
Badminton is a racquet sport played with racquets and a shuttlecock. While badminton can be played with larger teams, the most common forms of the game are singles (one player per side) and doubles (two players per side). In singles badminton, two players compete against each other, and the first to 21 points wins the game. A point is scored on every serve and awarded to the player who wins the rally. The player who wins the rally also gets to serve next. If the score is tied at 20, the first player to get a 2-point lead wins the game.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of players | 1 vs 1 |
| Court dimensions | 13.41m (44ft) long and 5.18m (17ft) wide |
| Net height | 1.55m (5ft 1in) at the edges, 1.524m (5ft) in the centre |
| Scoring | Best of 3 games, first to 21 points |
| Service | Served diagonally into the opponent's service box, below waist height |
| Faults | Shuttlecock hitting the ceiling or floor, failing to go over the net or landing outside the court boundaries |
| Gameplay | Each side can strike the shuttlecock once before it passes over the net |
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What You'll Learn

Singles badminton is played one versus one
Badminton is a racquet sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net. It is played either one-on-one (singles) or in teams of two (doubles). The most common forms of the game are singles and doubles, but it can also be played with larger teams. Singles badminton is played one versus one, with two players competing against each other.
The badminton court is rectangular and divided into halves by a net. The net is 1.55 metres (5 feet 1 inch) high at the edges and 1.524 metres (5 feet) high in the centre. The court is usually marked for both singles and doubles play, but the rules permit a court to be marked for singles only. The singles court is narrower than the doubles court, measuring 5.18 metres (17 feet) in width and 13.4 metres (44 feet) in length.
The aim of the game is to score points by striking the shuttlecock with the racquet and landing it within the opponent's half of the court, within the set boundaries. A player wins a rally when they strike the shuttlecock and it touches the floor of the opponent's side of the court or when the opponent commits a fault. Points can also be scored when the opponent fails to hit the shuttlecock before it passes over the net or if it lands outside the boundaries of the court. Each side may only strike the shuttlecock once before it passes back over the net, and play ends once the shuttlecock has struck the floor or ground.
The player who wins the initial toss can choose either the side from which they want to play or to serve first. A singles match consists of the best of three games, with each game played to 21 points. If the score reaches 20-20, a side must win by two clear points. If the score reaches 29-29, the first player to score their 30th point wins.
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The aim is to hit the shuttlecock into your opponent's half
Badminton is a racquet sport played with racquets and a shuttlecock. The aim of the game is to hit the shuttlecock, also known as a 'birdie', into the opponent's half of the court. The shuttlecock is a feathered or plastic projectile that flies differently from the balls used in other sports. The feathers create more drag, causing the shuttlecock to decelerate faster than a ball. This unique feature gives badminton its characteristically fast pace.
In singles badminton, there are two players competing against each other. The court is rectangular and divided into two halves by a net, with each player occupying one half. The singles court is narrower than the doubles court but has the same length. The net is 1.55 metres (5 feet 1 inch) high at its edges and 1.524 metres (5 feet) high in the centre. The full length of the court is 13.4 metres (44 feet), and the width for singles play is 5.18 metres (17 feet).
To start the game, a toss is conducted, and the winner can choose their serving side or opt to serve first. The server hits the shuttlecock so that it lands in the receiver's service court, which is diagonally opposite. The shuttlecock must pass below the server's waist and below 1.15 metres from the court surface when struck. The server and receiver must stay within their service courts until the shuttlecock is hit.
A player scores a point when they successfully hit the shuttlecock and it touches the floor on the opponent's side of the court or when the opponent commits a fault. Common faults include failing to hit the shuttlecock over the net, hitting it outside the court boundaries, or hitting the ceiling. Each side can only strike the shuttlecock once before it passes over the net, and once hit, the same player cannot strike it again with a new shot. If the shuttlecock is going out but the opponent manages to hit it before it does, the game continues without awarding a point to the opponent.
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Points are scored when the shuttlecock touches the opponent's floor
Badminton is a racquet sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net. The most common forms of the game are singles (one player per side) and doubles (two players per side). Points are scored by striking the shuttlecock with the racquet and landing it within the opponent's half of the court, within the set boundaries.
