Ayrton Oneill
Badminton is widely considered the fastest racket sport in the world. In an experiment to test the speed of a shuttlecock, Malaysian badminton player Pearly Tan recorded a smash at 438 km/h, the current world record. However, some argue that the effective playing speed of the shuttlecock is slower than that of a hard racket or racquetball, and that sports like tennis, with the fastest recorded serve at 263 km/h, are faster.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Fastest racket sport | Badminton |
| Second fastest racket sport | Rackets |
| Third fastest racket sport | Pelota Basque or Jai Alai |
| Fastest smash in badminton | 438km/h by Pearly Tan |
| Previous fastest smash in badminton | 493km/h by Tan Boon Heong |
| Fastest badminton smash by Fu Haifeng | 332 kph or 206 mph |
| Fastest serve in tennis | 263km/h by Sam Groth |
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What You'll Learn
Badminton's shuttlecock speed
Badminton is widely considered to be the fastest racquet sport in the world. The speed of a shuttlecock is an important factor for professional badminton players. Traditionally, shuttlecocks were categorized by weight, with most tubes marked with numbers from 48 to 52, indicating a weight of 4.8 to 5.2 grams.
Today, shuttlecocks are differentiated by speed, with slower shuttlecocks designed for high-altitude regions and faster shuttlecocks for areas below sea level. The speed of a shuttlecock is dependent on air density, with lower density allowing the shuttlecock to travel more quickly. For example, a shuttlecock with a speed of 77 will land 30 cm further than one with a speed of 76.
The choice of shuttlecock can also depend on temperature, with slower shuttlecocks for hotter areas and faster shuttlecocks for colder regions. The durability of a shuttlecock is another important factor, as it affects how long it lasts before needing replacement.
The fastest smash of a shuttlecock in badminton was recorded by Malaysian women's doubles player Pearly Tan, who achieved a speed of 438 km/h. This record was confirmed by Guinness World Records and surpassed the previous record of 493 km/h set by Tan Boon Heong in 2011.
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Badminton vs tennis speed comparison
There has been a long-standing debate about whether badminton or tennis is the fastest racquet sport. While some claim that badminton is not just slightly but a lot faster than tennis, others argue that the average speed of all shots in a rally should be considered for a fair comparison, which might give tennis the upper hand.
Badminton enthusiasts argue that the fastest time a tennis ball moves is during the serve, and the fastest serve is still much slower than a smash in badminton. In a badminton rally, the shuttlecock is often smashed several times, so if you consider the sum of all speeds throughout a rally, badminton will likely come out on top. For instance, in an experiment, Malaysian badminton player Pearly Tan achieved a smash speed of 438 km/h, while the fastest serve by a male tennis player in a competitive tournament was by Australian player Sam Groth, who clocked a serve at 263 km/h.
However, it is worth noting that the speed of a rally depends on the players' skill levels. At the elite level, badminton players rarely need to run as much as tennis players, and their efficient footwork minimizes the distance covered. In contrast, tennis players may cover more distance during a match due to the larger court size and the need for powerful groundstrokes.
The equipment used in each sport also contributes to the speed of play. Tennis balls are significantly heavier than shuttlecocks, and tennis rackets typically have larger heads and heavier weights than badminton rackets. These differences in equipment weight and size can impact the speed at which the ball or shuttlecock travels and the overall pace of the game.
While the debate continues, it is clear that both sports require a unique set of skills and physical attributes. Badminton emphasizes speed and quick reflexes, while tennis demands muscular strength and endurance due to the heavier equipment and larger court size. Ultimately, the fastest racquet sport may depend on how speed is defined and measured, and personal opinions may vary among athletes and fans of these popular sports.
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Rackets: An 18th-century fast racket sport
Badminton is considered the fastest racket sport in the world. The shuttlecock, made of cork and goose feathers, can reach incredible speeds. For example, in an experiment, Malaysian women's doubles player Pearly Tan managed to smash the shuttlecock at 438 km/h.
However, the title of the fastest racket sport was not always so clear. For a long time, there was a debate between badminton and tennis enthusiasts about which sport was faster.
Rackets, an 18th-century racket sport, is played with a ball and a strung racket in an enclosed court. All four walls of the court are used in play. The game is believed to have originated in the debtors' section of Fleet Prison in England in the early 19th century, although it may have begun even earlier in the 18th century. Charles Dickens mentions the game in his novel "The Pickwick Papers" (1836-1837), describing a court in the prison where inmates played. The game spread beyond the prison walls in the early 1800s, and by the 1820s it was being played at Harrow school. Rackets flourished in the 1860s and 1870s, and courts were built at universities and private clubs. The rules of the game were formalized in 1890.
