Kristian Ferrell
Badminton is a popular sport with a dedicated fan following worldwide, especially in Asia and Europe. The rules of the game can be tricky, and the service rules are considered the most complicated. The service box, or serve box, is an area on the badminton court from which the player must serve. The rules for singles and doubles matches differ slightly, with the doubles court being wider and shorter. The service box is only used during the serve, and players must serve diagonally into their opponent's service box. The player must serve from the right service box if they have an even number of points and from the left service box if they have an odd number of points. The service must be made underarm, with the shuttlecock struck below waist height.
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What You'll Learn
Service box markings
The service box in badminton is only used during a serve. Each player must serve from inside the box markings. The service courts delineate each badminton serve area. They appear as back box markings inside the rear boundary edge and outer side lines. There are two service boxes inside each half of the singles court. One back box is for the left service, and the other is for the right service court. The same is true for a doubles game, but the service boxes are wider and shorter in length.
The service box is marked by the back boundary edge and outer side lines. A middle line runs from the back boundary marker towards the netted area, and a front centre line meets the middle line to form a T-shape close to the net. The singles service area is the box defined by the centre line, the singles side inside mark, the front service mark, and the outermost back boundary line.
The side tramline is "in" and the back tramline is "out" for a game of doubles. In singles, the court is thinner, with the wide, outside tramlines out of bounds. In doubles, the court is full-width, and these tramlines are "in". During service in doubles, the court is short, and the rear tramlines at the back of the court are out of bounds until the serve is returned.
The shuttlecock, also known as the birdie, must be hit below waist height, with players serving diagonally into their opponent's service box. The birdie will always fly cork-first once struck and will remain so until hit again.
It is important to note that the service court markings are not related to individual rallies. A rally begins after the server sends the shuttlecock crosscourt over the net to the receiver. The server must use an underarm hitting style, and the shuttlecock must be hit below a fixed height of 1.15 metres.
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Serving rules
Serving plays a crucial role in badminton, and the rules surrounding it are considered the most complicated in the sport. The following are the rules that govern serving in badminton.
Choosing the Server
The first player or team to serve in badminton is typically decided by a coin toss. The winner of the coin toss can choose between two categories: service and court ends. From the service category, players can choose to either serve or receive first. From the court ends category, players can choose which side of the court to start playing from.
Service Box
The service box is only used during a serve. Each player must serve from inside the box markings, with both feet in contact with the floor until the shuttle is struck. The receiver must also have both feet in contact with the floor until the shuttle is struck. Players can stand anywhere in their half, including the tramlines, as long as they are not touching any lines or outside the playing court.
Shuttlecock Height
The shuttlecock must be hit below a fixed height of 1.15 metres (approximately waist height). This rule was introduced by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) in 2018 and is enforced by a service judge using a plastic measuring device.
Continuous Motion
The serve must be one continuous motion. Players cannot pause during the serving action, for example by stopping at the backswing and then moving forwards.
Direction of Shuttlecock
The shuttlecock should be hit in a diagonal direction across the playing area, towards the opponent's service court back box.
Doubles
The rules for doubles are slightly different from singles matches. The court is full width, and the side tramlines are considered "in", while the back tramlines are "out". Either player on the serving team may serve first, and the same goes for the receiving team.
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Badminton serve techniques
To begin a game of badminton, a coin toss is conducted by the umpire to decide which team gets to choose to serve first or receive first, and which side of the court to start play in. The service box is only used during the serve, and players must serve from inside the box markings. The shuttlecock should be hit cork first and sent crosscourt over the net to the receiver in the opposite service box. The shuttlecock should travel diagonally across the playing area, and players must keep both feet in contact with the floor until the receiver strikes it and completes the return.
There are different types of serves in badminton, and mastering them can help keep your opponent on their toes. Here are some techniques to try:
- High serve: Hit the shuttlecock high so that it drops near the back of your opponent's court. Bring the racket high over your shoulder, then drop it down toward your knees as you swing forward and bring it up to meet the shuttlecock.
- Low serve: This is the most common serve in badminton. Bend your wrist back and push gently to hit a forehand low serve. The shuttlecock will hit just over the net, limiting your opponent's swing.
