Ayrton Oneill
Serving is a fundamental skill in badminton, performed at the start of every rally. There are several types of serves, including the low serve, the high serve, and the flick serve. The low serve is the most common type, where the shuttlecock is served just over the net, limiting the opponent's swing and increasing the chance of a successful return. The high serve is useful against opponents who cannot perform strong smashes from the back of the court. The flick serve is an advanced technique that can be used to catch the opponent off-guard, but it requires mastery of the low serve to be effective. In this article, we will explore the different types of serves in badminton and provide step-by-step instructions on how to execute them successfully.
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What You'll Learn
Footwork and stance
For the stance, place your non-dominant foot forward, with your weight on your back foot. The racket should be held level with your shoulder. When performing a low serve, bend your wrist back and push gently as you strike the shuttle. For a high serve, swing your racket in an arc down to your knees and then bring it up and around your shoulder.
It's important to keep your feet grounded during the serve. Your back left foot will naturally lift as you swing the racket, but keep your toes on the ground. Don't drag your foot along the ground, but you can pivot. Transfer your weight from the back foot to the front foot as you serve, pushing through the shuttle.
When performing a flick serve, an advanced technique used to catch your opponent off-guard, make sure your preparation looks similar to that of a low serve. Hold the racket in front of you with your non-playing hand, with a loose grip near the bottom of the handle. Don't move your wrist too much, as the goal is to push the shuttle over the net rather than hit it.
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Hand and finger placement
For a forehand grip, the thumb and forefinger of the dominant hand create a V-shape around the handle of the racket, with the other three fingers extended away so they don't interfere with the serve. This is known as the handshake grip. It is important not to hold the racket too tightly, as a relaxed, loose grip is preferable. The grip should be near the bottom of the handle.
When performing a flick serve, the thumb and forefinger are especially important, as the power for this shot comes mainly from the push of the thumb and the slight flick of the wrist. For a low serve, the wrist is bent back and the shuttlecock is pushed gently. The backswing and follow-through for a low serve should be short, and the wrist should not be used in the hitting action.
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The flick serve
To perform a flick serve, you must first master the low serve. When you are about to hit the shuttle, instead of performing a low serve, you lift the shuttle to the back of the court by rotating your forearm and using the power of your fingers. To maximise finger power, loosen your grip on the racket before striking and then tighten it explosively. The movement of service must be continuous and the shuttle must be struck below waist height.
When preparing to serve, use the basic badminton grip, also known as the handshake grip. Hold the racket in front of you with your non-playing hand. For example, if you are right-handed, hold the racket in your left hand. The racket strings should be facing sideways, not towards the ceiling or floor. Hold the racket near the bottom of the handle with a relaxed, loose grip, with your thumb and forefinger creating a V-shape around it. Be careful not to hold the racket too tight. Both the racket head and the shaft should be pointing down, not too horizontal, otherwise, you may commit a fault.
To return a flick serve, you should position yourself with your feet relatively wide apart with bent legs. Stand with your non-racket leg in front, taking most of your weight. Your front foot should be positioned at a slight angle to enable the best possible push-off.
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The low serve
Preparation
Use a forehand grip and stand in the front corner of the service box with your non-racket foot in front and on the heel. Hold the shuttle a little lower than your chest and off to the side, with the shuttle cork facing downward. Grip the feathers between two fingers, and extend the other three fingers away so that they don't get in the way when you serve.
Shot
Move the racket hip forward as you transfer the weight from the back foot to the front foot. Push through the shuttle, keeping the backswing and follow-through short. Do not use the wrist in the hitting action. Aim for the tape at the top of the net so that the shuttle skims over it and lands just over the net on the other side. Make sure the shuttle is below the waist at the time of contact and that both feet are grounded, otherwise, it will be a fault.
Recovery
After the serve, get into the ready position and be prepared for the return. Practice your serve until you manage to keep it as low and short as possible.
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The high serve
To perform a high serve, you must first stand in the service court without touching any boundary lines. If playing singles, stand 2-3 feet behind the short service line, which is the line closest to the net. The direction of your serve will depend on your score. If your score is even, serve from the right service court, and vice versa. Place your non-dominant foot forward, and hold the racket level with your shoulder.
When you are ready to serve, drop the shuttle from your free hand and swing the racket in a wide arc to hit a forehand high serve. Bring the racket high over your shoulder, then drop it down toward your knees as you swing forward and bring it up to meet the shuttle. The full swing encourages the shuttle to go upwards, and the follow-through is important, with the arm coming up over the shoulder.
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Frequently asked questions
You must serve from inside the service court, without touching any boundary lines. You should also keep part of both feet on the ground, and the serve must be made below the waist.
You can use a high serve, where the shuttle drops near the back of your opponent's court, a low serve, where the shuttle just clears the net, and a flick serve, which is more advanced and used to surprise your opponent.
Bring the racket high over your shoulder, then drop it down toward your knees as you swing forward and bring it up to meet the shuttle.
Bend your wrist back and push gently to hit the shuttle just over the net. This is the most common serve in badminton.
The high serve is more common in singles matches, while the low serve is more widely used in doubles. However, you should vary your serves to keep your opponent guessing.
