Frescobol (Portuguese, lit. fresh ball) is a racket sport originating in Brazil in the 1950s. The game is played between 2 (or occasionally 3) players with solid rackets, most often made of wood or fibreglass, and the aim of the game is to hit a small rubber ball between players for as long as possible. It is often considered a beach activity.[1]

Players playing frescobol in Ipanema.

History

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Equipment

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The racket used is made out of wood or composite materials such as fibreglass or carbon fibre. It can be hollow or solid. The maximum measurements are a width of 25 centimetres and a height of 50 centimetres. It should weight between 300 and 400 grams, depending on player preference. A non-slip grip can be added to the handle.

 
A frescobol racket (or paddle).

The ball is a hollow sphere of pressurized rubber. Often racquetball balls are used.

Similar games

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Frescobol is very similar to the Israeli sport matkot/kadima. They are identical in how they are played, but matkot is usually played with round rackets instead of the teardrop shaped rackets used in frescobol.

References

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  1. ^ Renata Sá De Oliveira Figueiredo; Vera Lúcia De Menezes Costa; Lamartine Pereira Da Costa (1996), Frescobol no Rio de Janeiro: interpretações históricas (PDF) (in Portuguese), pp. 417–425, Wikidata Q124414236