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Racquetball Rules & Regulations

According to the official U.S. Racquetball website, participation in the sport increased 18.1 percent from 2007 to 2008. The sport was introduced in 1968 by Joe Sobek, who is known as the "Father of Racquetball." It can be played in groups of two, three or four people using stringed rackets and a hollow rubber ball within a closed court of specific dimensions.

Objective of Racquetball Games
- Racquetballs are hollow and rubber, which is best suited for an indoor court.
  
  The objective of racquetball is to serve or return the ball so that your opponent cannot keep the ball in play. This is called a rally. A rally occurs when a player (or a team in a doubles game) cannot hit the ball before it touches the court’s floor twice or cannot return the ball so that it touches the front wall before it touches the floor, or when a hinder is called.
Keeping Score in Racquetball Games
- A team can only score if it has served an irretrievable serve, called an ace, or won a rally. In a singles game, losing a serve is called a side out. In a doubles game, where there are two teams of two players, when the first server loses a serve it is called a handout and when the second server loses a serve it is called a side out.
  
  A player or team wins a match by winning two games. A game is won by reaching 15 points first. If each team wins one game each, then a third, tiebreaker game is played to 11 points.
Play Regulations for Racquetball
- Points can only be won by the player who serves the racquetball.
  
  Play begins with the server standing in the Service Zone and serving the ball to his opponent. The serving player has two opportunities to put the ball in play. If the ball does not hit the front wall first, it is considered a side out. If the ball hits the area where the front wall meets the floor, called the crotch, then it also is considered a side out.
  
  To return a serve, the opposing player stands an equal distance between the side walls, about an arm and racket’s-length away from the back wall. To keep the ball in play, she must strike the ball before it bounces a second time. The walls and ceiling can be used for play and shot variation. Points are scored when the server wins the rally after having served. If the player returning serve wins the rally, no points are awarded. Whoever wins the rally always serves next and has an opportunity to score.
  
  A hinder is a stoppage of play because of obstructions for the ball. Some examples of hinders are when a ball strikes any part of the court (fan vents, door knobs, or other obstructions) which results in an erratic rebound, when the ball accidentally hits an opponent on its way toward the front wall, contacting an opponent when trying to make a play on the ball, blocking an opponent’s view of the ball, or having the ball pass between your legs.

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