A Little Knowledge Can Save You On The Court
By Angelo Batistatos – Rules Ambassador
Being an avid golfer, I frequently watch golf on TV. In one tournament, Davis Love III was making practice putting strokes and accidentally hit his ball. He then proceeded to the spot where the ball stopped and putted out. The result – a two-stroke penalty for not replacing the ball to its original position. If the ball was replaced, depending on Love’s address position, it would have been no penalty or at most a one-stroke penalty. Since Love was near the top of the leader board, the penalty cost him almost $100,000.
The moral of this story -- even a world-class golfer can make a rules mistake. And you can bet that Love won’t make that mistake again. Our racquetball rules are quite a bit simpler than the expansive rules used in golf (150+ pages). But based on my observations during tournaments, many players and referees do not know some general rules. For this reason, everyone that plays racquetball, especially tournament players, should occasionally read and keep a copy of the USRA Official Rules of Racquetball in their bag. The Rules can be found on www.usra.org. It is the September 2004 edition.
The Rules consist of 10 pages…but don’t let that number and the small print scare you. The bulk of the Rules – the important stuff everyone should know – make up only 3 of the 10 pages, or about 10 minutes of your time, or 20 minutes if you want to be tested afterwards. The Rules include the following:
1.0 - The Game (1/6 page and easy to read and understand)
2.0 - Courts and Equipment (1 page and pretty straight-forward)
3.0 - Play Regulations (3 pages of important rules that you should read and understand)
4.0 - Doubles (1/2 page that explains rule nuisances specific to Doubles)
The other 5 pages of the Rules deal with a variety of other game rules, officiating, policies and procedures.
But let’s get back to Section 3.0 and the 17 sub-sections that comprise it. Some of the rules are tougher than others, i.e. replay hinders and penalty hinders. Below, I have grouped the 17 rules into 4 areas: STARTING PLAY, SERVING/RECEIVING, RALLIES/HINDERS and TIMEOUTS/TECHNICALS. I have included some text from the rulebook (underlined), and my interpretation of certain rules (italicized). I’ve also identified the complexity factor I would associate with a) reading, b) understanding, and c) interpreting/calling the rule in a game. The complexity factors are: easy and not-so-easy.
STARTING PLAY (Rules 3.1 to 3.5)
3.1 – Serve (easy)
Allowed two serves (one in Open).
3.2 – Start (easy)
The server may not START the serve until the ref has finished calling the score or “second serve”.
Starting the serve while the ref is calling the score is illegal (and not fair to the receiver who is paying attention to the score) and the server should be warned once. Thereafter, a technical foul should be assessed for delay of game or unsportsmanlike conduct.
The ref gives both players reasonable time to retrieve the ball and get in position before calling the score (even if the players are not ready due to their own slowness in getting ready).
Reasonable time means “racquetball time” to get ready and the length depends on where the players are on the court when the previous rally ended, i.e. if diving and sweat clean-up was involved, more time is needed. Reasonable time could be anywhere from a few seconds to 10 seconds. A consistent (and fluid) flow of play is critical when reffing a match (as well as when playing at your club with a friend).
The server may not cross the short line till the serve passes the short line.
In our hurry to play defense, usually after a lob serve, we cross the short line too quickly. This is a penalty hinder and results in loss of rally.
3.3 – Manner (easy)
The ball can only bounce once during the serve and the service motion must be continuous.
3.4 – Readiness (easy)
This is a one-sentence rule that will be discussed with the next rule (3.5 - Delays).
3.5 – Delays (not-so-easy)
The server and receiver have 10 seconds, concurrently, to serve and receive serve.
In reality, the server -- and only the server -- may get more than 10 seconds when the receiver uses the full 10 seconds. The server would then start his service motion…he does not have to rush it or time it right on the original 10 seconds.
If the receiver is not ready he must do one of two things: raise his racquet or turn his back to the server. These are the only acceptable signals.
Cleaning your glasses while facing the server is not an acceptable signal.
Serving while the receiver is not ready is a fault serve.
It is the server’s responsibility to look and be certain the receiver is ready.
There always seems to be some confusion during tournaments on when a racquet was raised during the serve and how to apply the 10-second rule. This is especially critical in Open matches where the one-serve rule is enforced.
The best way to avoid getting caught while serving is to follow this sequence – 1) wait for the ref to announce the score or second serve, 2) check the receiver, and 3) if the receiver is ready -- serve.
As a receiver, if you want your 10-second break, make certain your racquet is raised before or while the ref announces the score. The 10 seconds start after the score is announced. And it is legal to raise your racquet when the server checks to see if you are ready, but the ref may see it a different way – especially if the server is a quick glancer.
And if you are reffing, please do not warn the server that the receiver has his racquet up! This is part of game strategy and sometimes done intentionally to gain a fault serve.
SERVING/RECEIVING (Rules 3.6 to 3.12)
3.6 – Drive Service Zones (easy)
The server, his racquet and the ball must stay outside the 3-foot drive serve line on each end of the service zone throughout the service motion if hitting a drive serve down the same line.
The 3-foot drive serve line is only observed for a drive serve down the same line. All other serves, including the hard Z serve to the same side, are legal.
3.7 – Defective Serves (easy)
This topic provides a short list of defective serves: dead-ball (broken ball or court hinder), fault and out serves.
3.8 – Dead-Ball Serves (easy)
Dead-ball serves do not cancel any previous fault serve.
3.9 - Fault Serves (easy)
The 10 different fault serves are listed with a brief explanation.
For a foot fault to be called at the end of the serve, the server’s whole foot must be over the service line.
For a screen serve to be called, the receiver must establish good court position near center court and be screened from seeing the ball due to the ball passing too close to the server’s body.
