The Rules of Racketlon
Date: 2008-03-19
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1. Introduction
Racketlon is the sport in which you play your opponent in each of the four racket sports table tennis, badminton, squash and tennis. A Racketlon match takes about an hour and contains four sets, one in each sport. Most points in total is the winner and the best all round racket player.
This document contains the official rules of Racketlon according to the International Racketlon Federation.
1.1 Definition of Racketlon
The following three principles need to be fulfilled in order for a sport to qualify for the term Racketlon:
a) The game must include the following four sports: table tennis, badminton, squash and tennis
b) The game must be built on the concept of a Racketlon match involving the same two individuals (pairs in doubles) playing each other in all four sports - with identically formatted sets being played in each sport.
c) Each rally must count. The player (pair) who wins most rallies in total is the winner of the Racketlon match.
Any sport that fulfills the three principles above is Racketlon. Any other sport involving the combination of several racket sports might be termed "multi racket sport" - but is not Racketlon.
1.2 The Rules of the Four Sports
With the exception of the rules provided in this document Racketlon is regulated by the rules of each of the four individual sports. See the following links:
The
Rules of Table Tennis
The Rules of Squash
The
Rules of Badminton
The
Rules of Tennis
If any of the direct links above have become outdated, please refer to the websites of the corresponding international federations:
International Table Tennis
Federation
World Squash Federation
Badminton World
Federation
International Tennis
Federation
2. Singles Rules
2.1 Set Order
From smaller to larger rackets.
The four sets shall be played in the following order:
table tennis, badminton, squash, tennis
2.2 Scoring
a) Running score to 21. Margin of two points.
Every rally results in a point to the winner of the rally - i.e.
"running score" is applied - and the winner of each set
is the player who first reaches 21 points. Except at 20-20 when
the set is extended until there is a margin of two points. A set
can thus end e.g. 22-20 or 25-23 but never 21-20.
b) Total points count.
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 lose three out of the four sets and still
win the match.
c) Early interruption.
If any of the players so wishes the match shall be stopped as
soon as (a) the winner has enough points for the match to be
decided - AND (b) the rest of the points have no other
significance. (Note that group play is sometimes decided through
counting total points difference. In that case (b) might apply
and the rest of the points might still have significance for the
result of the group, in which case each match shall be played to
the end.).
d) Tiebreak.
If, after all 4 sets, both players have exactly the same number
of points the Gummiarm Tiebreak applies, see below.
2.3 Serving & Ends of Court
a) The toss.
The initial order of serving, receiving and ends in each of the
four sets shall be decided by one single toss before the match
starts, according to the following procedure:
The winner of the toss decides whether to start serving or
receiving in table tennis. The player, who starts serving in
table tennis, starts receiving in badminton, starts serving in
squash and starts receiving in tennis.
In each set (except in squash, of course) the player who starts
receiving decides what end to start the set from.
b) Two serves each.
After every two points the serve goes to the other player. At the
first of these two serves the server always serves from the right
(except in table tennis, of course). The second serve is from the
left side.
c) Switch at 11.
Ends are switched at the time when 11 points are first reached by
any of the players.
d) One serve each after 20-20.
After 20-20 the serve switches hand after every point until the
set is decided. The two first serves are from the right, the two
next serves are from the left and so on.
e) Second serve in tennis.
In the tennis set, the server has two chances - first and second
service - just as in normal tennis. This is not, however, valid
at Gummiarm Tiebreak, see below.
2.4 The Gummiarm Tiebreak
a) One single point in tennis breaks a tie.
If, after all 4 sets, both players have exactly the same number
of points, then one extra point is played in tennis, known as the
"Gummiarm Tiebreak". The winner of this single point
tie-break is also the winner of the full match.
b) A toss decides server and end of court..
Server is decided by the drawing of lots. The winner of the lot
chooses whether to decide who gets to serve or what end to play
at. The loser gets the remaining choice. The server decides from
which side (left or right) to serve.
c) One serve only.
To off-set the server's advantage there is no second service in
the Gummiarm Tiebreak.
2.5 Time Intervals & Continuous Play
a) One minute at 11.
A maximum break of one minute shall be allowed at 11 (i.e. when
11 points is first reached by any of the players) in each set.
b) 3+3 minutes between sets.
The break between sets shall be maximised at "3+3"
minutes meaning: (a) Warming up at the next sport has to commence
within 3 minutes after the end of the previous set. (b) The next
set has to commence within 6 minutes after the end of the
previous set
c) Continuous play.
