Tennikoit
 Tennikoit, a.k.a. "Ring tennis" at the 2010 World Championships (women's doubles) | |
| Nicknames | Ring tennis, tenniquoits |
|---|---|
| First played |
|
| Characteristics | |
| Contact | No |
| Team members |
|
| Mixed-sex |
|
| Type | Indoor or outdoor |
| Equipment | Rubber ring |
| Presence | |
| Olympic | No |
| Paralympic | No |
| World Games | No |
Tennikoit (also known as ring tennis or tenniquoits) is a court sport where players hurl a circular rubber ring over a central net. Similar to tennis or badminton, the objective is to catch the opponent's throw and return it before it touches the ground, scoring points when the ring lands within the opponent's boundaries.
Originating as a variation of deck tennis played on early 20th-century cruise ships, modern tennikoit is played on both indoor and outdoor courts. The sport features singles, doubles, and mixed doubles disciplines. While played globally, it maintains its strongest following in Germany, South Africa, Brazil, Venezuela, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
A standard match is typically played in a best-of-three sets format, with each set played to 21 points. The game begins with a diagonal serve from behind the baseline. During rallies, players must catch the ring with only one hand and return it over the 1.8-meter-high net in a single, continuous motion. Points are awarded when the opponent fails to catch the ring, throws it out of bounds, touches it with their body, or commits a technical fault such as holding the ring for too long or wobbling it during a throw.