Two focuses of my blog are Athletics/Sports and Health/Wellness. A group of sports that can be both exhilarating and beneficial are the racket sports. If you have never tried them, they may change your life. The following contributed post is entitled, 7 Alternative Racket Sports To Try.
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When people think of racket sports, they tend to think of tennis or badminton. Many even ping pong. But there are actually many other racket sports to choose from (as many as 40 of them, if this list is anything to go by!). If you love tennis or badminton or ping pong, why not consider dabbling in one of these alternative sports? Below are 7 popular alternative racket sports, their rules and their requirements briefly explained.
Squash
A lot of us have heard of squash, but have most likely not played it. Squash was invented in the UK in the 19th century and continues to be quite popular in Britain. Its following around the world has also been growing – so much so that it has even been shortlisted for the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics.
Squash is played in an indoor court with two or four players. Unlike many other racket sports, players do not face opposite one another with a net in the middle, but instead stand beside each other hitting the ball against a wall. The aim is to hit the ball at the wall in a way that makes it hard for the opponent to return it. This guide delves more into the rules of squash. It is widely known for being a physically intense and challenging sport.
Racquetball
Racquetball was invented by a man named Joseph Sobek in Connecticut in 1950. The squash-like sport has gradually become more popular over the years and is now played internationally.
You can play racquetball on a standard squash court, however it has slightly different rules to squash and typically uses a different type of racket. Compared to squash rackets, racquetball rackets are shorter and wider. The ball used in racquetball is also larger. Racquetball is known to be easier to pick up than squash.
Pickleball
Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the US. It originates in Washington state, where it is still very popular. It is often described as a mix of ping pong, tennis and badminton.
Players hit a ball over a net using a pickleball ‘paddle’. This is different to a netted racket and more similar to ping pong paddle. The sport is played on a pickleball court, which is about the same size as a badminton court. Players serve diagonally into the opposing court, striking the ball with the paddle in an upwards motion. You can read more about the rules of pickleball and best pickleball paddles online.
Padel
This Mexican racket sport has also been gaining popularity in recent years. It is believed to have been invented by a man named Enrique Corcuera, who modified his squash court to play his own version of tennis.
Padel is usually played in doubles on a Padel court, which is smaller than a tennis court. Like pickleball, it uses paddles instead of net rackets. The scoring system is pretty much the tennis scoring system, but with an added ‘golden point’ rule to help win games more quickly. There are several guides online that can teach you how to play padel.
Beach tennis
Beach tennis combines elements of tennis and volleyball (and yes, it is played on a beach). It was first played in Italy in the 1970s and has slowly started to be played around the world.
Unlike in tennis where the ball can touch the ground, the ball in beach tennis cannot touch the ground – and so the game is played entirely in volleys. This makes it much faster paced than tennis. It is played over a high net that is similar to a volleyball net and uses a depressurised ball that moves slower than a standard tennis ball. While specialist beach tennis courts exist, they are not common and many people simply play the same in a volleyball court.
Qianball
This hybrid of tennis and squash originated in China in 1998 and has become popular across the country. It is less popular in other parts of the world, but is gaining traction.
Qianball is one of the more unique racket sports. The ball is attached to a n elasticated string, which is attached to a hook in the floor or weighted ball bag. Both players stand on the same side of the court and hit the ball over the net, Because it is elasticated, it returns back to the same side of the court where it is then hit by the other player. This video gives a better demonstration.
Tamburello
One of the oldest and most obscure racket sports on this list, tamburello is a sport with 16th century Italian origins that uses tambourines as rackets.
It is commonly played with two teams of three. Players volley the ball back and forth across a large court. You can click here to check out a demonstration.
