▁ ▁The ▁goal ▁of ▁the ▁game ▁is ▁to ▁hit ▁a ▁small ▁rub ber ▁ball ▁with ▁a ▁wooden ▁ra cket ▁as ▁many ▁times ▁as ▁possible ▁without ▁dro pping ▁it . ▁Two ▁or ▁more ▁players ▁hit ▁the ▁ball ▁back ▁and ▁forth ▁ ▁using ▁p add les . ▁The ▁sport ▁is ▁named ▁after ▁the ▁rac quet , ▁the ▁mat ka ; ▁the ▁origin ▁of ▁this ▁word ▁is ▁unclear . ▁ ▁The ▁rac qu ets ▁are ▁tradition ally ▁made ▁of ▁wood , ▁although ▁sometimes ▁the ▁handles ▁are ▁rein for ced ▁with ▁a ▁pl astic ▁covering . ▁Car bon ▁fi ber ▁is ▁also ▁used . ▁The ▁head ▁of ▁a ▁rac quet ▁may ▁vary ▁somewhat ▁in ▁size ▁and ▁shape . ▁The ▁heads ▁are ▁circular ▁and ▁about ▁ ▁in ▁diameter . ▁The ▁rac quet ▁handles ▁are ▁short , ▁and ▁with ▁very ▁little ▁tr unk ▁between ▁the ▁handle ▁and ▁the ▁rac quet ▁head . ▁▁ ▁The ▁standard ▁ball ▁used ▁is ▁the ▁same ▁ball ▁as ▁is ▁used ▁in ▁squ ash . ▁However , ▁nov ice ▁and ▁intermediate ▁players ▁sometimes ▁use ▁a ▁ball ▁that ▁is ▁similar ▁in ▁size ▁to ▁a ▁squ ash ▁ball , ▁but ▁l ighter ▁and / or ▁b oun cier . ▁ ▁The ▁game ▁has ▁developed ▁a ▁moder ate ▁level ▁of ▁popular ity ▁outside ▁of ▁Israel ▁as ▁a ▁particip atory ▁sport , ▁particularly ▁where ▁there ▁is ▁either ▁a ▁strong ▁beach ▁culture ▁( e . g . ▁Brazil , ▁where ▁it ▁is ▁also ▁highly ▁popular , ▁but ▁more ▁commonly ▁known ▁as ▁fres c ob all ), ▁or ▁a ▁significant ▁number ▁of