Ball & Racket

[su_expand more_text=”Read More” height=”120″ more_icon=”icon: chevron-down”]Here’s a brief run-down of the game of racquetball:  Play begins with the serve, and the serving player is allowed two attempts (1st & 2nd serve) to put the ball in play (elite competition allows only one serve). A serve requires the player to bounce the ball once on the floor, hitting it directly to the front wall with a bounce back on the floor beyond the short line court floor marking.  If the server fails to hit the ball directly on the front wall, serve is immediately lost to the opposing player.  However, the ball can touch one side wall after the front wall, but not two, before hitting the floor.  If the serve fails, it counts as a fault.  Other fault serves include a ceiling serve (the ball touches the ceiling after the front wall), serving before the receiving player is ready, and stepping out of the service box before the ball passes the short line. After a successful serve, players alternate hitting the ball against the front wall.  Players may allow the ball to bounce once on the floor or hit the ball on the fly.  A ball in play can touch as many walls, including the ceiling, as necessary so long as it reaches the front wall before striking the floor. If the server wins the rally, the server scores one point and continues to serve.  If the opposing player wins the rally, no point is scored and the player takes over serving. Under USA Racquetball rules, a match is the best of three games, with the first two 15-point games, and game 3, if necessary, played to 11 points.  USA Racquetball rules do not require players to win by two points. [/su_expand]

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The 2019 USA Racquetball National Intercollegiate Championships (April 3-6) featured the best college racquetball players representing 32 American colleges and universities, and winners of men’s and women’s singles #1 gold singles division are named to the US National Team that competes and represents Team USA at all international and world competition.  If you missed the live stream broadcast of the championships, there’s still time to watch video recordings of the competition.  Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select matches from the video posts located on the media player below ↓

If you missed the live broadcast of the 2018 National Singles Racquetball Championships (May 24-27) held at the ClubSport Pleasanton in Pleasanton, California, there’s still time to watch video recordings of the competition.  Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts located on the media player below ↓

If you missed the April 28 live stream broadcast of 2018 USA Racquetball New England Regional Championships, there’s still time to watch video recordings of competition matches.  Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts on the media player below ↓

The 2018 USA Racquetball National Intercollegiate Championships tournament features the best college racquetball players from 32 colleges and universities across the US. Winners of the men’s and women’s singles will be named to the US Adult National Team that competes and represents Team USA at all international and world competitions.

If you missed the live broadcast of tournament competition or want to watch a match again, video recordings are available from the selection of video posts located on the media player below, or click/tap the “Watch Again button↓

If you missed the 2018 USA Racquetball National Doubles Championships, watch a video recording HERE.

Information/Resources:

USA Racquetball Rules

Want to learn how to play racquetball?  Start with USA Team tips on the basics
And, take a look around for racquetball starter kits ⇒  SHOP Racquetball Equipment   [Editor’s note: Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a purchase you make via this Amazon link. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.]

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Feature photo courtesy of Flicker user, Edson Wong, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Squash, a racket sport played by two (singles) or four players (doubles) in a four-walled court with a small rubber ball, began more than 150 years ago in England.  Today, squash is played in 185 countries by 20 million people on nearly 50,000 courts, and it’s one of the fastest growing racket sports in the US.

In a game of squash, players take turns hitting the ball to the front wall in such a way as to try to make the ball impossible to play, or force an error, by the opponent.  The ball can only bounce once on the floor, but it can hit any of the other walls.  After each shot, a player must get out of the way of both the ball and the opposition.  Eleven (11) points are needed to win a game, with the best of three or five games winning the match.  [ Learn Squash Basics & Learn to Play, Squash New Zealand ]

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If you missed the live stream broadcast of the Squash XL Satellite Pro series event (December 2 – 6, 2018), there’s still time to watch video recordings of the competition.  Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts located on the media player below ↓ 

The 2018 FISU World University Squash Championship has been hosted around the world every second year for the last two decades, and this year’s Championship competition was hosted by Birmingham UK in September 2018.  Watch the world’s best university players compete in individual and team events.

If you missed the live stream broadcast, there’s still time to watch video recordings of world championship individual and team finals.  Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button located on the media players below ↓

The North Coast Open was first held in 2003, and is now regarded by players as one of the best events on the Squash Australia Tour.  Adding to the excitement this year — The Roberts & Morrow 2018 North Coast Open (August 30 – September 2) is a Professional Squash Association (PSA) Challenger Tour world qualifying event for 2018-19 with winner gaining automatic entry into the 2019 World Championships in Chicago USA.

If you missed the live stream broadcast, there’s still time to watch video recordings of the competition.  Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts on the media player below ↓

The Henderson Squash Club, Auckland, New Zealand was host to the 2018 New Zealand Senior National Individual Championships (June 15-17) — the most prestigious event on the Squash New Zealand calendar.  And, this year’s championships attracted over 160 competitors from around New Zealand and the world, including world top 10 ranked New Zealand players, Paul Coll and Joelle King.

If you missed the live stream broadcast of the competition, there’s still time to watch video recordings.  Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts located on the media player below ↓

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Feature photo is courtesy of Flickr user, Caravanum. CC BY-SA 2.0

Racquetball doubles is a high speed game of strategy and position, and good teamwork is an essential element of successful doubles play.  The USA Racquetball National Doubles Championships is a premier event, and the competition is intense and fun to watch.  Games are also fast, so here are a few basic racquetball doubles rules to help you keep up:

• Only the serving team can score a point.
• In doubles, the serve is lost to the receiving team when both partners of the serving team have lost service, except that the team that serves first at the beginning of each game loses service when the first server loses service.
• The serving team has to be between the serving lines at time of serve.
• The receiving team must be at least 5 feet behind the serving line and stay there until the ball bounces off the serve.
• The serve must hit the front wall and bounce behind the short serve line (second line from the front wall) in order for it to be a legal serve.
• The return may be taken by hitting the ball into the air off the serve, or after the ball has bounced behind the short service line off the serve.
• Either member of a doubles team may hit the ball on each rally—they do not have to alternate shots.

Information/Resources:
Official Rules and Regulations, USA Racquetball

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The 2018 USA Racquetball National Doubles Championships were held February 7-11, 2018 on the Arizona State University campus in Tempe, Arizona.  Everyone was invited to play at this premiere doubles tournament offering men, women and mixed divisions for skill and age + skill.  It was also a US Team Selection event with a US Team Singles Qualifying division and the Men’s and Women’s US Team Doubles Qualifying division determined one-year appointments to the US National Team for international and world event competition.

If you missed the live broadcast, video recordings of the competition are available to watch.  Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts located on the media player below ↓

If you missed the 2017 USA Racquetball National Doubles Championships, there’s still time to watch a video recording of the competition, including the close match between Diaz/Carson v Rojas/Rojas in Men’s Doubles final, and the Tisinger/Ruiz defeat of Paraiso/Davis in the Women’s Doubles final.  Just Click/Tap the “Watch Again” button or select a specific match from the video posts on the video player below ↓

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Feature photo:  Racquetball Swing by Flickr user, IMCBerea College, CC BY 2.0