumper guard and the entire handle. The official rules do not designate any maximum width requirements for the racquet.
Material Specifications
The United States Racquetball Association does dictate what material your racquet frame should be made out of. The association does, however, dictate the materials for the racquet's strings. Approved string materials include gut, monofilament, nylon, graphite, plastic, metal or combinations of these materials.
Safety
Official racquetball rules require that all players wear a safety cord around their wrists that connects to the racquet. This cord prevents players from dropping or throwing their racquets accidentally.
Penalties
If a referee discovers that you are using an illegal racquet, you will automatically lose the game being played at the time. For example, if you had won the first game but the referee discovers you using an illegal racquet in the second game, you would have to forfeit the second game and move on to a third-game tiebreaker. If the referee discovers an illegal racquet between games, then you would have to forfeit the preceding game. If you are using an otherwise legal racquet with an oversized grip, the referee can call a technical foul and can require you to fix the problem during a timeout.
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