Racket Sports

Ball Characteristics

Key Gameplay/Court Differences

Racquetball

Large (2.25 in/57 mm diameter), hollow, highly bouncy rubber. Colors (blue, green, purple) indicate speed/play type.

Played in an enclosed court where all walls and the ceiling are in-bounds. No net is used. Racquets are shorter and wider.

Squash

Small (approx. 1.5 in/40 mm diameter), dense, very low bounce. The ball must be warmed up to bounce properly.

Played on a smaller, enclosed court with specific out-of-bounds areas ("tin" at the front wall base, and top lines on the walls). Gameplay emphasizes strategy and precision due to the ball's "dead" nature.

Tennis

Medium size, felt-covered, and features a moderate, predictable bounce.

Played on a large, open-air court with a net dividing the two sides. The ball is only in play within marked court boundaries and must be hit over the net.

Pickleball

Perforated polymer (plastic) with holes, resulting in a low, controlled bounce, less affected by wind outdoors.

Played on a smaller court with a net and a non-volley zone ("kitchen"). Uses solid paddles rather than strung racquets.