In this section of our web guide, we will be focusing on racquet and paddle sports and games.

In the United States, "racket" is the preferred spelling, although "racquet" appears to be the preferred spelling throughout the rest of the world. Even in the United States, some people prefer to use "racquet" to describe the piece of sporting gear because "racket" has multiple definitions. Preferences are not purely geographical, however. The International Tennis Federation, for example, uses the spelling "racket."

Racquet and paddle sports are games in which players use a racket or paddle to hit a ball or other object. The racquets used in these sports generally consist of a handled frame with an open hoop across which is a network of tightly stretched strings. Paddles, on the other hand, have a solid face rather than a network of strings, although they may be perforated with a pattern of holes or covered with a textured surface.

Some sports use racquets, while others use paddles, and, in some games where a non-netted device is used, it's still called a racquet. Both racquet and paddle sports are appropriate for this section of our guide.

Common racquet games include tennis, badminton, squash, and racquetball.

Tennis is a racquet sport that can be played either individually against a single opponent (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net and into the opponent's court, the object being to maneuver the ball in such a way that the opponent is unable to affect a valid return.

In badminton, the racquet is used to hit a shuttlecock across a net. Although it can be played with larger teams, singles and doubles games are the most common. Points are scored by striking the shuttlecock and landing it within the other team's half of the court.

Squash is played by two or four players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow, rubber ball. Players alternate in striking the ball onto the playable surfaces of the four walls of the court, the objective being to hit the ball in such a way that the opponent cannot play a valid return.

Racquetball is played with a hollow rubber ball on an indoor or outdoor court. It is similar to squash, except that there is no tin (out-of-bounds area) to hit the ball above, and the walls, floor, and ceiling are legal playing surfaces.

Other games using a netted racquet include ball badminton, battledore and shuttlecock, crossminton, frontenis, qianball, racketion, rackets, real tennis, soft tennis, speed-ball, hardball squash, squash tennis, stické, tennis polo, and touchtennis.

Common paddle (or non-netted racquet games) include table tennis, pickleball, paddle tennis, and padel.

Also known as ping-pong, table tennis is derived from tennis, except that the playing surface is on top of a stationary table rather than a court. Either individually or in teams of two, players alternate turns to return a light, hollow ball over the net onto the opposing half of the court using small rackets until they fail to do so, which results in a point for the opponent.

Pickleball resembles tennis and table tennis, except that it has separate rules, paddles, and court dimensions, and the hard plastic ball used in pickleball produces less bounce than tennis balls.

Paddle tennis (POP tennis) was adopted from tennis, although the court is smaller, there are no doubles lanes, and the net is lower. Paddle tennis is played with a perforated solid paddle as opposed to a netted racquet, and the ball has less bounce than a tennis ball.

Originating in Mexico, padel is played in doubles on an enclosed court slightly smaller than a doubles tennis court. It shares the same scoring system as tennis, but the rules, strokes, and technique are different.

Other games using a non-netted racket or paddle include basque pelota, beach tennis, downside ball game, four wall paddleball, frescobol, frescotennis, jokari, jombola, matkot, miniten, one wall paddleball, paleta frontón, pan pong, pelota mixteca, pitton, platform tennis, road tennis, sphairee, stoolball, table squash, tamburello, and totem tennis.

Racquet sports are games in which players use a racket or paddle to hit a ball or another object. Rackets consist of a handled frame with an open hoop that supports a network of tightly stretched strings. Paddles have a solid face rather than a network of strings, although they may be perforated with a pattern of holes, or be covered with a textured surface.

Games not listed here may also be appropriate if they match this description.

While not technically a racquet game, jai alai could be listed here as well, as it is a close approximation.

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