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A. Points and Outs. Points are scored only by the serving
side when it serves an ace or wins a rally. When the serving side loses a rally, it
loses the serve. Losing the serve is called an "out" in singles and a
"handout" in doubles.
B. Game. A game is won by the side first scoring 15 points.
C. Match. A match is won by the first side winning two games. The third
game, if necessary, of a match is played to fifteen (15) points. It is not necessary to win any game by two (2) points.
D. Short Line. The short line is midway between and is parallel with the
front and back walls dividing the court into equal front and back courts.
E. Service Line. The service line is parallel with and located 5 feet in
front of the short line.
F. Service Zone. The service zone is the space between the outer edges of
the short and service lines.
G. Service Boxes. A service box is located at each end of the service
zone by lines 18 inches from and parallel with each side wall.
H. Receiving Lines. Five feet back of the short line, vertical lines
shall be marked on each side wall extending 3 inches from the floor.
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A. Serve, In Singles
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1. Order. The player or side winning the toss becomes the first server and
starts the first game, and the third game, if any.
2. Place. The server may serve from any place in the service zone. No part of either foot
may extend beyond either line of the service zone.
Stepping on the line (but not beyond it) is permitted. Server must remain in the service
zone until the serviced ball passes the short line. Violations are called "foot faults."
3. Manner. A serve is begins as the ball leaves the server's hand. The ball must bounce to
the floor in the service zone and on the first bounce be struck by the server's racquet so that it hits the front wall first and on the
rebound hits the floor back of the short line, either with
or without touching one of the side walls.
4. Readiness. Serves shall not be made until the receiver is ready.
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B. Serve, In Doubles.
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1. Server. At the beginning of each game in doubles, each side shall
inform the Staff Assistant of the order of service, which order shall be followed throughout the game. Only the first server serves the first time up and continues
to serve first throughout the game. When the first
server is out--the side is out. Thereafter both players on each side shall serve until a
handout occurs. It is not necessary for the server to
alternate serves to their opponents.
2. Partner's Positions. On each serve, the server's partner shall stand erect with his/her
back to the side wall and with both feet on the floor
within the service box until the served ball passes the short line. Violations are called
"foot faults."
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3. DEFECTIVE SERVES. Defective
serves are of three types resulting in penalties as follows:
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A. Dead Ball Serve. A dead ball serve results in no
penalty and the serve results in no penalty and server is given another serve without
cancelling a prior illegal serve.
B. Fault Serve. Two fault serves result in a sideout.
C. Out Serves. An out serve results in a sideout.
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4. DEAD BALL SERVES. Dead
ball serves do not cancel any previous illegal serve. They occur when an otherwise legal
serve:
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A. Hits Partner. Hits the server's partner on the fly on
the rebound from the front wall while the server's partner is in the service box. Any
serve that touches the floor before hitting the partner in the box is a short.
B. Screen Balls. Passes too close to the server or the server's partner
and obstructs the view of the returning side. Any serve passing behind the server's partner and the side wall is an automatic screen.
C. Court Hinders. Hits any part of the court that under local rules is a
dead ball.
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5. FAULT SERVES. The
following serves are faults and any two in succession result in a handout:
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A. Foot Faults. A foot fault results:
(1) When the server leaves the service zone before the served ball passes the short line.
(2) When the server's partner leaves the service zone before the served ball passes the
short line.
B. Short Serve. A short serve is any served ball that first hits the
front wall and on rebound hits the floor in front of the back edge of the short line either with or without touching one side wall.
C. Three-Wall Serve. A three-wall serve is any ball served that first
hits the front wall and on the rebound hits two side walls on the fly.
D. Ceiling Serve. A ceiling serve is any served ball that touches the
ceiling after hitting the front wall either with or without touching one side wall.
E. Long Serve. A long serve is any served ball that first hits the front
wall and rebounds to the back wall before touching the floor.
F. Out of Court Serve. Any ball going out of the court on the serve.
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6. OUT SERVES. Any
one of the following serves results in a handout:
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A. Bounces. Bouncing the ball more than three times while
in the service zone before striking the ball. One bounce is counted each time the ball hits the floor within the service zone. Once the server is within the service
zone and the receiver is ready, the ball may not be bounced anywhere but on the floor within the service zone. Accidental dropping of the ball
counts as one bounce.
B. Missed Ball. Any attempt to strike the ball on the first bounce that
results either in a total miss or in touching any part of the server's body other than his racquet.
