Official Raquetball Rules

Racquetball is played with a stringed racket with a 22-inch frame that attaches to the player's wrist with an 18-inch strap and a hard rubber ball that weighs 1.4 oz. The goal is to make the opposition miss a shot or make an illegal shot. Most matches are played in a best two out of three format. Games are played to 15 points. If there's a tie, the competitors play a tiebreaker to 11 points.

  1. The Court

    • Racquetball is played in an enclosed, four-walled court 20 feet wide by 40 feet long by 20 feet high, with a back wall that is at least 12 feet high. The racquetball court is divided into a series of lines and zones that play a role in scoring. The service zone is a 5 by 20 foot area bordered by the service line, the side walls and the short line. The short line is parallel to and halfway between the front and back walls. The safety zone is bordered by the side walls, the back of the short line and the dotted receiving line.

    Teams

    • In a doubles game, the players on the same team take turns serving until the team is out. An out is made when an opponent fails to return the ball. An out results in a point for the server. Once one team or player is out, the opposing team gets to serve for a point.

    Serving Rules

    • Points are only scored by the server. The server must remain in the service zone while serving, and her serve must bounce in the service zone before she can hit it back. The receiver stays in the receiving zone until the served ball bounces once in the safety zone, unless he can hit the ball before the bounce. If the receiver passes the short line before the ball is served, the server scores a point. A violation of these rules by either player is considered a fault.

    Scoring

    • Points are scored when the server wins a rally, serves an ace, makes a return the opposition can't keep in play, or when a fault occurs. The receiver must return a ball before it hits the floor twice. His return must hit the front wall before it bounces off anything else.

    Other Scoring Factors

    • A ball is considered dead if it touches the floor twice before it is returned, if it touches the front wall before it touches the floor, or if a "hinder" is called. A hinder is a foul that can include physical interference, obstructing a server with a hand or racket, or wetting the ball with saliva or water. A referee or any player may call a hinder. A server is allowed two faults before possession turns over.