Play must be continuous at all times (as far as can be reasonably
expected). Umpires and referees have the right to penalise
players under the misconduct rule should they breach this.
d) Restricted pausing.
Players may pause for a brief drink and to towel down every five
points only (so after 5, 10, 15 points, etc), if this is breached
the umpire may penalise the offending player. If sweat has
dripped onto the table tennis table, badminton court, etc, then
of course the player may use a towel to wipe that away at any
time.
2.6 Conduct on Court
2.6.1 Misconduct penalties.
For any act of misconduct (as judged by the umpire) such as
swearing, threatening behaviour, racket abuse, delaying or
dangerous play, etc, the player shall be penalised as follows (on
a per match basis):
a) 1st incident - warning
b) 2nd incident - player loses a point
c) 3rd incident - player loses the set
d) 4th incident - player loses the match and is disqualified from
the tournament.
2.6.2 Line Calls Stand.
If a call is challenged and no judge or referee is present then
the call stands and the challenger has to accept the call. The
challenger may, of course, request a referee to preside for the
rest of that set, if available.
2.7 Injury
a) 5 minutes once.
Each player is allowed one injury time-out per match of 5
minutes.
b) Stop bleeding.
In the event of bleeding the same rule as above applies, as long
as bandages/plasters are readily available of course.
c) Extension at collision.
If any injury is the result of a collision with the opponent, the
umpire may allow the player as much time as he needs, and if
necessary, penalise either player.
2.8 Recommendations
Organisers should require that protective glasses are worn in the squash set in all classes but Elite.
3. Doubles Specific Rules
The rules of each sport and the singles rules above regulate most aspects of a doubles match. But some additions are necessary. These are the rules specific to doubles:
3.1 Players on Court
Both players of each pair must be on court for the table
tennis, badminton and tennis. The exception is squash, which is
played as singles.
3.2 Serving and Ends of Court.
a) Definitions.
The examples below refer to a match between Pair A (containing
players A1 and A2) and Pair B (containing players B1 and B2),
where the digit 1 denotes the players serving and receiving first
(in the set) respectively.
b) The toss.
As in singles there is one single toss done before the match
deciding which team starts to serve in each set and which team
gets to decide what end to start playing at. Specific to doubles
it is the team that starts serving that, in each set, decides
which of the two players shall start serving. Likewise, it is the
receiving side that decides which of the two players starts
receiving. The receiving side may make their choice after
they know who will serve. (This rule (b) regarding serving,
receiving and ends of court apply to all sets except squash, see
below.)
c) 2 serves each.
As in singles each serve game contains 2 serves, meaning that
each server gets to serve twice before the right to serve moves
over to the next server. With the exception of the extension
after 20-20, where the serve switches hand after every point.
d) Right then left.
As in singles the first serve in each serve game is always from
the right and the second from the left. Except in table tennis
where the serves are always from the right as in standard table
tennis doubles.
e) Table tennis.
The order of serving/receiving rotation in table tennis starts
with A1 to B1, B1 to A2, A2 to B2, B2 to A1 and this cycle
repeats itself until 11 is reached. At that stage the two players
that are about to receive switch positions with each other and
the cycle changes into A1 to B2, B2 to A2, A2 to B1, B1 to A1.
(Note that the regular position switches only occur after each
serve game and only on the side which has just been serving.)
f) Badminton.
The cycle for badminton serving is simply A1 - B1 - A2 - B2
throughout the set. The receiving is guided by the badminton
rules that suggests that the players keep their positions except
the serving side when the server moves to serve from the left
side after having served from the right. This gives the following
cycle: A1 to B1 then A1 to B2, B1 to A2 then B1 to A1, A2 to B2
then A2 to B1, B2 to A1 then B2 to A2. Which repeats itself
without change until the end of the set.
g) Tennis.
As in badminton the cycle for serving in tennis is simply A1 - B1
- A2 - B2 throughout the set. As regards the receiving each team
choose which player returns on the forehand and which player
returns on the backhand side and this stays the same throughout
the set.
3.3 The Squash Set.
3.3.1 Switch players at 11.
The squash is played as one singles set to 21 in two parts. In
the first part player A1 (from team A) faces player B1 (from team
B). When 11 is reached the players are switched so that A2 faces
B2 in the second part of the set. The scoring is kept at the
switch so that A2 takes over A1's score while B2 takes over B1's
score. The serving is handled in the same continuous way (e.g: A2
starts serving from the left if his partner (A1) served from the
right in the previous point).
