• Racquet sports are sports that involve the use of a racquet to hit a ball or projectile. A racquet is a handheld device that consists of a handle or grip and flat head, often consisting of interwoven strings, that is used as a hitting surface. Players swing racquets in order to generate power on the ball and direct the ball where they desire. There are a variety of racquet types designed for different racquet sports.
  
  

Tennis Racquets

• Tennis is one of the most popular racquet sports in the world and is an Olympic sport. Tennis is played on relatively large courts, often forcing players to hit shots that fly 50 feet or farther. Tennis racquets are typically larger than the racquets used for other racquet sports and have long handles that allow the racket to be gripped with both hands. Almost all tennis players hit with one hand on the forehand side, but many use two hands when making a backhand swing.
  
  

Badminton Racquets

• Badminton is a sport where players hit a projectile called a shuttle cock or birdie back and forth over an elevated net. Badminton racquets are much lighter and smaller than tennis rackets, consisting of a handle meant for one hand and a long, spindly neck that attaches the handle to the head. The construction of badminton racquets allows the racquet head to achieve high speeds with minimal power.
  
  

Racquetball Racquets

• Racquetball is a sport played in an enclosed room where balls are struck and bounced against a well instead of hit over a net. Racquetball racquets are similar in construction to tennis racquets, but they are shorter and the grips are typically not large enough for two hands. Another difference is that tennis racquet heads are oval-shaped, while racquetball racquets are flattened off at the top of the head, allowing the racket to swing more effectively along walls.
  
  

Table Tennis Racquets

• Table tennis, or ping pong, is a racquet sport played on a table with a net that resembles a small tennis court. Table tennis uses small paddles that have heads about the size of a hand. Unlike tennis, racquetball and badminton racquets, table tennis paddle heads consist of solid material like wood and rubber, rather than a mesh of strings that allows air to pass through the head. Pickleball is a sport that is similar to table tennis, but players use larger wooden paddles as racquets and play on a gym floor with a wiffle ball.