Ayrton Oneill
Badminton is a popular racquet sport played by two opposing players (singles) or two opposing pairs (doubles). The aim is to score points by striking a shuttlecock with a racquet so that it passes over the net and falls within the boundaries of the opponent's half of the court. A point is added to a player's score when they win a rally. One playing courtesy in badminton is that players must wait for the shuttlecock to cross the net before playing a shot.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of players | 2 (singles) or 4 (doubles) |
| Objective | Be the first to reach 21 points; win by 2 points |
| Scoring | A point is scored when a player wins a rally, i.e., the opponent fails to return the shuttlecock or commits a fault |
| Serving | Serve diagonally to the opponent's service box; serve from the right on even points and from the left on odd points |
| Rally | Each side can only strike the shuttlecock once before it passes over the net; a rally ends once the shuttlecock has struck the ground |
| Faults | Failing to hit the shuttlecock over the net, hitting outside the court boundaries, touching the net with your body or racquet, striking the shuttlecock twice |
| Change of ends | At the conclusion of the first game, and when one side reaches 11 points in the third game |
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What You'll Learn
Serving rules
Serving plays a crucial role in badminton. The rules for serving in badminton are as follows:
Choosing the server
The server in a badminton match is usually determined by a coin toss. The player who wins the toss decides whether they or their opponent will serve first.
Positioning
The first serve of the game is always done from the right-hand service court. For subsequent serves, the player serves from the right service court if they have an even number of points, and from the left service court if they have an odd number of points. In badminton, players are allowed to stand anywhere in their half of the court, including in the tramlines, as long as they are not touching any of the lines or are outside the playing court.
Striking the shuttlecock
The shuttlecock must be hit with the racket over the net to the opponent's side of the court without touching the net or going out of bounds. The shuttlecock must be struck below waist height, with the entire shuttlecock below 1.15 metres from the surface of the court at the instant of being hit. The serve must be hit diagonally to the opponent's half court and over their front service line. Both feet should be in contact with the ground and no part of the foot should be touching the service line or the court boundaries when the serve is made.
Delay
There should be no undue delay in the delivery of the service once both the server and receiver are ready.
Scoring
A point is scored on every serve and awarded to whichever side wins the rally. The winning side gets the next serve. If the score is 20-20, a side must win by two clear points. If the score reaches 29-29, a sudden death point is played to determine the winner.
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Scoring points
In singles, the server starts from the right service court and will continue to serve from that side every time they have an even number of points. They will switch to the left service court when they have an odd number of points. The server will retain the serve as long as they keep winning.
In doubles, the server will start on the right-hand side and keep serving while alternating sides with their partner as long as they keep winning points. If the receiving side wins a point, they assume the serve, and the player who did not initially serve will then serve once their side has won a point.
In both singles and doubles, a point is scored on every serve and awarded to whichever side wins the rally. The winning side gets the next serve. Matches are the best of three games, and the first side to reach 21 points wins the game. If the score reaches 20-20, the winning side must win by two clear points. For example, a score of 22-20 would be a winning score, but 21-20 would not be. The maximum score is 30-29.
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Faults
In badminton, a fault occurs when a player commits a foul, resulting in the loss of a rally and, consequently, a point. Here are some examples of faults in badminton:
Contact Faults
Contact faults occur when the shuttlecock comes into contact with any object or person other than the racket. The only acceptable contact during a badminton game should be between the shuttlecock and the player's racket.
Double-Hit Faults
Double-hit faults happen when a player hits the shuttlecock twice in succession or when teammates simultaneously strike it. Hitting the shuttlecock more than once when it is on your side of the net is not permitted and will result in a double-hit foul.
Net Faults
Net faults occur when a player fails to get the shuttlecock over the net during their serve or return. Additionally, if any part of the player's body or racket touches the net at any point during the match, it is considered a net fault.
Service Faults
Service faults can occur due to various reasons. Firstly, if the service is not executed below the waist in an upward motion, it is considered a fault. Secondly, serving from the left side of the court to the opponent's left side is incorrect and will result in a service fault. Players should always serve to the opposite side of the opponent's court. Lastly, pausing between the backswing and forward swing during service is against the rules and will result in a fault.
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Court size
The size of a badminton court depends on whether a singles or doubles match is being played. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) guidelines dictate that the length of a standard badminton court is 13.40m (44 feet) for both types of competitions. However, the width of the court differs depending on the type of match.
For singles matches, the width of the court is 5.18m (17 feet). For doubles matches, the width is extended to 6.1m (20 feet). The full court measures 14.723m (48.3 feet) diagonally. The court has two halves, each measuring 6.7m (22 feet) in length and separated by a badminton net. The net stands at a height of 1.55m (5 feet 1 inch) at the ends and 1.52m (5 feet) in the middle.
The service courts are split by a centre line that divides the width of the court. The short service line is set back from the net by 1.98m (6.5 feet). Doubles games also require a long service line that is placed 0.76m (2.5 feet) in from the back boundary. The minimum clearance around the court is 0.61m (2 feet), although some sporting organisations require a larger gap of 2m (6.56 feet) for safety reasons.
The court surface is usually made of wood, synthetic mats, or rubber flooring. The flooring should be safe and provide cushion and comfort to players who move quickly across the court. The lines of the court should be marked out clearly, with a thickness of 4cm (1.57 inches) and a colour that is easily distinguishable from the surface of the court, typically white.
It is important to note that the size of the badminton court may be adjusted for children or those with different ability levels. Mini badminton is designed for junior players, with a smaller court and lower net to suit their physical size and abilities. The dimensions of the court can be adjusted to make the game more accessible and enjoyable for players of varying skill levels.
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Number of players
Badminton can be played with two players in singles or four players in doubles. In singles, two players compete against each other. In doubles, two pairs of players form teams and compete against each other.
The badminton court size differs depending on whether you are playing singles or doubles. For singles, the court is 13.41m (44ft) long and 5.18m (17ft) wide. For doubles, the width extends to 6.1m (20ft). The net is 1.55m (5ft 1in) high at the ends and 1.52m high (5ft) in the middle.
If you have a large group of people who want to play badminton, there are strategies to ensure everyone gets a chance to play. For example, if you have 10 players, you can split them into two groups of five and rent two courts. If you only have one court, you can still have six people playing at once by doing 2v1 defending. Alternatively, you can play a round-robin style tournament, where each player plays one game with every other player. This works well if you have a coach who can give advice to players while they wait for their turn.
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Frequently asked questions
A fault occurs when a player fails to hit the shuttlecock over the net or it lands outside the boundary of the court. A fault can also occur if a player strikes the shuttlecock twice with their racket.
A point is scored whenever a player wins a rally, i.e., when the shuttlecock touches the floor of the opponent's side of the court or when the opponent commits a fault.
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 when they have an odd number of points. In doubles, the server starts on the right-hand side and keeps serving while alternating sides with their partner as long as they keep winning points.
The objective of badminton is to be the first player or team to score 21 points. If the score reaches 29-all, the first team to score 30 points wins. To win the match, a player or team must win two games.
For singles, a badminton court is 13.41m (44ft) long and 5.18m (17ft) wide. For doubles, the width is extended to 6.1m (20ft).