- Mixing up your serves: Vary your serves to keep your opponent guessing. For instance, you can start with a high serve and then follow it up with a low serve or a flick.
Some important points to remember:
- The shuttlecock must be hit below a fixed height of 1.15 metres, which is around the level of the player's lower rib cage.
- Only underarm serves are allowed in badminton. Overhanded serves like in tennis or volleyball are not permitted.
- The player must not lift their feet off the ground during the serve. At least some part of both feet should be in contact with the floor while serving.
- The player should not drag their foot along the ground during the serve, but they are allowed to pivot.
- The service court you use will depend on whether you are playing singles or doubles and your score. If you are playing singles, stand 2-3 feet behind the short service line, which is the line closest to the net.
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Differences between singles and doubles service boxes
A service box in badminton is only used during a serve. Each player must serve from inside their box markings, with both feet in contact with the floor, and hit the shuttlecock below a fixed height of 1.15 metres. The shuttlecock should be hit upwards and over the net to the receiver in the opposite service box. The service box is also where the player must remain until the receiver has returned the serve.
Now, let's look at the differences between singles and doubles service boxes in badminton:
Court Dimensions
The singles court is thinner, with the outer tramlines being out of bounds. In contrast, the doubles court uses the full width, and these tramlines are considered 'in'. The doubles court is wider and shorter than the singles court.
Number of Players
In singles, there is one player on each side of the net, whereas in doubles, there are two players on each side. In a doubles game, either of the paired players may take a shot in the rallies after the initial serve, so taking turns is not required.
Service Boundaries
The service boundaries for singles and doubles are different. In singles, the service area is defined by the centre line, the singles side inside mark, the front service mark, and the outermost back boundary line. There are two service boxes in each half of the singles court, one for left service and one for right. The doubles service boxes are wider and shorter in length.
Rotation System
In singles, players follow a simple rotation system based on the server's score. They serve from the right service box if their score is even and from the left if it is odd. In doubles, the basic service rule is the same, but there are additional considerations due to having two players on each side. The players who are not serving or receiving can stand anywhere on their side of the court as long as they do not block the receiver's view.
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Faults and lets
There are several types of faults in badminton, which can be broadly categorised into contact, double hit, service, service received, and over the net faults. Service faults occur when the player serving breaks the rules. This can happen when the server does not serve from below the waist, or with an upward motion, or if they serve to the wrong side of the court. For example, if a player is positioned on the left side of the court, they must serve the shuttle to the right side of the opponent's court. A foot fault can occur when the player steps on or over the service box line during the serve. The server must remain inside their service area without touching the lines. The receiver can also be at fault, for instance, if they are not inside the service box during the serve, or if they move during the serve. The receiver can move as soon as the shuttle is served.
Double-hit faults occur when a player hits the shuttlecock twice in succession. If the shuttlecock touches two positions on the racket during a single stroke, this is not considered a double-hit fault. It is also a fault if the shuttlecock is hit by anything other than the player's racket. This includes any part of the body, as well as objects or people outside of the game.
Other faults include letting the shuttlecock land outside the designated court boundaries or failing to clear the net. Hitting the shuttlecock into the ceiling or walls results in a lost rally. Touching the net with the body or racket is also a fault, as is unsportsmanlike behaviour like verbal abuse or intentional delays.
While not explicitly stated in the rules, it is also not possible to claim a let for hitting the ceiling, and you do not get a second serve as you would in tennis.
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Frequently asked questions
The service box in badminton is the area from which the player must serve. Each player must serve from inside the box markings, remaining inside the box until the receiver strikes the shuttle.
The server must use an underarm hitting style to send the shuttle upwards and over the net in a diagonal direction. The shuttle must be struck below a height of 1.15 metres, usually around waist height. The server must also have both feet planted on the ground inside the box until the shuttle is struck.
The first player or team to serve is usually determined by a coin toss, conducted by the umpire. The winner of the toss can choose to either serve first or receive first. During the game, the player or team will then alternate serving from the left and right service boxes depending on their score.
The court boundaries for singles and doubles are different. In singles, the court is thinner, and the tramlines are out of bounds. In doubles, the court is full width, and the tramlines are in bounds. The service boxes for doubles are wider and shorter than in singles.
