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Have you ever wondered how the word racket is written yet? You cannot decide between the words – tennis rackets or racquets. You don’t want to be laughed at for a fundamental grammar error. It sounds ridiculous, but there are millions of people around the world who have the same problem as you. Google can be a lifesaver for you, but keep in mind there are many different sources of information on it. So to avoid future confusion, let’s learn the origin, meaning and usage of the two words racquet.
Their Origins
Rackets or racquets seem to have many origins but share the same etymology. Their origins are said to be from the ‘Racket’ from Middle English or also from the Middle French word rachette (‘ the palm of the hand ‘). The word can also be derived from some other places like the Arabic ‘rahat al-yad’ or the Dutch (Rakesten)
How Do You Spell Tennis Racket
So, are these tennis rackets or racquets? ‘Racket’ is an unusual spelling of the acronym for paddle-like equipment commonly used in net games such as tennis. Meanwhile, ‘Racquet’ is an alternate spelling form, initially considered the misspelling of French words.
When Should You Use Racket & Racquet
You need to be very careful when using these words as they can have similar origins and meanings in some contexts. In tennis, the word Racket is widely popular and Racquet is used for squash and tennis. However, racket is mainly used in North America.
Racket and Racquet in Sports
Different sports in the world use rackets while only two sports use racquets. In different sports, the word is used interchangeably based on your location. Here are some sports that use rackets and racquets:
Racket in Sports
Badminton
Another widely-played sport is badminton. Badminton rackets have a long shaft and oval or round top. Just like tennis, there are different types of badminton racquets such as light, heavy, synthetic grip, towel grip, and high tension. The players have to choose rackets based on different qualities to make them easier and more comfortable. Well-known badminton racket manufacturers in the world are Li-ning, Yonex, Carlton, Fleet and Wilson.
Tennis Rackets or Racquets
Tennis is one of the most famous sports all over the world. There are different types of tennis rackets used by players around the world.
Types of tennis racquets: power, control, tweener and modern player racquets.
Tennis racket materials: wood, aluminum and composite materials
Famous tennis racket manufacturers in the world: Babolat, Wilson and Head Graphene
Pickleball
Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports around the world and also has a racket-like type of device called a paddle.
Pickleball rackets can be made of wood, composite and graphite. However, it is the core structure of the bats that determine their performance. Some common core structures are Aluminum, Nomex Honeycomb and Poly core. The leading pickleball producers are Gamma, Head, Selkirk, PaddleTek and Wilson among others.
Racquet in Squash & Racquetball
Racquetball
This is the only game to use from Racquet, invented in the 1950s by Joseph Sobek. It can be played indoors as well as outdoors. Unlike badminton and tennis, racquetball is played by hitting the ball against the wall. The racquets used in this game are similar in size to the squash. Initially, tennis racquets were made from wood and had leather upholstery to hold. However, modern rackets are made from graphite and titanium. Some popular brands of racquets are Head, E-force, Gearbox and Wilson.
Squash
Squash is one of the oldest racquet games. Initially, the game was played with a wooden racquet, which was later replaced by a tennis-like racket. When purchasing squash racquets, you can choose from brands like Prince, Dunlop and Head. There are new brands like Xamsa that you can give a try too.
Conclusions
The difference between racket and racquet is negligible in sports, there are only some cases when you have to be careful with the type of spelling you choose. I hope this article helps you clear your confusion about these two words.
