Racquetball is a competitive sport in which players use a strung racket to hit the ball. According to the Racquetball Depot, racquetball can be played three ways. Singles play involves two opposing players, two teams of two players is doubles play, and three opposing players is called cut throat. Racquetball tournaments usually consist of singles or doubles play.
Court
Unlike most racket sports, there is no net involved during racquetball play. Instead, the ball is served and returned off the walls of a rectangular shaped enclosed area. According to the U.S. Racquetball Association, the racquetball court is 20 feet wide, 40 feet long, and 20 feet high, with a back wall at least 12 feet high. On the court are several red lines that designate specific boundaries. According to racquetballrules.net, the service line is the closest line to the front wall, 5 feet behind that is the short line, and the receiving line is 5 feet behind the short line. The area between the service line and short line is called the service zone and between the short line and receiving line is the safety zone.
Serving
A racquetball game begins with one player serving to his/her opponent. According to Racquetball Depot, the server should be standing in the service zone, bounce the ball once and strike it with the racket toward the front wall. The front or "play" wall must be the first surface the ball makes contact with. After hitting the wall, the ball may hit a side wall once, but if it touches three surfaces including the ceiling and back wall before bouncing on the ground, a fault is called. Additionally the ball must bounce past the short line. The server has two opportunities to serve the ball. If a fault is called twice, the serve is then controlled by the opposing player or team.
Return Serve
After the server serves the racquetball, the other player must return the serve. According to Racquetball Depot, the player must stand in the middle of the court, at equal distance from the side walls, and one arm and racket's length away from the back wall. In order for it to be an accepted return, the ball must make contact with the play wall before bouncing. The ball can hit all other surfaces, except the floor, prior to hitting the play wall, but it must hit that wall first before hitting the floor, where a rally will ensue.
Scoring
Player take turns hitting the ball in an attempt to score or win back the serve. Players are only awarded points on the serve. According to racquetballrules.net, players must hit the ball back and forth off the front wall. They must hit the ball after the first bounce off the ground. If the ball bounces twice, either a point will be awarded to the server, or servers will be switched. Players continue serving until the opposing player forces a loss of possession. Racquetball matches are the best of three games. Games one and two are played to 15, and, if necessary, the third is played to 11.
Hinders
In racquetball, hinders may occur. Hinders are stoppage of play and can result in a penalty or a replay. According to the USRA, a rally is replayed and the server resumes play at first serve whenever there is a replay hinder. Replay hinders include the ball hitting off parts of the court not designated for play, such as a door knob, or when the ball strikes the player's body. The USRA notes that penalty hinders result in the loss of the rally and can include obstructing the view of an opposing player, blocking a player from making a shot or impeding a player's ability to make a full swing, among other situations.
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