Matkot

People playing matkot in Tel Aviv, Israel

Matkot (Hebrew: מטקות‎ lit. "racquets") is a popular paddle ball game in Israel similar to beach tennis, often referred to as the country's national sport.[1][2] The goal of the game is to hit a small rubber Squash ball with a wooden racket as many times as possible without dropping it.[3]

Player poised to hit the ball

Matkot is a non-competitive beach game in which two or more players hit a small ball back and forth using paddles.[4] The sport is named after the racquet, the matka; the origin of this word is unclear.[5]

The racquets are traditionally made of wood, although sometimes the handles are reinforced with a plastic covering. The head of a racquet may vary somewhat in size and shape. The heads are circular and about 30 centimetres (12 in) in diameter. The racquet handles are short, and with very little trunk between the handle and the racquet head.

The standard ball used is the same ball as is used in squash. However, novice and intermediate players sometimes use a ball that is similar in size to a squash ball, but lighter and/or bouncier.

The game has developed a moderate level of popularity outside of Israel as a participatory sport, particularly where there is either a strong beach culture (e.g. Brazil, where it is also highly popular, but more commonly known as frescoball), or a significant number of Israelis living abroad (e.g. Thailand).[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Fogelman, Shay (2009-07-12). "Beach Paddle Battle". Haaretz.
  2. ↑ Knell, Yolande (16 June 2013). "Matkot madness: Israel's extreme bat and ball beach craze". BBC News Online, Magazine. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  3. ↑ Looking to Play Some Matkot? Tel Aviv’s the Place
  4. ↑ Tel Aviv beaches
  5. ↑ Rosenthal, Ruvik (2005). Dictionary of Israeli Slang. Jerusalem: Keter. ISBN 965-07-1401-4.
  6. ↑

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