Major Racket Sports in Asia

Asia has a deep and varied racket-sports culture, ranging from globally mainstream disciplines such as tennis and badminton to regionally rooted games like soft tennis. These sports have shaped the continent’s medal prospects, inspired strong national systems, and expanded opportunities through international circuits, continental events, and school-level talent pathways.

Tennis

Lawn tennis is played on a rectangular court divided by a net, with singles and doubles formats. The aim is to place the ball so that the opponent cannot make a valid return. It is one of the most globally visible racket sports in Asia, with the region regularly hosting major events and producing top-ranked players.

• Governing body: The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is the world governing body for tennis.
• Grand Slams: The four major tournaments are the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open.
• Asian-Pacific relevance: The Australian Open, held in Melbourne, is a Grand Slam hosted in the Asian-Pacific region.
• Asian circuit: The ATP Tour and WTA Tour include several Asian events, reflecting the commercial and competitive importance of the region.
• Key tournaments: The Shanghai Masters is an ATP Masters 1000 event, while the China Open is held on both ATP and WTA circuits.
• Asian success: Asian players have won major honours, particularly in doubles and mixed doubles categories.

Badminton

Badminton uses a shuttlecock instead of a ball and is especially popular in East and Southeast Asia. Fast rallies, sharp reflexes and explosive movement define the sport. It has become one of Asia’s most successful Olympic disciplines and a key medal source for several countries.

• Governing body: The Badminton World Federation (BWF) is the international governing body.
• Olympic status: Badminton became an Olympic sport at the 1992 Barcelona Games.
• Major events: The BWF calendar includes the World Championships, Thomas Cup, Uber Cup and Sudirman Cup.
• Team events: The Thomas Cup is for men’s teams, the Uber Cup for women’s teams, and the Sudirman Cup for mixed teams.
• Asian dominance: China, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and India have repeatedly performed well in world rankings and major tournaments.
• Scoring: Matches are played in best-of-three games, with each game to 21 points and a two-point winning margin required.

Table Tennis

Also known as ping-pong, table tennis is played by two or four players using a lightweight ball on a table divided by a net. It demands quick reactions, compact strokes and precise placement. Asia, especially China, has long dominated the sport at elite level.

• Governing body: The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) governs the sport.
• Olympic status: Table tennis was introduced into the Olympics in 1988.
• Major events: The World Table Tennis Championships, World Cup and Olympic Games are the leading international competitions.
• Asian strength: Asian nations have historically won a large share of Olympic and World Championship medals.
• Scoring: Matches are usually best of five or seven games, with games played to 11 points and won by a two-point margin.

Squash

Squash is played by two or four players in an enclosed four-walled court using a small hollow rubber ball. The sport requires stamina, tactical awareness and rapid shot selection. It has strong followings in parts of Asia and has also contributed to medal opportunities in multi-sport events.

• Governing body: The World Squash Federation (WSF) is the international governing body.
• Major competitions: Key tournaments include the World Open, British Open and events on the PSA World Tour.
• Multi-sport events: Squash has featured in the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.
• Asian performers: Pakistan, Malaysia and India have produced top-ranked players.
• Scoring system: Modern squash generally uses point-a-rally scoring to 11 points, with a point awarded on every rally.

Soft Tennis

Soft tennis is a distinct racket sport that originated in Japan and remains closely associated with Asian sporting culture. It resembles lawn tennis in court layout and formats but differs in equipment, especially the ball. The sport has an important place in continental multi-sport competition and talent development across Asia.

• Equipment: Soft tennis uses a softer, hollow rubber ball rather than the pressurised felt ball used in lawn tennis.
• Format: It is played in singles and doubles events.
• Asian Games presence: Soft tennis is a medal event in the Asian Games, with men’s and women’s events included.
• Olympic Council of Asia: The Asian Games are a continental multi-sport event organised by the Olympic Council of Asia.
• Bronze medal rule: In Asian Games soft tennis, both losing semi-finalists receive bronze medals.
• Regional importance: The sport reflects Asia’s role in preserving and promoting niche racket disciplines.

Sports Infrastructure and Regional Significance

Racket sports in Asia are supported by a mix of national academies, league structures, schools and multi-sport platforms. Strong infrastructure helps create pathways from junior training to elite competition, while regional events encourage cooperation and continuous exposure to international standards.

• Talent development: Regular tournaments and age-group programmes help identify and nurture players early.
• Infrastructure: Courts, halls and training centres are crucial for building depth in tennis, badminton, table tennis, squash and soft tennis.
• Regional cooperation: Asian competitions create opportunities for benchmarking, coaching exchange and shared technical growth.
• Medal prospects: Several of these sports remain important medal avenues for Asian nations at continental and global events.
• Sporting diversity: Asia’s racket-sport landscape shows both global integration and preservation of region-specific games.

Key Prelims Takeaways

• Tennis: Governed by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
• Grand Slams: Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open are the four majors.
• Badminton: Governed by the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
• Badminton Olympics: It became an Olympic sport in 1992.
• Badminton team events: Thomas Cup, Uber Cup and Sudirman Cup are major BWF competitions.
• Table tennis: Governed by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and included in the Olympics since 1988.
• Squash: Governed by the World Squash Federation (WSF).
• Soft tennis: Originated in Japan and uses a softer hollow rubber ball.
• Soft tennis in Asia: It is a medal event at the Asian Games, with men’s and women’s competitions.
• Asian Games: A continental multi-sport event organised by the Olympic Council of Asia.

Recent Context

India won its first-ever Asian Games medal in soft tennis on September 23, 2026, at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Jay Meena secured at least a bronze medal by reaching the men’s singles semi-finals, after victories in group play and the quarter-final. The result marked India’s first appearance on the Asian Games soft tennis medal table.