Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Understanding the basic rules
• Part 2 of 3: Practicing techniques and advanced strategies
• Part 3 of 3: Obtaining the necessary equipment
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Racquetball can be a great way to get some exercise while building relationships with your friends or colleagues. The sport is relatively easy to learn and can be played with minimal equipment. If you learn the basics of the game, apply techniques and strategies, and have the necessary equipment, you'll be a solid racquetball player in no time.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Understanding the basic rules

1. Serve the ball. To serve the racquetball, you must stand in the service area (between the two fixed lines in the middle of the court), bounce the ball once and hit the wall in front of you, in the opposite direction of where your opponent is standing. Once the ball has hit the wall and is fully back in the service area, the game can begin.
   • If your first serving attempt was missed (swinging the racket and missing the ball), did not hit the front wall (but touched a side wall first), or played a touched service (you hit your opponent with the ball before the ball hit the ground) you may save again before losing the point.
   • An important racquetball way of saving is the drive and lob.
2. Do not try to make a service error. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the different types of errors that can occur during a service. Some of these errors are:
   • Foot Foul: When a player steps outside the service area before the ball has crossed the line.
   • Short serve: When the ball hits the front wall but bounces before it crosses the line.
   • Three-wall serve: This occurs when the ball hits the front wall but then bounces off both side walls before it hits the ground.
   • Ceiling serve: when the ball hits the front wall and then bounces off the ceiling.
   • Long serve: When the ball hits the front wall and then hits the back wall before hitting the ground.
   • Screen serve: This is when the ball is served so that it returns so close to the server that the other player (s) cannot see the ball.
3. Hit the ball back and forth. The rally, which begins as soon as the ball is served, is when the two players continuously alternately hit the ball against the walls. During the rally, the ball can hit any wall as long as it hits the front wall before it hits the floor and as long as the ball doesn't hit the floor twice in a row.
4. Score points. The rally continues until one player makes a mistake or misses a shot. A rally can also be lost if a player changes racket hands during a rally, carries or swings the ball with the racket, touches the ball with his body, or causes the ball to disappear from the field of play. Once the rally is over, the winner of the point may save on the next rally.
5. Try not to hinder the opponent. If at all possible, avoid standing between your opponent and the wall the other is aiming for. Also, when hitting the ball, you should not aim directly at your opponent. In addition to injuring yourself or your opponent, these actions can cause the ball to be stopped by a body and thus "hinder" play. Depending on the circumstances, the interference will either result in a replay or an error.
6. Keep score. Whoever wins two of the three sets wins the game. The first two sets each consist of 15 points and the third set goes to 11. The first person to reach the required number of points wins the set.

Part 2 of 3: Practicing techniques and advanced strategies

1. Learn how to hold a racket with a forehand. Hold the racket as you would shake someone's hand and then curl your fingers around it. There should be a small space between your fingertips and the base of your palm. Your fingers should be low on the handle without moving off the edge. Do not hold the racquet so that it is perpendicular to your arm, as that will make it more difficult to handle.
2. Learn how to hold a racket with a backhand. You do this by holding the racket in the standard forehand and then turning the racket about 3 mm clockwise. This is a difficult grip to master, but gives the player a more powerful swing.
3. Practice your strokes. Depending on your grip style, you will use the appropriate hit (or method of hitting the ball). Different strokes achieve different ball movements and should be used where sensible.The stance for both is similar: knees should be bent and loose, legs should be shoulder-width apart and the torso parallel to the side walls.
   • Forehand. This is like a baseball swing, with one knee dropping to the ground but not touching. Don't forget to keep your swing high enough.
   • Backhand. This stroke starts at your head and then swings forward around your body and ends behind you.
4. Practice hitting the ball at different heights. For any given shot, it is important to understand the different heights at which a ball can be hit. Aiming low, just inches from the ground, is called a "kill shot," and in many cases stops a rally. Aim higher, one to two meters from the ground, is called a "pass" and is easier to do. A pass-kill shot is in between the two previous ones.
5. Work on your straight-in shot. A straight-in shot is when the player hits the ball directly against the front wall so that it bounces back parallel to the side wall. This is a very effective shot as it is difficult to react to. You can take this shot at any height.
6. Work on your cross-court shot. A cross-court shot is when the player hits the ball so that it bounces to the opposite corner from where the shot started. This shot can be taken at any height. The goal is to move your opponent out of the center of the field.
7. Try a pinch and splat shot. A pinch shot is taken low, preferably at kill shot level, and is intended to end a rally. In this case, the ball is hit against the end of the side wall and the ball immediately bounces against the front wall. Similar to a pinch shot, the splat shot is where a player hits the ball against the side wall (close to, rather than far away like a pinch shot) and hits the front wall in such a way that the opponent does not get in. should be able to return. This is a low shot.
8. Practice the ceiling shot. A simple ceiling shot must be carefully aimed to hit the front wall before hitting the ceiling. This is a common defensive shot to get your opponent out of the center of the court.
9. Hit your opponent's ball. The farther away from your opponent you hit the ball, the more they have to hurry and run to get the ball. This will give you the upper hand as it will tire your opponent and also give him less time to line up for a strongly returned ball.
10. Stay close to the center of the playing field. Try to stay close to the center of the playing field, close to the receiving line, to get to all areas of the field quickly. If you are much closer to the front wall than your opponent, they can use it against you and try to drop the ball closer to the back wall. By staying centered, you can make sure that no area of ​​the field is too far away for you.
11. Aim for the corners. When you return the ball, try to hit it so that it comes very close to a corner connecting two walls. Doing this allows the ball to bounce farther and faster off the walls, quickly changing the angle at which your opponent has to hit the ball.

Part 3 of 3: Obtaining the necessary equipment

1. Buy a racket. There are many different factors to consider when purchasing a racquetball racket, such as grip size, weight distribution, and frame material. You can spend between € 20 and € 200 on your racket at a sports shop, depending on your preferences.
   • A size like 3 ⅝ for the grip is good for people wearing XS-L gloves, while 3 ⅞ is better for people wearing XL gloves.
   • The cheaper rackets are usually metal, while the more expensive are composite materials, and can contain graphite or titanium.
   • Balanced rackets are less expensive than rackets that are heavier at the head (with which you can generate more power).
2. Wear indoor shoes. When playing racquetball you need shoes with a good grip to be able to change direction quickly. Wooden racquetball floors can be slippery and slippery - so wear athletic shoes specially made for indoor courts. This is necessary to prevent injuries and improve your performance. You can buy indoor shoes at a sporting goods store.
3. Buy glasses for eye protection. It is very dangerous to play racquetball without protecting your eyes. Sometimes the ball can fly at 100 miles per hour or faster, and if it hits your eye that fast, it can cause significant damage. Make sure to choose goggles that fit your head properly. Consider ventilated glasses to prevent condensation from building up and reducing your vision. You can buy sports glasses at a sports store.
4. Buy gloves to improve your grip. While not a required equipment, gloves can certainly be useful in racquetball. If you wear a glove on the hand with which you hold the racket, you have a better grip and control over the sweat that is normally obstructive. You may also get blisters on your hands from playing. You can also purchase racquetball sports gloves from a sporting goods store.

Tips

• If you want to play racquetball with more than one person (in singles), you can play cut throat with up to three players or doubles with up to four players.

Warnings

• Try to avoid hitting the opponent with the ball - this can irritate the other player, but also cause injuries.

Necessities

• A racket
• A racquetball
• Sports glasses
• A suitable sports glove (optional)
• Indoor shoes with sufficient grip