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Badminton is a racquet sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net. The sport is played in singles or doubles formats and is considered a precision sport where each shot matters. Although it is commonly played outdoors as a casual activity, professional badminton is played on a rectangular indoor court. The indoor setting offers a regulated environment with reduced airflow, allowing for more accurate and predictable shots. On the other hand, outdoor badminton introduces variables such as wind, court surfaces, and natural lighting, requiring players to adapt their tactics and shot selection accordingly.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Game type | Racquet sport |
| Played with | Rackets, shuttlecock, net |
| Number of players | 2 or 4 |
| Versions | Singles, doubles |
| Played at | Backyards, beaches, recreational spaces, tournaments |
| Professional games played | Indoors |
| Court dimensions | 44 ft x 17 ft for singles, 44 ft x 20 ft for doubles |
| Net height | 5 ft |
| Clear space around court | 4 ft |
| Indoor court features | Reduced air disturbances, regulated space with less airflow, homogeneous illumination |
| Outdoor court features | Variable air resistance, wind conditions, natural lighting |
| Indoor gameplay | Netplay and overhead shots are effective |
| Outdoor gameplay | Requires flexibility and tactical changes |
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What You'll Learn
Badminton is considered an indoor game
The game is often played casually outdoors as a backyard pastime, on lawns or yards, or on beaches. However, when played outside, natural elements such as wind, lighting, and court surfaces can affect gameplay. For instance, wind can cause the shuttlecock to change direction, requiring players to modify their shots.
Indoor badminton courts are designed to minimise airflow, providing a regulated space with a steady trajectory for the shuttlecock. This allows players to perform shots with greater accuracy and precision. Artificial lighting in indoor courts also ensures homogeneous illumination, reducing the possibility of shadows or glare and allowing players to focus solely on the game.
The first rules for badminton were drawn up in Pune, India in 1873, where the sport was known as
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It can be played outdoors, too
While badminton is often considered an indoor game, it can be played outdoors, too. In fact, the game was first played outdoors, in the gardens of the Badminton country estate in Gloucestershire, England, in 1873. The sport was introduced to England by British officers returning home from India, where it was known as "Poona" or "Poonah", after the garrison town of Poona (Pune), where it was particularly popular.
Outdoor badminton is often played casually in backyards, on beaches, or in other recreational spaces. The lightweight composition of the shuttlecock makes it a fun, fast-moving game that is less likely to cause damage or injury than other sports that use balls. The shuttlecock's higher drag coefficient, compared to a ball, also means that it decelerates more rapidly, reducing the distance it can travel.
However, playing badminton outdoors introduces a number of variables that can affect gameplay. For example, wind can significantly impact the shuttlecock's trajectory and speed, requiring players to constantly modify their shots and employ defensive strategies. Lighting can also be a factor, with direct sunlight creating glare and harsh shadows, and overcast conditions reducing visibility.
To be successful at outdoor badminton, players must master the art of playing in varying wind and lighting conditions, and develop the ability to read wind patterns and adjust their shots accordingly. Outdoor courts may also have uneven surfaces, requiring players to be flexible and adapt their tactics.
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Origins of the game
The exact origins of badminton remain obscure, but there have been references to similar games involving shuttlecocks and rackets in ancient India, China, and Greece, dating back almost 2000 years. In medieval Europe, a children's game called battledore and shuttlecock was also popular, in which players used a paddle (battledore) to keep a small-feathered shuttlecock in the air for as long as possible.
The modern game of badminton, however, is believed to have originated in the mid-19th century among the expatriate officers of British India, derived from the earlier game of battledore and shuttlecock. In India, badminton was first known as "Poona" or "Poonah", named after the city of Poona (Pune) where it was particularly popular, and where the first rules for the game were drawn up in 1873. The game was played with sides ranging from one to four players, using shuttlecocks coated with India rubber and sometimes weighted with lead for outdoor play.
By 1875, officers returning home had started a badminton club in Folkestone, England, and the game quickly spread throughout the country. The name "badminton" is derived from the Duke of Beaufort's Badminton House in Gloucestershire, where the game was first played in England around 1873. The Bath Badminton Club was established in 1877 and introduced new rules to the game.