C. Non-Front Service. Any served ball that strikes the server's partner,
or the ceiling, floor or side wall, before striking the front wall.
D. Touched Serve. Any served ball that on the rebound from the front wall
touches the server, or touches the server's box, or the server's partner intentionally catches the served ball on the fly.
E. Out-of-Order Serve. In doubles, when either partner serves out of
order. Any points which may have been scored during an out-of-order
serve will be automatically void with the score reverting to the score prior to the
out-of-order serve.
F. Crotch Serve. If the served ball hits the crotch in the front wall it
is considered the same as hitting the floor and is an out. A crotch serve
into the back wall is good and in play.
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A. Receiving Position. The receiver or receivers must
stand at least 5 feet back of the line, as indicated by the 3 inch vertical line on each
side wall, and cannot return the ball until it passes the short line. Any infraction
results in a point for the server.
B. Defective Serve. To eliminate any misunderstanding the receiving side
should not catch or touch a defectively served ball until it has touched the floor for the second time.
C. Fly Return. In making a fly return, no part of the receiver's body or
racquet may enter into the service zone. A violation by a receiver results in a point for the server.
D. Legal Return. After the ball is legally served, one of the players on
the receiving side must strike the ball with his racquet either on the fly or after the first bounce and before the ball touches the floor the second time to
return the ball to the front wall either directly or after touching one or both side wall, the back wall or the ceiling, or any combination of those
surfaces. A returned ball may not touch the floor before touching the front wall. It is legal to return the ball by striking the ball into
the back wall first, then hitting the front wall on the fly or
after hitting the side wall or ceiling.
E. Failure to Return. The failure to return a serve results in a point
for the server.
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A. Handout. A server is entitled to continue serving
until:
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(1) Out serve. He/she makes an out serve under Rule 6 or;
(2) Fault Serves. He/she makes two fault serves in succession under Rule 5 or;
(3) Hits Partner. He/she hit his/her partner with an attempted return before the ball
touches the floor a second time.
(4) Return Failure. He/she or his/her partner fail to keep the ball in play by returning
it as required by the rule dealing with the Legal Return in 7(d).
(5) Avoidable Hinder. He/she or his/her partner commits an avoidable hinder described
below.
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B. Side-out.
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(1) In Singles. In singles, retiring the server retires the side.
(2) In Doubles. In doubles, the side is retired when both partners have been put out,
except on the first serve as provided in rule 2B.1. of these rules.
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C. Effect.
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When the server or the side loses the serve, the server or serving side
shall become the receiver; and the receiving side, the serve; and so alternately in all subsequent services of the game.
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9. RALLIES. Each
legal return after the serve is called a rally. Play during rallies shall be according to
the following rules:
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A. One or Both Hands. Only the head of the racquet may be
used at any time to return the ball. The ball must be hit with the racquet in one or both hands. Switching hands to hit a ball is out. The use of any portion of the
body is an out.
B. One Touch. In attempting returns, the ball may be touched only once by
one player on the returning side. In doubles, both partners may swing at, but only one may hit the ball. Each violation of (a) or (b) results in a handout
or point.
C. Return Attempts.
(1) In Singles. In singles, if a player swings at but misses the ball in play, the player
may repeat his/her attempts to return the ball until it touches the floor the second time.
(2) In Doubles. In doubles if one player swings at but misses the ball, both he/she and
his/her partner may make further attempts to return the ball until it touches the floor the second time. Both partners on a side are entitled
to an attempt to return the ball
(3) Hinders. In singles or doubles, if a player swings at but misses the ball in play, and
in his/her partner's attempt again to play the ball there is an unintentional interference by an opponent it shall be a hinder.
D. Touching Ball. Except as provided in Rule 10, (a)(2), any touching of
a ball before it touches the floor the second time by a player other than the one making a return is a point or out against the offending player.
E. Out of Court Ball.
(1) After Return. Any ball returned to the front wall which on the rebound or on the first
bounce goes into the gallery or through any opening
in a side wall shall be declared dead and the serve replayed.
(2) No Return. Any ball not returned to the front wall, but which caroms off a player's
racquet into the gallery or into any opening in a side wall either with or without touching the ceiling, side or back wall, shall be an out or
point against the players failing to make the return.
F. Dry Ball. During the game and particularly on service every effort
should be made to keep the ball dry. Deliberately wetting shall result in an out. The ball may be inspected by the referee at any time during a game.
