Rules Rule! October 2024

National Rules Commissioner Dan Horner welcomes questions from members and will respond timely along with occasionally featuring a few each month in USAR’s Serving Up the News. Write to Dan at rulescommissioner@usaracquetball.com, and you may see your questions in a future issue of this newsletter! Speaking of question from members, here are a few that arrived in my inbox recently.

Q1. We had our singles championship this weekend.  So a player in the box, bounces the ball three or four times consecutively, on his last bounce without stopping he strikes the ball for the serve? OK or not?

A1. This is not okay.  If it were, then the receiver would never know when the serve was coming.

Per Rule 3.3 below, prior to serving the ball the server is required to take a set position inside the service zone.  Up until then, you have probably noticed that many players hit the ball around a few times, bounce the ball up and down, dribble the ball, etc, but at some point (within less than 10 seconds from when the score is called) the server must start the service motion.  The start of that service motion begins from when they "set".  Think of it like sprinters on the starting line or swimmers on the starting block, but in racquetball you don't have an official saying "on your mark, set".  Once you have "set", then you are all in and you must drop the ball, let it bounce only 1 time, and then hit the ball without touching it with anything other than your racquet.  

Rule 3.3 Manner - After taking a set position inside the service zone, a player may begin the service motion. The service motion is defined as any continuous movement that results in the ball being served. Once the service motion begins, after the ball leaves the hand, it must bounce on the floor in the service zone and then, without the ball touching anything else, be struck by the racquet before the ball bounces on the floor a second time. After being struck, the ball must hit the front wall first and, on the rebound, be capable of hitting the floor beyond the back edge of the short line, either with or without touching one of the side walls. However, the receiver may return the ball “on the fly” before those things happen as long as Rule 3.11 is followed.

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Q2. This question in about players holding up from taking shots off the back wall in doubles when both opposing players are giving the offensive player room to hit both down the line and cross court.  The offensive player may stop because he was planning to hit, say, a pinch shot which could legally be obstructed by an opposing player, in which case it could be a safety hinder.  But what is the call when the same offensive player repeatedly holds up when his opponents are giving him room to hit down the line and cross court?  Doesn't the offensive player have an obligation to hit in a direction that may not be his first choice in this situation?

Please also answer same question for pickup games.  It's frustrating for the same player to hold up over and over again claiming he doesn't know where opponents are and asking for replay hinders, when in fact he clearly has room down the line and cross court...and usually even pinches.  Thank you. 

A2. Thank you for taking the time to learn the rules of the game.  One misconception in racquetball is that there are different sets of rules for recreational players, tournament players, and top-level players.  This is not true.  Hinders should be called equally in all of those arenas.  

An offensive player should not hold up and claim a safety hinder unless his/her opponent is going to get hit by their racquet or if they are taking away 1 of those 2 guaranteed shots that you mentioned below. If they want to take the pinch and they hit their opponent with the ball then it would be a replay hinder, not a penalty.  However, it must have the chance to make it to the front wall otherwise it is no hinder at all.  If they take the pinch and don't hit their opponent, that is good.  

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Q3. We have a dispute between several players in regards to rule 3.11

Some say you can never enter the safety zone and some say the rule allows you to enter the safety zone if the ball lands inside that area. I gave them my opinion and some agreed and of course some have not.

Please send me the correct interpretation so  I can show them in black and white. It is getting pretty heated lately and dangerous.

A3. Yes, a player may enter the Safety Zone if the ball has already bounced before they break the plane of the Receiving Line (dotted line).  

Rule 3.11 Return of Serve

(a) Receiving Position (Encroachment)

1. The receiver(s) may not break the plane of the receiving line with their racquet or body until the ball either bounces in the safety zone or else crosses the receiving line. For example, if the receiver steps on the dashed receiving line with either foot (with any part of the foot contacting the line) before either of the two preceding things happen, a point shall be called for the server.
2. While the follow through of one’s stroke might carry the receiver or their racquet past the receiving line, neither the receiver nor racquet may break the plane of the short line -- unless the ball is rebounding off the back wall and is still in play.
3. Any violation by the receiver results in a point for the server.

To view/download the Official Rules of Racquetball, visit

https://www.teamusa.org/usa-racquetball/rules.