In 1893, the Badminton Association of England (BAE) was formed and published the official rules of the sport. The BAE launched the sport at a house called "Dunbar" in Portsmouth on September 13, 1893, and organised the first badminton competition, the All England Open Badminton Championships, in 1899. The formation of the BAE marked a significant step in standardising the rules and regulations of badminton and laid the foundation for its global expansion.
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Rules and scoring
Badminton is a racquet sport played with racquets and a shuttlecock, also known as a birdie. The shuttlecock is the projectile unique to badminton, made of feathers or synthetic material attached to a cork or rubber base. The feathers give it a different flight pattern than the balls used in other sports.
The game can be played with larger teams, but the most common forms are singles (one player per side) and doubles (two players per side). In singles, the server starts from the right service court and serves from that side whenever they have an even number of points. They serve from the left on odd-numbered points. In doubles, the server always starts on the right and alternates sides with their teammate as long as they keep winning points. If the receiving side wins the point, they get the serve.
A match is played as the best of three games, with each game going up to 21 points. Points are scored by hitting the shuttlecock with the racquet and landing it within the boundaries of the other team's half of the court. Each side may only strike the shuttlecock once before it passes over the net. The rally ends once the shuttlecock touches the floor or ground, or a fault is called. Only the serving player can score a point from a rally. 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. Players change ends at the start of the second game and, if there is a third game, at the start of that game and again when one side reaches 11 points.
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Badminton's global expansion
Badminton is a racquet sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net. The modern game of badminton developed in the mid-19th century among the expatriate officers of British India as a variant of the earlier game of battledore and shuttlecock. The first rules for the game were drawn up in Pune, India, in 1873, and by 1875, officers returning home had started a badminton club in Folkestone, England. The sport was played under the Pune rules until 1887, when J. H. E. Hart of the Bath Badminton Club drew up revised regulations. In 1890, Hart and Bagnel Wild again revised the rules, and the Badminton Association of England (BAE) published them in 1893, officially launching the sport.
The first All England Open Badminton Championships, considered the world's first badminton tournament, were held in 1899. These developments laid the foundation for badminton's global expansion. The International Badminton Federation (now the Badminton World Federation [BWF]) was formed on July 5, 1934, as the sport's world governing body, with England, Scotland, Wales, Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, and New Zealand as the founding members. India joined as an affiliate in 1936. The BWF now governs international badminton.
Badminton has since expanded globally, with Asian nations becoming dominant in international competition. China, Denmark, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan have consistently produced world-class players in recent decades. Great Britain, where the rules of the modern game were codified, has also had significant Olympic and World success in doubles play, especially mixed doubles.
The global popularity of badminton has driven the growth of the badminton equipment and facilities market, which is expected to be valued at USD 4.9 billion by 2032. This growth is fueled by increasing participation in badminton as a recreational and competitive sport, rising disposable incomes, technological advancements, and product innovations. Badminton equipment manufacturers have expanded their product portfolios and distribution channels to meet the growing demand and cater to diverse consumer preferences.
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Frequently asked questions
Badminton is typically considered an indoor game, but it can also be played outdoors.
The outdoor version of badminton originated in Pune, India, where it was known as "Poona" or "Poonah". British officers stationed in India in the 1860s were introduced to the game and brought it back to England, where it was first played at the Badminton country estate of the 9th Duke of Beaufort, Henry Somerset, around 1873.
There are several differences between indoor and outdoor badminton, including lighting, air movement, and court surface. Indoor courts have artificial lighting, reducing the possibility of shadows or glare, while outdoor courts rely on natural lighting, which can vary depending on the time of day and weather conditions. Outdoor badminton is also affected by wind conditions, which can impact the shuttlecock's trajectory and require players to modify their shots accordingly.
In outdoor badminton, players need to be prepared for varying court surfaces and wind conditions. They must develop the ability to read wind patterns and adjust their shot placement and power to compensate for the wind. Defensive strategies become more crucial in windy conditions.
