Andrew Pace
Badminton is a racquet sport played by two opposing players (singles) or two opposing pairs (doubles), who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court divided by a net. The scoring system in badminton has evolved over the years, with the current international competition format using the 3 x 21 rally point system endorsed by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). In this system, the first side to reach 21 points wins a game, and matches are determined by the best of three games. If the score reaches 20-20, a side must win by two clear points, and if the score reaches 29-29, the first side to score the 30th point wins.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of players | 2 (singles) or 4 (doubles) |
| Scoring | First to 21 points wins the game. If the score reaches 29-29, the first to get their 30th point wins. |
| Scoring rules | A point is scored when the shuttlecock lands inside the opponent's court. A point is also scored when a returned shuttlecock hits the net or lands outside of the court. |
| Service rules | The server must hit the shuttlecock underarm and below the waist. |
| Service sides | The player serves from the right service court when their score is even, and from the left service court when their score is odd. |
| Service change | The serve changes to the other team when the receiving team wins a rally. |
| Game structure | A match is the best of three games. |
| Rest periods | A 90-second rest after the first game and a 5-minute rest after the second game. |
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Scoring rules
Badminton is played either as singles (two players) or doubles (two pairs of players). In both formats, a match is the best of three games.
In badminton, players score a point when they win a rally. To win a rally, players must strike a shuttlecock (also known as a birdie) with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands inside their opponent's court. The shuttlecock can be returned from inside or outside the court, but players must not touch the net with any part of their body or racquet.
The first side to reach 21 points wins the game. If the score reaches 20-20, the game continues until one side gains a two-point lead. If the score reaches 29-29, the first side to score the 30th point wins.
In doubles, each pair wins points together. The side that wins a rally also gets to serve in the next one.
It's good practice to say the score out loud to your opponent before each rally, with the server's score coming first. For example, if the server has 10 points and the opponent has 15, the correct way to say the score is 10-15.
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Singles vs doubles
Badminton is a racquet sport that can be played in singles or doubles format. The objective of the game is to hit a shuttlecock back and forth, with each player or team taking turns hitting it once before the opponent strikes it again. The game is played to
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Court dimensions
The court dimensions for a game of badminton differ slightly between singles and doubles matches. The total area of a badminton court should be 880 square feet. The length of the court remains the same for both singles and doubles matches, at 44 feet (13.4 metres). The width of the court, however, differs: a singles court is 17 feet (5.18 metres) wide, while a doubles court is wider at 20 feet (6.1 metres).
The badminton net is another important component of the court. It should measure 5 feet (1.55 metres) in height at the edges and 5 feet (1.52 metres) in the centre, placed directly over the middle of the court. The net creates two spaces on each side, each measuring 22 feet by 20 feet. The short service line, often used as a reference point for serving, should be 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 metres) from the centre of the court to each sideline.
The service court dimensions also vary between singles and doubles matches. In singles, the service court is 24.4 square metres, while in doubles, it is 24.2 square metres. The service line and back boundary lines can be adjusted to suit the athletes' skill level, particularly for beginners or children. For doubles matches, the service court features a long service line, which is 2 feet 6 inches (0.76 metres) from the back boundary line.
For safety, the badminton court should have a clearance area of at least 1 metre on the sides and 1.5 metres from the back boundary line.
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Serving rules
Serving is a crucial aspect of badminton, and understanding the rules can greatly impact a player's performance. Here are the serving rules in badminton:
Positioning
The server and receiver must stand in diagonally opposite service courts. The receiver's position is determined by the server's score. If the server's score is an even number, they serve from the right service court, and if it's an odd number, they serve from the left court. In badminton singles, the server starts from the right service court and will serve from that side whenever they have an even number of points. In doubles, the server starts on the right and keeps serving from that side while alternating with their partner as long as they keep winning points.
Serve Execution
The serve must be hit diagonally over the net and into the opponent's service box. It should be an underarm serve, with the racquet shaft pointing downwards, and the shuttlecock must be struck below waist height. The whole shuttlecock should be below 1.15 metres from the court surface when hit. The shuttlecock cannot bounce, and it must pass the short service line, which is 1.98 metres from the net.
Scoring and Service Rotation
A point is scored on every serve and awarded to the side that wins the rally. The winning side gets to serve next. If the receiver wins the rally, they assume the serve, but their service court does not change. The only way to change service courts is to win a point while your side is serving. In doubles, each pair wins points together, and the pair that wins the rally serves first in the next game.
Faults and Lets
If the shuttlecock hits the net but goes over and lands past the service line, the server wins the rally. If it hits the net and lands short of the service line or wide of the court, the receiver wins the point. Hitting the shuttlecock into the ceiling results in a fault, and the point is awarded to the opposing player. If the shuttlecock strikes fixtures above the court, like lights or beams, it may be ruled a let or a fault, depending on the venue's rules.
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Rally rules
A badminton match is played as the best of three games. The first side to reach 21 points wins a game. If the score reaches 20-20, the game continues until one side has a two-point advantage. If the score reaches 29-29, the first side to reach 30 points wins.
A point is scored when the shuttlecock, or 'birdie', lands inside the opponent's court. Players can return the shuttlecock from inside or outside the court, but they must not touch the net with any part of their body or racket. The shuttlecock must be hit underarm and below waist height.
In singles, the server starts from the right service court and will continue to serve from this side every time they have an even number of points. A player serves from the left every time they have an odd number of points. In doubles, the server will start on the right-hand side and keep serving, while alternating sides with their teammate, as long as they keep winning points. If the receiving side takes the point, they assume the serve.
It is customary to say the score to your opponent before starting each rally, with the server's score being mentioned first. For example, if the server has 10 points and the opponent has 15, the score is 10-15.
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Frequently asked questions
The first side to reach 21 points wins the game. If the score reaches 20-20, the game continues until one side has a two-point lead. If the score reaches 29-29, the first side to score the 30th point wins.
A badminton match is played as the best of three games. So, the first side to win two games takes the match.
Points are scored by winning a rally. A rally ends once the shuttlecock has struck the ground, and each side may only strike the shuttlecock once before it passes over the net.