G. Broken Ball. If there is any suspicion that a ball has broken on the
serve or during a rally, play shall continue until the end of the rally. The referee or any player may request the ball be examined. If the referee decides the
ball is broken or otherwise defective, a new ball shall be put into play and the point replayed.
H. Play Stoppage.
(1) If a player loses a shoe or other equipment, or foreign objects enter the court, or
any other outside interference occurs, the referee shall
stop the play.
(2) If a player loses control of his/her racquet, time should be called after the point
has been decided, providing the racquet does not strike an opponent or interfere with ensuing play.
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10. DEAD BALL HINDERS.
Hinders are of two types--"dead ball" and "avoidable"
dead ball hinders as described in this rule result in the point being replayed. Avoidable
hinders are described in Rule 11.
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A. Situations. When called by the referee, the following
are dead ball hinders:
(1) Court Hinders. Hits any part of the court which under local rules is a dead ball.
(2) Hitting Opponent. Any returned ball that touches an opponent on the fly before it
returns to the front wall.
(3) Body Contact. Any body contact with an opponent that interferes with seeing or
returning the ball.
(4) Screen Ball. Any ball rebounding from the front wall close to the body of a player on
the side which just returned the ball, to interfere
with or prevent the returning side from seeing the ball. See Rule 4 (b).
(5) Straddle Ball. A ball passing between the legs of a player on the side which just
returned the ball, if there is no fair chance to see or
return the ball.
(6) Other Interference. Any other unintentional interference which prevents an opponent
from having a fair chance to see or return the ball.
B. Effect. A call by the referee of a "hinder" stops the play
and voids any situation following, such as the ball hitting a player. No player is
authorized to call a hinder, except on the back swing and such a call must be made
immediately. The decision of the referee will be final as
to whether or not the violation impeded the ensuing rally.
C. Avoidance. While making an attempt to return the ball, a player is
entitled to a fair chance to see and return the ball. It is the duty of the
side that has just served or returned the ball to move so that the receiving side may go
straight to the ball and not be required to go around
an opponent. The referee should be liberal in calling hinders to discourage any practice
of playing the ball where an adversary is
disadvantaged. It is no excuse that the ball is "killed," unless in the opinion
of the referee the ball could not be returned. Hinders should be
called without a claim by a player, especially in close plays and on game points.
D. In Doubles. In doubles, both players on a side are entitled to a fair
an unobstructed chance at the ball and either one is entitled to a
hinder even though it naturally would be his/her partner's ball and even though his/her
partner may have attempted to play the ball or that
he/she may already have missed it. It is not a hinder when one player hinders his/her
partner.
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11. Avoidable Hinders.
An avoidable hinder results in an "out" or a point depending upon
whether the offender was serving or receiving.
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(1) Failure to Move. Does not move sufficiently to allow opponent his/her
shot.
(2) Blocking. Moves into a position effecting a block, on the opponent about to return the
ball, or, in doubles, one partner moves in front of an opponent as his/her partner is returning the ball, or
(3) Moving into Ball. Moves in the way and is struck by the ball just played by his/her
opponent.
(4) Pushing. Deliberately pushing or shoving an opponent during a rally.
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A. Delays. Deliberate delay exceeding ten seconds by
server, or receiver shall result in an out or point against the offender.
B. Time Outs. During a game each player in singles, or each side in
doubles, either while serving or receiving may request a "time out" for a
towel, wiping glasses, change or adjustment. Each time out" shall not exceed 30
seconds. No more than three "time outs" in a game shall be granted each singles player or each team in doubles. No player shall call a time out
once the ball is in play.
C. Injury. No time out shall be charged to a player who is injured during
play. An injured player shall not be allowed more than a total of fifteen minutes of rest. If the injured player is not able to resume player after total
rests of 15 minutes, the match shall be awarded to the opponent or opponents.
D. Between Games. A two minute rest period is allowed
between the first and second games, at which times the players should NOT leave
the court, without approval of the referee. A ten minute rest period is allowed between
the second and third games, at which time players
may leave the court.
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1. A match shall be won by the team winning the best of three games. Games
1 and 2 shall be to 15 points. Game 3 if necessary, shall be won by the side first scoring 15 points. Games do not have to be won by a margin of 2
points. The first service in the third game shall be decided by the score in the previous games. The team scoring the most points in the losing
game shall serve first.
2. The serve shall be alternated between the male and female. The male shall return the
serve when the server
score is 0 or even. The female shall return the serve when the servers' score is odd. It
is suggested that the
non-receiver on the receiving team stand in the unoccupied server box during the serve.
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RACQUETBALL RULES