Fashioned from thin, cross-linked cords stretched over a hoop-like frame, racquets feature handles of varying lengths, depending on the particular sport. Common racquet-frame materials include wood, wood laminate, fiberglass, metal alloys, graphite or carbon fiber. The cords, or strings, of sports racquets can be made of animal gut, nylon, plastic, metal or some combination of materials. While tennis, squash, racquetball and badminton are all racquet sports, they vary in the specific racquets they use.
Tennis Racquets
Tennis racquet frames, including the handle, are limited to a length of 29 inches with a width of no more than 12-1/2 inches, according to the website for the International Tennis Federation. The hitting surface of the frame must be 15-1/2 inches or less in length and 11-1/2 inches or less in width. The ITF does not restrict the weight or construction materials of tennis racquets. However, the strings must be uniform and lie in a flat plane. Both sides of a tennis racquet should offer an identical playing surface, and alterations that change the way the racquet swings or hits the ball is unacceptable in an official tennis match.
Squash Racquets
A squash racquet is smaller than a tennis racquet, with a maximum length of 27 inches and a maximum width of 8-1/2 inches. The hitting surface of a squash racquet cannot exceed 77-1/2 square inches. The World Squash Organization requires stricter construction standards for squash racquets than the ITF does for tennis racquets. Squash racquets cannot weigh more than 9 oz., and the frame must consist of materials that will not mark the floor or walls of the squash court. Additionally, the strings of a squash racquet cannot be metal, although nylon and animal gut are acceptable.
Racquetball Racquets
Racquetball racquets are smaller than either tennis or squash racquets, requiring a length of 22 inches or less. Racquetball racquets feature a different design style than other racquets, with a shorter handle and a head that is triangular in shape rather than round or oval. They also include a strap or cord that wraps around the player's wrist during the game. The United States Racquetball Association allows racquetball racquet frames of any material deemed safe and permits a variety of string materials that do not mar the surface of the ball.
Badminton Racquets
Badminton racquets tend to be fairly lightweight compared to other racquets, although the International Badminton Federation does not restrict the weight, or the materials, of these racquets. They do, however, stipulate the length of the racquet must be 26.75 inches or less, including the handle, and the width must be 9 inches or less. The hitting surface cannot be more than 11 inches in length and 8.625 inches in width. As with racquetball racquets, a security cord attached to the handle is allowed.
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