3.3.2 Player Order in Doubles - Except Mixed
a) Definition.
The specific ranking referred to below is the FIR Racketlon World
Singles Ranking.
b) Highest ranked first.
If both players in a pair have a ranking the player with the
highest ranking has to play first. If only one of the players
have a ranking this player counts as the highest ranked.
c) No ranking, then choose.
In the case when both players in the pair do not have a ranking,
then the pair will decide themselves who plays first. However, if
the match is played in the context of a tournament the order must
be the same throughout the tournament.
d) Wrong order penalised by 0-21.
If any of the pairs violates the ordering rules specified in this
paragraph (3.3.2) the offending pair will automatically lose the
squash to zero and the opponents will register a win with the
full allocation of points.
3.3.3 Player Order in Mixed Doubles
Ladies first.
In Mixed Doubles, the women play each other first and then the
men take over to finish the set.
3.4 Gummiarm Tiebreak
As in singles there is a Gummiarm tiebreak if the pairs
have exactly the same number of points after four sets. Specific
to doubles the serving side shall decide who will serve within
the pair. Similarily, the receiving side shall decide who will
receive within the pair.
4. Team Specific Rules
For example at World Championships a team event for national teams has traditionally taken place for three men and one woman. These are the rules specific to team events:
4.1 Definitions
AW = The woman of Team A
AM1 = The best man in Team A
AM2 = The second best man in Team A
AM3 = The third best man in Team A
The corresponding notations are used for Team B (BW, BM1, BM2 and
BM3)
4.2 Order of Play
A team match shall consist of four individual Racketlon
matches started in the following order:
AM1 vs BM1
AW vs BW
AM2 vs BM2
AM3 vs BM3
4.3 Scoring
a) In line with the fundamental principle of "each rally
counts" the winner of the team match is not the team that
wins most individual matches but the team that wins most points
in total.
b) The individual matches may optionally, in order to e.g. save time, be played to 15 or 11 instead of the standard 21.
4.4 The Team
a) Line-up commitment.
Before a team match begins each team shall commit to their
line-up; i.e. to which 4 team members will be active in it and in
what positions. Each of the teams has the right to hide their
line-up from their opponents until their opponents have committed
to their line-up.
b) Max 2 + 1 reserves.
In the context of a team tournament a team may contain a maximum
of 3 reserves; max 2 men and max 1 woman. This means that a
tournament team can be max 7 players.
c) Reserves may be deployed during a tournament but never during a team match. If a player needs to interrupt a match due to injury he may not be replaced and loses the remaining points.
4.5 Ranking
a) Strength order.
Care shall be taken so that the male players (M1, M2, M3) are
ranked according to strength in order to provide for the best
men, the second best men and the third best men of each team to
face each other respectively. (Organisers are recommended to
specify a relevant ranking that regulates this.)
b) Within a tournament the ranking within a team may not change.
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Revision history:
2001-06-17: first
version
2002-05-17: margin-of-two (22-20) counting introduced (see discussion); links added to rules
2002-12-03: gummiarm tiebreak introduced (see discussion)
2004-05-27:
Clarified that this document contains the official rules of the
IRF.
Added a definition of Racketlon.
Added a note to clarify that group play might require that
matches are played to the end eventhough they are already
decided.
Modified the description of the single point tie-break to clarify
that the winner of the lot might also choose which side to play
on. (Same thing clarified for the tossing at the beginning of
each set).
Added rules about breaks (at 11 and between sports) according to
IRF decisions.
Added a recommendation about protective glasses according to an
IRF decision.
2004-09-27:
Added rules on Time Intervals, Conduct on Court, Injury and Line
Judging according to IRF suggestions (see analysis.doc)
2005-02-17:
Changed the order of sports so that squash and badminton switched
place into tt-ba-sq-te - according to an IRF decision. (see analysis)
2007-01-01:
Two format changes according to AGM decisions in Vienna
2006-11-25 (see newsitem):
-The serve games shortened from 5 to 2 serves.
-A single toss rule introduced implying alternating
"start-to-serve" advantages.
2007-07-31:
Updated the links to the rules of the individual sports
Clarified the rule on the "Gummiarm Tiebreak"
2008-03-19:
Added numbering.
Polishing of wording and structure for clarification purposes.
Updated according to decisions taken (see proposal for details and analysis) at the Rotterdam AGM
(2007-12-28). As follows:
- Incorporated the doubles rules into this document.
- Added rules for the team event.
- Other minor changes for clarification purposes.
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