Racquetball is a fast, exciting game in which the players hit a ball with a short racket (or racquet) that resembles a small tennis racket. They play with a hollow rubber ball about the size of a tennis ball. Most racquetball games are played on indoor courts that are 20 feet (6.1 meters) high, 40 feet (12.2 meters) long, and 20 feet wide. The game can be played with one or two players on a side. In cutthroat racquetball, three players compete against one another.
A racquetball game starts with a serve. The server stands between the service line and the short line with the receiver standing behind the short line. In doubles play, the server’s partner stands in the service box with his or her back to the wall. The server drops the ball on the floor and hits it on the first bounce. The ball must strike the front wall and rebound behind the short line. The players or teams then take turns hitting the ball. Each player must return the ball before it bounces twice on the floor. A player can return the ball by hitting it against any wall or the ceiling. But the ball must strike the front wall before it touches the floor.
The server or serving team scores points if an opponent fails to return the ball properly. The side continues the serve after each point until it makes an error on its serve or fails to win the point. The other side then serves. Originally, games were played to 21 points. Most games now go to 15 points. The first side to win either two or three games wins the match.
The American Amateur Racquetball Association governs the sport at the amateur national level. The International Racquetball Tour governs professional play.
