Sports in which a ball or shuttlecock is struck with a handheld racket or paddle across a net, covering badminton, squash, table tennis and tennis. Belongs here: any net sport played with a handheld striking implement. Does not belong here: net or court sports played with the hand or body alone, grouped under Court and Net Team Sports.
Facts
Comparison
Era of Origin Defining CharacteristicRacket sports (or racquet sports) are games in which players use a racket or paddle to hit a ball or a shuttlecock. 2 Browse By
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Tennis
WikipediaTennis, Origins of the modern game sectionQuote, Tennis, Origins of the modern game section
Between 1859 and 1865, Harry Gem, a solicitor, and his friend Augurio Perera developed a game that combined elements of racquets and the Basque ball game pelota.
2. Wikipedia: Racket sport
WikipediaRacket sport, lead sectionQuote, Racket sport, lead section
Racket sports (or racquet sports) are games in which players use a racket or paddle to hit a ball or a shuttlecock.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is table tennis grouped with tennis rather than with volleyball?
Table tennis uses a handheld paddle across a net, while volleyball is played with the hand or body alone, so it sits under Court and Net Team Sports.
Racket Sports covers sports in which a ball or shuttlecock is struck with a handheld racket or paddle across a net, including badminton, squash, table tennis and tennis. Volleyball is excluded because it is played with the hand or body alone rather than a handheld striking implement, so it is grouped instead under Court and Net Team Sports.