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Badminton is a popular sport played around the world and at the Olympics. It is a racquet sport played with two players on each side of a net, hitting a shuttlecock back and forth. The game can be played as singles (1 vs 1) or doubles (2 vs 2). In this article, we will be discussing what the term 'doubles' means in badminton and the rules that apply specifically to doubles matches.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of players | 4 |
| Number of teams | 2 |
| Number of players per team | 2 |
| Number of players per side | 2 |
| Number of players competing against each other | 2 pairs |
| Number of games to win a match | Best of 3 |
| Number of points to win a game | 21 |
| Minimum points required to win if score is 20-20 | 2 clear points |
| Winning score if game reaches 29-29 | 30 points |
| Side to serve from when team's score is even | Right |
| Side to serve from when team's score is odd | Left |
| Scoring system | Same as singles |
| Court area | Larger than singles |
| Service boundaries | Different from singles |
| Serve order | Determined by coin toss |
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What You'll Learn
Scoring System
Badminton can be played as singles (1 vs. 1) or doubles (2 vs. 2). In doubles, two pairs of players form teams and compete against each other, resulting in a game of four players.
The scoring system in badminton is relatively simple. A point is scored on every serve and is awarded to whichever side wins the rally. The winning side gets the next serve. In casual club games, players usually throw the shuttlecock in the air and let it land, with the side it points to serving first. In major tournaments, a coin toss decides which side serves first.
Each team stands diagonally opposite each other on the court, with the server and receiver on opposite sides. The server's score is always stated first. For example, if the server has 10 points and the opponent has 15, the score is 10-15 (not 15-10).
The server will always serve from the right-hand side at the start of the game and will keep serving and alternating sides with their teammate as long as they keep winning points. If the server's score is an even number (0, 2, 4, 6, etc.), they will serve from the right service court. If their score is an odd number (1, 3, 5, etc.), they will serve from the left service court. The receiver will always stand in the diagonally opposite service court.
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 reach 30 points wins. A match is the best of three games, so the first side to win two games wins the match.
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Court and Serving Area
A badminton court is rectangular and divided in half by a net. The court size varies depending on whether a singles or doubles match is being played, with doubles courts being wider.
A badminton court for doubles measures 13.4 metres (44 feet) in length and 6.1 metres (20 feet) in width. The net is 1.55 metres (5 feet 1 inch) high at the edges and 1.52 metres (5 feet) high in the centre. The service courts are marked by a centre line dividing the width of the court, by a short service line at a distance of 1.98 metres (6 feet 6 inches) from the net, and by the outer side and back boundaries. In doubles, the service court is also marked by a long service line, which is 0.76 metres (2 feet 6 inches) from the back boundary. Clearances of 0.61 metres (2 feet) should be provided around the entire court.
The players on either side can take up any positions on their side of the court as long as they do not impede the sight of the server or receiver. The server must stand within the service court, without touching the boundary lines, until they strike the shuttlecock. The other players may stand wherever they wish, so long as they do not block the vision of the server or receiver.
A correct service is when a player hits the shuttlecock with their racket over the net to the opponent’s side, without the shuttlecock getting stuck in the net or going out of bounds, and with some part of their feet in contact with the court surface. The shuttlecock should be below the server's waist when struck. If the server’s shuttle goes out of bounds of the court, the receiving player or side wins the point.
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Number of Players
Badminton is a popular sport played with racquets, where players hit a shuttlecock over a net. The game can be played as singles (1 vs. 1) or doubles (2 vs. 2). In doubles badminton, there are four players in total, with two players on each team.
In a doubles game, one player serves the shuttlecock to a player on the opposing team. The receiving player must then return the shuttlecock, and the rally continues until a team wins a point. The team that wins a point gets to serve for the next point. The service and receiving positions depend on whether the team's score is odd or even. When a team's score is even (2, 4, 6, etc.), they serve and receive from the right service court. When their score is odd (1, 3, 5, etc.), they switch to the left service court.
The doubles format in badminton includes categories such as Men's Doubles, Women's Doubles, and Mixed Doubles. There are also age-based doubles categories for men, women, and mixed teams.
The scoring system in doubles badminton is generally the same as in singles. Matches are typically played as the best of three games, with each game played up to 21 points. A point is scored on every serve, and if the game reaches a 20-20 tie, a side must win by two clear points. If the game goes beyond 29-29, the first team to reach 30 points wins.
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Olympic History
Badminton doubles is a team-based format where two players play against another pair of players, with one player serving to a player on the opposing team. The game follows the same scoring system as singles matches, with the best of three games, each of 21 points.
Badminton was first introduced at the 1972 Summer Olympics as a demonstration sport and returned as an exhibition sport at the 1988 Summer Olympics. Since the 1992 Summer Olympics, men's and women's singles and doubles have been regular fixtures at the Summer Olympics. The mixed doubles tournament was introduced four years later at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
At the 2012 Summer Olympics, China made history by becoming the first country to win gold medals in all five badminton disciplines. As of the 2024 Summer Olympics, China has been the most successful nation in Olympic badminton, winning a total of 52 medals, with 37 of them coming from women's singles, doubles, and mixed doubles events.
Indonesia has also achieved a clean sweep of gold medals in badminton, stretching from its first gold in the 1992 women's singles to the 2020 women's doubles. At the 2024 Summer Olympics, Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin of Chinese Taipei became the first men's doubles pair to successfully defend their Olympic title, defeating China's Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang.
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Types of Doubles
Badminton is usually played either as singles (1 vs. 1) or doubles (2 vs. 2). In doubles, there are two players in each team, positioned on either side of the net. The game starts with one player serving to a player on the opposing team. The rally continues until one team wins a point, and the team that wins gets to serve for the next point.
There are several types of doubles matches in badminton:
- Men's Doubles: This type of doubles match is played between teams of two men.
- Women's Doubles: This type of doubles match is played between teams of two women.
- Mixed Doubles: This type of doubles match is played between teams of two, with one man and one woman on each team.
- Age-based Doubles: These doubles matches are categorised by the ages of the players, and can be further divided into men's, women's, or mixed doubles.
Each side can only strike the shuttlecock once before it passes over the net. The court layout is also different for doubles matches, with wider but shorter service courts. The service rules also differ from singles matches, with players required to serve diagonally to the opposing team's court.
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Frequently asked questions
Doubles in badminton refers to a game format where two pairs of players form teams and compete against each other, resulting in a game of four players.
In a singles game, there is one player per side, whereas in doubles, there are two players per side. The boundaries of the serve are also different for singles and doubles games.
The main categories of doubles in badminton include Men's Doubles, Women's Doubles, Mixed Doubles, and Age-based Doubles for men, women, and mixed teams.
In a doubles game, each team consists of two players. One player serves to the opposing team, and the rally continues until one team wins a point. The team that wins the point serves for the next point. The serving side and receiving side depend on whether the team's score is odd or even.
The scoring system for a doubles match is similar to a singles match, consisting of the best of three games, with each game played up to 21 points. If the score reaches 20-20, a side must win by two clear points.
