Overview Racketlon Rules
Rules - Principle
In principle, the rules of the individual sports table tennis, badminton, squash and tennis apply. The following rules are exceptions and extensions that apply to Racketlon.
Counting
4 sets up to 21 points - one set each in table tennis, badminton, squash and tennis. At 20:20 the set is extended until there is a difference of two points. Running score: Every point counts regardless of which player is serving. Serve counts: The player serving is obliged to announce the current score before serving (at a volume that the opponent can understand). Total points count - the winner is the player who has collected the most points in total. This means that a player can also leave the court as the winner if he has lost three sets. The match is cancelled as soon as the winner has an unassailable lead and the remaining points no longer have any significance (with the exception of group matches). Rubber arm deciding point: If the total number of points scored by the players after the four sets is a tie, a single deciding point is played in tennis (or the last sport if the order has been changed). The draw decides the service, in tennis the server has no second serve.
Order of the disciplines played
Table tennis, badminton, squash, tennis - from the smallest to the largest racket. The order can be changed if the infrastructure of the sports facility (different number of courts available for the different sports) does not allow this order. However, all matches in a competition must be played in the same order.
Service and change of sites
Draw before the match - A draw is made before each Racketlon match. The winner can choose to serve, return or side. If you start with a serve in table tennis, you start with a return in badminton, a serve in squash and a return in tennis. The returner can choose the side before each set. Change sides at 11 - When the first player has reached 11 points, the sides are changed (except squash) and a break of 30 seconds is taken. Two services - The server always has two services in a row. He always starts from right to left and serves in succession from left to right (exception: table tennis). At 20:20 one service each. From 20:20 the service alternates after each point, with player A starting normally from right to left, then player B serves from right to left and then player A serves this time from left to right and so on.
Time rules
30 seconds when changing sides - The players have 30 seconds to drink and dry off when changing sides (first player 11 points). This also applies in squash where the sides are not changed. 5 minutes between sets - The break between sets is a maximum of 5 minutes. 2.5 minutes to stand on the next court and 2.5 minutes to play in. The first point of the next set must start no later than 5 minutes after the last point of the last set has been played. Continuous play - Play must be continuous in all sets and must never be intentionally delayed. Asking the referee for a break - Players may ask the referee or the opponent (if no referee is present) for a very short break to drink or towel off. If the referee says no, the player may not leave the court. If there is sweat on the court, the player can wipe it off after asking the referee or opponent.
Punishments
The referee or head referee may penalise the player for repeated misconduct on the pitch, such as swearing, shouting, dangerous play, threats or throwing a bat:
- 1st incident: warning
- 2nd incident: player loses the next point
- 3rd incident: player loses the set
- 4th incident: player loses the match and is disqualified from the tournament
Line Referees
Each player decides on outballs on his side of the court. If the opponent does not agree with an out call, he must accept this point but can subsequently request a referee.
Injuries
5 minute time-out - Each player can take one injury time-out of a maximum of 5 minutes per match if it obviously prevents the player from playing. No open wounds - Playing with bleeding wounds is prohibited. Squash injury - If an injury occurs after a collision in squash through the clear fault of the opponent, the injured player has as much time as he needs to continue playing. The opponent may be penalised by the referee.