The enclosed court for rackets is typically about 18 meters (60 feet) long and 9 meters wide. The walls and floor are made of smooth stone or concrete and are dark in color to contrast with the white ball. The ball is hit with a wooden racket, known as a bat, that is 70-77 cm long. The ball is hard and white, with a diameter of about 2.5-3.8 cm and a weight of 28-28.35 grams.
While badminton may be the fastest racket sport today, rackets has a long and fascinating history as one of the earliest racket sports, developing from prison yards to prestigious universities and clubs.
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Jai Alai or Pelota Basque: Equally fast sports
While badminton is considered the fastest racket sport, with shuttlecock speeds reaching 438km/h, there are other sports that are equally fast or even faster. Jai Alai, also known as Pelota Basque, is one such sport.
Jai Alai, meaning "merry festival" in Basque, originated in the Basque area of Spain's Pyrenees Mountains over 300 years ago. It is a variation of the racket sport Pelota Basque, which is played with a ball made of Brazilian rubber and goatskin, known as "pelota." The pelota is launched against a wall using a basket-like racket in a version of the game called "zesta punta," or with bare hands in "hand pelota." Jai Alai is considered to be the fastest moving ball sport, with pelota speeds reaching up to 302km/h. This makes it faster than the fastest recorded tennis ball serve of 263km/h.
Pelota Basque, or Basque pelota, is the traditional sport from which Jai Alai is derived. It is mainly played in Spain and France, especially in the Basque Country and its neighboring areas. The sport has different variations, including "valencian pilota," a handball sport played without a wall, and "valencian frontó," a version played face-to-face in a shared playing area. The zesta punta version of Pelota Basque is often considered the fastest ball game in the world.
The fast speed of the pelota in both Jai Alai and Pelota Basque is due in part to the construction of the ball. The pelota is made from Brazilian rubber and wrapped in two layers of goatskin, making it harder than a golf ball. The ball is also relatively small, being only 3/4 the size of a baseball. The speed of the pelota is so extreme that helmets were introduced to Jai Alai in 1968 after a champion player, Orbea, was hit in the head and his career ended.
In conclusion, while badminton may be the fastest racket sport, Jai Alai and Pelota Basque are equally fast or even faster ball sports. The speed of these sports is due to the construction and size of the pelota, which is harder and smaller than other sports balls. The fast-paced nature of Jai Alai and Pelota Basque, as well as their long histories, contribute to their popularity in the Basque region and beyond.
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Badminton's Olympic debut
Badminton is widely regarded as the fastest racquet sport in the world. The sport's Olympic debut took place at the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics as a demonstration sport. It was then included as an exhibition sport at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. Following a successful exhibition, badminton was officially introduced as an Olympic sport in 1989 and debuted in competition at the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics, where it featured four events: singles and doubles for both men and women. Since its debut, badminton has been contested in eight Olympiads, with 74 different nations participating in the Olympic badminton competitions.
The rules of Olympic badminton dictate that each match is played to the best of three games, with each game lasting up to 21 points. Rally scoring is used, which means that a player does not need to be serving to score. Olympic badminton consists of a group stage and a single-elimination tournament. China and Indonesia are the most successful countries in Olympic badminton, with China being the only country ever to achieve a shutout of the medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris featured 171 badminton players competing across five medal events, including two events per gender and one mixed event. The host nation, France, reserved spots in the men's and women's singles for its highest-ranked badminton players, while four places (two per gender) were allocated to eligible NOCs under the Universality principle. The remaining badminton players secured their spots through a direct qualifying process, known as the "Race to Paris," overseen by the Badminton World Federation.
Badminton has produced several legendary players who have made significant contributions to the sport, such as George Thomas, Rudy Hartono, and Susi Susanti, an Olympic gold medalist. The sport continues to evolve and captivate audiences worldwide, with speed and precision being some of its most appealing attributes.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, badminton is considered the fastest racket sport in the world. The shuttlecock can travel faster than a tennis, table tennis, squash, or baseball. The fastest recorded badminton smash was by Malaysian player Tan Boon Heong at 306.3 mph (493 km/h).
Tennis is often considered the fastest racket sport, but badminton is faster. The fastest tennis serve was recorded at 163.4 mph (263 km/h) by Samuel Groth, while the fastest badminton smash exceeded 300 km/h.
The shuttlecock in badminton can reach higher speeds than a bouncing ball due to its lightweight and aerodynamic shape.
Other fast sports include speed skiing, with a record speed of 400 km/h, and drag racing, with a record speed of 539 km/h.
