Badminton Overview and Terminology

Badminton Overview

• Badminton is a sport played in singles and doubles.
• It originated in Poona, India.
• The sport is also known as Battledore and Shuttlecock.
• The governing body is the International Badminton Federation (founded in 1934).

Badminton Terminology

• Ace: A score gained by the server immediately after their serve.
• Deuce: When the score is tied at 20 all, a player/pair must lead by two points to win a set.
• Fault: An infraction of the rules.
• Let: Stopping a rally due to a fault or error; indicating a zero score.
• Love: Indicates a zero score.
• Point: A score gained by any player during a rally.
• Rally: An exchange of shots after the serve is delivered.
• Singles: A match where one player is on each opposing side.
• Doubles: A match composed of two players on each opposing side.
• Mixed Doubles: A match composed of two players (one boy and one girl) on each opposing side.
• Toss: A toss is conducted before the start of play, and the winning side chooses to either serve or receive first.

Equipment

• Racquet: A racquet is a frame with a strung area, throat, shaft, and handle.
  • The frame shall not exceed 680 mm in overall length and 230 mm in overall width -The handle is the part used by the player to grip the racquet.
• Forehand grip: A "shake hands" grip
• Backhand grip: Used to hit shots on the backhand side of the body.
• Shuttlecock: Comes in two types:
  • Feathered: 16 feathers fixed in the base, varying in length (62mm-70mm) for a diameter of 58mm-68mm.
  • Synthetic (plastic): A variety of materials
• Service: Can be short low or high, long, and best for doubles or singles.

Court

• The court is a rectangle.
• Lines are 40mm wide, and are distinguishable and preferable in white or yellow.
• Dimensions for the court varied depending on doubles or singles play

Posts and Net

• The posts are 1.55 meters in height from the court surface and remain vertical when the net is in place.
• The net must be made of a dark-colored cord with an evenly spread thickness within a 15mm-20mm mesh.
• The net 760mm in depth, and at least 6.1 meters wide.
• The top of the net has a 75mm white tape at the top.
• The top of the net from the surface is 1.524 meters at the center of the court and 1.55 meters over the side lines for doubles play.

Strokes

• Net shot: A shot played by hitting a high shuttlecock steeply downwards and quickly to win the rally.
• Smash: A shot played by hitting the shuttlecock downwards while causing it to pass over the net. The player jumps to produce a steeper smash angle.
• Clear shot: A shot played by hitting the shuttlecock high and to the back of the opposing team’s court.
• Drop shot: A shot played so the shuttlecock drops downwards to the opponent's forecourt.
• Lift: Used when the shuttlecock is below net height to "lift" the shuttlecock upwards to the opposing court. It can be played from anywhere on the court.
• Drive: Played when the shuttlecock is near the net height, the shuttlecock travels flat and fast over the net to the opponent's mid or rear court areas.

Scoring System

• A match consists of the best of three games unless otherwise arranged.
• A game is won by the side that first scores 21 points.
• Players change ends at the first game end, the second game end, or when a side scores 11 points in the third game.