USA Racquetball Rules: 4 - Doubles#

_{The following sections (4.0 through 12.0) detail the additional or modified rules that apply to variations of the singles game described in Sections 1 through 3.}

The USAR's rules for singles also apply in doubles with the following additions and modifications.

a) A doubles team shall consist of two players who meet either the age requirements or player classification requirements to participate in a particular division of play. A team with different skill levels must play in the division of the player with the higher level of ability. When playing in an adult age division, the team must play in the division of the younger player. When playing in a junior age division, the team must play in the division of the older player.

(b) A change in playing partners may be made so long as the first match of the posted team has not begun. For this purpose only, the match will be considered started once the teams have been called to the court. The team must notify the Tournament Director of the change prior to that; otherwise it will not be recognized.

(a) Order of Serve. At the beginning of each game, when the first server of the first team to serve is out, the team is out. After that, either partner can serve first each time the team steps in to serve. Both players on each team shall serve until there is both a handout and a side out -- i.e. both players are out. The referee must make certain that neither partner is allowed to serve again after that partner has previously lost a rally while the team is serving.

(b) Partner's Position. On each serve, the server's partner shall stand erect with their back facing the side wall and with both feet flat on the floor and within the service box from the moment the server begins the service motion until the server hits the ball. Any violation is called a foot fault.

(c) Changes of Serve. In doubles, the side is retired when both partners have lost service, except that the team that serves first at the beginning of each game loses the serve when the first server is retired.

(a) The server's partner is not in the service box with both feet on the floor and back to (but not necessarily against) the sidewall when the server begins the service motion.

(b) A served ball that hits the non-serving partner while that partner is in the service box results in a fault serve.

(c) Two consecutive fault serves – such as (i) a screen serve followed by hitting the non-serving partner or (ii) hitting the non-serving partner followed by serving while the receiver is not ready -- results in an out.

(a) Out-of-Order Serve. If either partner serves after that same partner has previously lost a rally while serving, the penalty is an immediate out for that team and the deduction of any points that may have been scored during that improper player serving.

(b) Ball Hits Partner. A served ball that hits the non-serving doubles partner, while any part of the body or equipment is touching the floor outside of the Doubles Box, results in loss of serve.

(a) The rally is lost if one player hits that same player's partner with an attempted return.

(b) Both partners on a side are entitled to return the ball. If one player swings at the ball and misses it, both partners may still make further attempts to return the ball until it touches the floor the second time. Any hinder caused by one’s opponents after this point is likely a replay hinder.

This is a list of all areas where doubles is mentioned in Sections 1-3 of the rulebook: 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1(b)(4), 3.2, 3.9(2)(i), and 3.15(c).

Return to Index