The Rules of Racketlon

Introduction
Racketlon is the sport in which you play your opponent in each of the four racket sports table tennis, squash, badminton and tennis. A racketlon match contains four sets, one in each sport. The winner will be the best all round racket player. In Sweden, at least two different variants of racketlon rules exist. This is a description of the rules that are presently (year 2001) in use in the Swedish National Championships.

Set order
- The sets are played in the following order (from smaller to larger courts): table tennis, squash, badminton and finally tennis

Counting
- Each set is played to 21 points. Every ball results in a point to the winner of the ball - just like in table tennis. Unlike in table tennis, however, there is no need to have a margin of two points to win the set. A set can thus end 21-20.
- The winner of a racketlon match is not the one that wins most sets but the one that scores the most points in total. This means that it is possible to loose three out of the four sets and still win the match.
- The winner can choose to stop the match as soon as he has won enough points for the match to be decided.
- If, after four sets, both players have exactly the same number of points another four sets are played - but this time to 5 instead of 21. If still undecided another four sets to 5 are played. And so on, until the match is decided.

Serving
- At the beginning of each set lots are drawn. The winner decides who will start to serve.
- After every five points the serve goes to the other player.
- At the first of these five serves the server can choose from which side to serve. Then, the server shall switch side every time.
- In tennis, the server has two chances - first and second service - just as in normal tennis.

Switching of sides
- If any of the players so wishes sides are switched at the time when 10 points are first reached by one of the players.

_______________________________