Racquetball was created by Joe Sobek in the 1950s as a combination of squash and handball. Because of the rapid pace of the game and the danger the sport poses to spectators, it is generally played in a special enclosed court. The specifications for all racquetball courts are laid out by the sport's founding body, USA Racquetball.
History
The basis of racquetball courts historically comes from squash, which was created in early 19th century England. Squash features a softer ball that does not bounce as far and the game was played on the walls of school yards. Sobek's game was designed with a harder and larger rubber ball in mind. Because this created a greater velocity on the ball, a larger and fully enclosed court was developed for the sport.
Function
Every surface but the ceiling is playable on a racquetball court, which creates many ways to play the ball during a game. The side and back walls are used to propel the ball forward to the front wall, which must be contacted after the ball has been struck by a player. If the player does not strike the front wall or lands the ball out of bounds, a point is scored for the other team.
Features
The court floor is marked with a service line, a short line and a receiving line that run perpendicular to the sidewalls. Between the service line and the short line is called the service area. At either end of the service area are two dividing lines that demarcate the service boxes and the drive serve areas of the court. The receiving line is the only dotted line on the floor. The back walls of many racquetball courts have Plexiglas viewing windows.
Size
Racquetball courts measure 40-feet long by 20-feet wide, and the front wall must be 20-feet high. The distance from the front wall to the service line is 15 feet. The short line is 5 feet back from the service line and the receiving line is 5 feet back from that. The line for the service boxes are inset 18 inches from the side wall, and the drive serve areas are 18 inches in from the service boxes.
Types
Racquetball can be played with singles or doubles, but the same court is used for both games and the rules remain largely the same. The main change regarding court placement is that the doubles partner must remain in the service box with her back against the wall while the serve is being made.
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