A single match in badminton consists of the best of three games, each of 21 points. The player who wins a rally adds a point to their score and gets to serve again. If the score is tied at 20, the player who gets a two-point lead first wins the game. If the score reaches 29-29, the first player to score their 30th point wins.
A player wins a rally when they strike the shuttlecock and it touches the floor of the opponent's side of the court, or when the opponent commits a fault. The most common type of fault is when a player fails to hit the shuttlecock over the net or it lands outside the boundary of the court. The shuttlecock hitting the ceiling is also considered a fault.
The shuttlecock must be hit below waist height, with players serving diagonally into their opponent's service box. The server and receiver must remain stationary within their respective service courts until the serve is made. In singles, the server stands in their right service court when their score is even and in their left service court when the score is odd.
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A player can't strike the shuttlecock twice in a row
Badminton is a racquet sport played with racquets and a shuttlecock. The most common forms of the game are singles (one player per side) and doubles (two players per side). The game is played with a net in the middle, dividing the court in half.
In badminton, each side may only strike the shuttlecock once before it passes over the net. If a player strikes the shuttlecock twice in a row, it is considered a fault or foul, and their opponent receives a point and the right to serve. The only exception to this rule is when the shuttlecock hits the head and the stringed area of the racket in one stroke, which is allowed.
The rule about not striking the shuttlecock twice in a row adds a level of complexity and challenge to the game. It requires players to be strategic about when and how they strike the shuttlecock, as they only have one chance to make contact before it passes to the other side. This rule also promotes fairness, ensuring that both sides have an equal opportunity to strike the shuttlecock and preventing one player from dominating the game by continuously hitting it.
The shuttlecock itself is also worth noting. It is a feathered or plastic projectile that flies differently from the balls used in other sports. The feathers create higher drag, causing the shuttlecock to decelerate more rapidly. This distinctive flight pattern gives badminton its unique character and presents a different challenge to players compared to other racquet sports.
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Singles and doubles have different court sizes
Badminton is a racquet sport played with racquets and a shuttlecock. The most common forms of the game are singles, with one player per side, and doubles, with two players per side. The standard badminton court is rectangular and usually marked for both singles and doubles play, although courts can be marked for singles matches only.
The dimensions of the court differ for singles and doubles matches. The singles court is smaller than the doubles court. The full width of the court is 6.1 metres (20 feet), and in singles, this width is reduced to 5.18 metres (17 feet). The full length of the court is 13.4 metres (44 feet). The outer sidelines, or "doubles sidelines", run the full length of the court and are marked 5.18 metres (17 feet) apart. The inner sidelines, or "singles sidelines", are 0.46 metres (1.5 feet) inside the outer sidelines and run parallel to them. The service rules also differ between singles and doubles matches. In singles, the shuttlecock must land within the singles sideline and the baseline on the opposite side of the court.
The differences in court dimensions and service rules between singles and doubles matches impact the strategies employed by players. In singles, a player is solely responsible for their entire end of the court and cannot rely on anyone else to retrieve a shot. In doubles, a player has a partner to cover parts of the court they are not covering, allowing for more strategic possibilities.
The size of a regulation badminton court is mandated by the sport's governing body, the Badminton World Federation (BWF), and remains the same for all levels of play, from junior games to senior Olympic matches.
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Frequently asked questions
Singles badminton is a 1 vs 1 game where two players compete against each other.
The aim of the game is to be the first to reach 21 points in a best-of-three-games match. Points are scored by striking the shuttlecock with the racquet and landing it within the opponent's half of the court. The shuttlecock must be hit below waist height and served diagonally into the opponent's service box. Each side can only strike the shuttlecock once before it passes over the net.
A singles badminton court is 13.4 metres (44 feet) long and 5.18 metres (17 feet) wide. The net is 1.55 metres (5 feet 1 inch) high at the edges and 1.524 metres (5 feet) high in the centre.











































