This volume contains papers from the First World Congress of Science and Racket Sports held in Runcorn from July 9 to 13th, 1993. The programme consisted of 6 keynote addresses, 6 workshop sessions, 28 oral communications and 16 poster presentations. Manuscripts written up following the Congress were subject to peer review and editorial judgement prior to acceptance for the Proceedings. The volume is organised into parts based on scientific disciplines. Material falling into physiological topics have been split into those that report investigations of demands of racket sports, and those detailing fitness profiles or fitness testing of players. Similarly papers concerned with biomechanics and mechanics have been distinguished into those primarily concerned with force or stroke analysis and those focused on rackets or equipment in the racket sports. The Sports Medicine section includes papers that might have been placed elsewhere in the book but for their highlighting of injury or injury risk. Whole sections are devoted to psychology and to match analysis in the racket sports.