Two things must occur before a screen serve is called: the ball passes too close to the server AND the receiver is put at a disadvantage. It is NOT a screen serve when the ball passes too close to the server’s body, but the receiver sees the ball and elects to play it -- especially if it was a setup off the back wall. The ref must be patient in not calling a screen serve too quickly. If the receiver elects not to play the setup in that situation, he is still entitled to a screen serve.
A receiver that is fooled by a service motion and prematurely moves in the wrong direction is not entitled to a screen serve (unless the serve passed too close to the server’s body and would have been called a screen regardless of the receiver’s premature movement).
A serve that cracks, on the fly, on a side wall is not a screen serve (must be a legal drive serve per topic 3.6 above).
3.10 – Out Serves (easy)
The 9 out serves are listed with a brief explanation.
An illegal hit on the serve (not making a clean hit off the strings of the racquet) is an out serve.
There are several different crotch serves. The illegal ones, or out serves, are: between the floor and front wall, between the front wall and side wall, and, between the front wall and ceiling. This is due to the fact that the ball did not hit the front wall first.
Legal crotch serves are: floor and back wall, and, floor and side wall beyond the short line (i.e. when serving a Z serve).
An out serve occurs when the server (or doubles partner) steps into the safety zone before the serve passes the short line.
3.11 – Return of Serve (not-so-easy)
The receiver may not touch an obviously long or short serve until the ref has made the call.
The receiver may not break the plane of the receiving (dotted) line with his racquet or body until the ball either bounces in the safety zone or crosses the receiving line.
Encroachment into the safety zone during a lob serve is one of the hardest calls to make from a ref’s vantage point above and behind the receiver. The easy call is when the receiver steps on or over the receiving line attempting to strike the ball. This is encroachment and results in the loss of point.
Generally, if the receiver returns the serve down the line or as a splat/pinch on the same side – and the receiver’s front foot is safely behind the receiving line – this is usually a legal return. This is simple physics regarding ball position at impact relative to body/feet position, and ball direction to the front wall.
For serves that are returned cross-court or to the opposite corner, the position of the front foot must be adjusted slightly farther away from the receiving line to allow for the racquet to enter the zone from a slight angle. Again, the receiver may not break the plane until the ball bounces in the receiving zone or crosses the receiving line.
Another generality based on physics: if both feet are behind the receiving line and the ball is struck after bouncing in the safety zone, it is generally a legal return.
The above interpretations are based on a player’s normal, power striking position. Obviously, if the player is standing behind the receiving line and extends his racquet over the line to strike the ball (weakly, I might add), that would be encroachment.
And remember, it is the responsibility of the server to allow a down the line and cross-court return by the receiver or else be assessed a penalty hinder and loss of rally.
The server must also provide the receiver room to make a full swing as well as to avoid injury from being struck by his opponent’s racquet.
3.12 – Changes of Serve (easy)
Describes the ways the serve changes between players.
RALLIES/HINDERS (Rules 3.13 to 3.15)
3.13 – Rallies (easy)
Describes rules and situations that occur during the rally (including some illegal actions).
3.14 – Replay Hinders (not-so-easy)
Describes the 7 ways rallies are replayed without penalty and which replay hinders may be called by the player (but are subject to approval by the ref).
It is the responsibility of the player that just hit the ball to move so the receiving player may go straight to the ball and have an unobstructed view and swing at the ball.
For a replay hinder to be called, the receiving player must put himself in position to return the ball, i.e. just because a ball passes between a player’s legs does not mean it is an automatic hinder.
3.15 – Penalty Hinders (not-so-easy)
This topic describes the 9 penalty hinders and was addressed in a previous article. This topic is a must-read for any league or tournament player.
TIMEOUTS & TECHNICALS (Rules 3.16 to 3.17)
3.16 – Timeouts (easy)
Calling a timeout when none remain or after the service motion has begun results in a technical foul for delay of game.
If a player uses more than 30 seconds for a timeout, the ref may automatically charge remaining timeouts as needed.
The 30-second rule for timeouts is often abused because of the reasons a timeout is taken – walking to the water fountain, wiping sweat from body/glasses, shirt/glove change, and sitting down for a short rest. For these reasons, as a ref, you want to be fair to both players by warning the player who took the timeout when the 30 seconds is near. It is the responsibility of each player to have the following items readily available outside the court: drink bottle, gloves, towel, extra shirt, extra racquet, or any other equipment deemed necessary by the player. This preparation is a must in tournament play.
Players are expected to use regular timeouts for adjustment and replacement of equipment.
An equipment timeout may be granted (if all regular timeouts have been used) for the safety of play for shirt or racquet change and is not to exceed 2 minutes.
For injury timeouts, a player is allowed 15 total minutes during the match. If longer, his opponent is awarded the match.
Injury time is not allowed for pre-existing conditions and any ailment not caused by direct contact on the court.
Muscle cramps, pulls and fatigue are not considered injuries. Regular timeouts can be used for these situations.
3.17 – Technical Fouls and Warnings (not-so-easy)
This topic identifies and describes several examples of when technical warnings and fouls are issued.
The ref is empowered to deduct one point from a player’s score if the player is abusive. If the player has 0 points or between games, his score would start at (-1).
No point is deducted for a technical warning.
Issuing a technical foul or warning has no effect on who will serve when play resumes.
This cliff notes edition of section 3.0 (Play Regulations) is just that – a brief summary. Please pick up a copy of the USRA rulebook and read this section closely.
If you have any questions regarding this article, or if I can assist you in a rules interpretation, please contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Also, please contact me with your suggestions for future articles regarding a specific rule or interpretation that you would like discussed in more detail.
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