Racquetball is played by two players (singles) or four (doubles) with strung racquets in a closed four-wall court, and only the serving side can score points. The first side to win two games takes the match: the first two games go to 15 points, and a tiebreaker to 11 is played if the games are split.
This page follows the USA Racquetball rules, the version dated September 2023, which are the rules for sanctioned and non-sanctioned play in the United States, as of November 2026. The same rulebook has variants, such as multi-bounce for youth play. Everything below is the standard game.
Court, ball, racquet and eyewear
| What | What the USA Racquetball rules say |
|---|---|
| Court | 20 feet wide, 40 feet long and 20 feet high, with a back wall at least 12 feet high |
| Short line | Midway between the front and back walls |
| Service line | 5 feet in front of the short line |
| Service zone | The 5-foot by 20-foot area between the service line and the short line |
| Ball | Close to 2 1/4 inches across, weighing approximately 1.4 ounces |
| Racquet | Frame no longer than 22 inches, including the bumper guard and handle |
| Wrist cord | Required, securely attached to the wrist, no longer than 18 inches |
Generally every surface is in play: front wall, side walls, back wall and ceiling. In sanctioned events, only a USAR approved ball may be used, and every player must wear lensed eye protection designed for racquet sports. Turn up without it and you get a technical foul, which costs a point. A second infraction in the same match means forfeiting the match.
Singles, doubles and cut-throat
Tournament racquetball is either singles, with two players, or doubles, with two teams of two. In doubles, each partner is entitled to return the ball. Three players on court is called cut-throat, which is a general name for several non-tournament variations of the standard game.
A coin toss starts the match. The winner chooses whether to serve or receive first in game one, and the other side serves first in game two. If there's a tiebreaker, the side that scored more total points across the first two games chooses.
How to serve, step by step
The server gets two chances to put the ball in play. Here's the sequence:
- Wait for the referee to call the score, or the second serve.
- Stand inside the service zone when you start the service motion.
- Bounce the ball once on the floor in the service zone.
- Hit it before it bounces a second time, so it strikes the front wall first.
- On the rebound, the ball has to be able to land beyond the short line, with or without touching one side wall.
- Keep both feet from stepping beyond the service line before the ball is hit. Doing so is a foot fault.
In doubles, the server's partner stands in the service box with their back to the side wall and both feet on the floor, from the start of the serve until the ball's been hit.
Fault serves and out serves
This is where most new players lose points without understanding why. There are two kinds of bad serve, and they cost different amounts.
| Type | Examples | What it costs |
|---|---|---|
| Fault serve | Short serve (the ball hits the front wall, then the floor on or in front of the short line), three-wall serve, ceiling serve, long serve (it hits the back wall before the floor), illegal drive serve, foot fault | One of your two serves. Two faults in a row make an out |
| Out serve | Two consecutive faults, a missed serve attempt, a served ball that touches you on the rebound, a fake or balk serve, an illegal hit, a serve that doesn't hit the front wall first, a serve into the crotch of the front wall and floor | You lose the serve straight away |
| Dead-ball serve | For example, a broken ball | Replayed with no penalty |
Returning serve and keeping the rally going
The receiver mustn't step on or across the dashed receiving line, with any part of the body or racquet, until the served ball bounces in the safety zone or crosses the receiving line. If the receiver goes early, the server is awarded a point.
A legal return means hitting the ball on the fly or after its first bounce, before the second bounce, and sending it to the front wall. It can get there directly or off the side walls, back wall or ceiling, as long as it touches the front wall before the floor.
You may touch the ball only once per return, and you can't deliberately carry it. Only the head or throat of the racquet may hit the ball. Touch it with your body or clothing and you lose the rally.
Hinders, timeouts and rest
A hinder is interference with a player's chance to see or hit the ball. There are two kinds:
- A replay hinder: the rally is replayed, with the server starting again at first serve.
- A penalty hinder: the player who caused it loses the rally immediately. It doesn't have to be deliberate. Failing to move enough to give your opponent a straight shot to the front wall is enough.
Each player or team gets two 1-minute timeouts per game, and you can't call one once the service motion has begun. The rest between games is 2 minutes.
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How racquetball scoring works
Only the serving side scores. The server earns a point with an irretrievable serve, called an ace, or by winning a rally. If the server loses a rally, the receiver doesn't score anything: they win the right to serve instead.
In singles that change of server is called a side out. In doubles, when the first server loses the serve it's a handout and the partner serves, and when the second server loses it, it's a side out. The exception is the start of each game: the team serving first loses the serve as soon as its first server is out.
Here's how that feels in play. Say you're serving at 9 to 6 and lose a long rally. The score stays at 9 to 6, and your opponent now serves. They need to win rallies on their own serve to catch up.
The first two games go to 15 points. If each side wins one, a tiebreaker is played to 11, and the first side to win two games wins the match.
Where I'd start with racquetball
I'd learn three things before the first game: only the server scores, two faults make an out, and the receiver stays behind the line until the ball bounces or crosses it. Add eye protection and the wrist cord, and you're ready for a friendly. If you play squash, the server-only scoring is the big difference to get your head round.
I'd skip drive serve zones, technical fouls beyond the eyewear rule and the variant formats until you join a league or enter a sanctioned event. For another quick indoor racket game, my table tennis rules guide works the same way, and pickleball's rules are handy if your club runs both.
Frequently asked questions
How do you win a game of racquetball?
The first two games of a match are played to 15 points, and the first side to win two games wins the match. If each side wins one game, a tiebreaker is played to 11 points.
Who can score points in racquetball?
Only the serving side. The server scores by serving an ace or winning a rally, while a receiver who wins a rally gets the serve, which is called a side out.
How big is a racquetball court?
A standard four-wall court is 20 feet wide, 40 feet long and 20 feet high, with a back wall at least 12 feet high.
How many serves do you get in racquetball?
Two. A fault serve uses up one, and two fault serves in a row result in an out.
What is a hinder in racquetball?
A hinder is interference with a player's ability to see or hit the ball. A replay hinder means the rally is replayed, and a penalty hinder means the player who caused it loses the rally.
