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BADMINTON
HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT

In the 5th century BC, the people in China then played a game called tijianzi. A direct translation from
this word tijianzi is kicking the shuttle. As the name suggest, the objective of the game is to keep the
shuttle from heating the ground without using hand. Whether this sport has anything to do with the
history of badminton is up for debate. It was however the first game that uses a shuttle.
About five centuries later, a game named Battledore and Shuttlecock was played in China, Japan,
India and Greece. This is a game where you use the Battledore (a paddle) to hit the Shuttlecock back
and forth. By the 16th century, it has become a popular game among children in England. In Europe this
fame was known as jeu de Volant to them. In the 1860s, a game named Poona was played in India.
This game is much like the Battledore and Shuttlecock but with an added net. The British Army learned
this game in India and took the equipments back to England during the 1870s.
In 1873, the Duke of Beufort held a lawn party in his country place, Badminton. A game of Poona was
played on that day and became popular among the British societys elite. The new party sport became
known as the Badminton game. In 1877, the Bath Badminton Clubwas formed and developed the
first official set of rules.
The International Badminton Federation (IBF) was formed in 1934 with 9 founding members. England,
Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Denmark, Holland, Canada, New Zealand, France.
Since then, major international tournaments like the Thomas Cup (men) and Uber Cup (women) were
held. Badminton was officially granted Olympics status in the 1992 Barcelona Games. From 9 founding
members, IBF now have over 150 member countries. The future of Badminton looks bright indeed.

FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT

1. Court
2. Net

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3. The Racket
Badminton racket is quite light and can be made of wood, aluminum, metal or synthetic materials such
as graphite or carbon. A synthetic racket is quite popular now because of its extreme lightness and

strength. A badminton racket weighs roughly 98 grams to 100 grams. (3 2

oz.) and is 68 cm in

length.

The Section of a Badminton Racket

4. Shuttlecock is the official name given to the shuttle or bird. It is made up of 16 goose feathers and is
firmly fixed in a leather covered cork head. It weighs from 4.74 - 5.50 grams. It may be made of
feathers, plastic or nylon.

BASIC SKILLS
1. Grip

Forehand Grip

Lightly shaking hands with the handle

The gap between your thumb and first finger should form a shape like the letter V
Like hitting with your palm

Backhand Grip

Thumb should be resting on the flat side of the handle of the racket and it should be higher up
the handle than the index finger
Like hitting with your knuckles

2. SERVICE
Rules in serving
Neither side shall cause undue delay to the delivery of the service ones the server and the
receiver are ready for the service. On completion of the backward movement of servers racket
head, any delay in the start of the service, shall be considered to be an undue delay.
The server and the receiver shall stand within diagonally opposite service courts without
touching the boundary lines of this service courts.
Some parts of both feet of the server and the receiver shall remain in contact with the surface of
the court in a stationary position from the start of the service until the service is delivered.
The servers racket shall initially hit the base of the shuttle
The whole shuttle shall be below the servers waist at the instant of being hit by the servers
racket. The waist shall be considered to be an imaginary line round the body, level with lowest
part of the servers bottom rib.
The shaft of the servers racket at the instant of hitting the shuttle shall be pointing in a
downward direction
The movement of the servers racket shall continue forwards from the start of the service until
the service is delivered
The flight of the shuttle shall be upwards from the servers racket to pass over the net so that, if
not intercepted, it shall land in the receivers service court.
In attempting to serve, the server shall not miss the shuttle.
Once the players are ready for the service, the first forward movement of the servers racket
head shall be the start of the service.
Once started, the service is delivered when the shuttle is hit by the servers racket or, in
attempting to serve, the server misses the shuttle

The server shall not serve before the receiver is ready. However, the receiver shall be
considered to have been ready if a return of the service is attempted.
In doubles, during the delivery of service, the partners may take up any positions within their
respective courts, which do not unsightthe opposing server or receiver.

TYPES OF SERVICE
LOW SERVE
The low serve is played gently over the net to land at the front of your opponents service court,
near the short service line. Its important that this serve passes low over the net (hence the
name low serve).
The low serve is used in both singles and doubles. In doubles, the low serve is used more
frequently than any other serve.
HIGH SERVE

The high serve is played powerfully upwards, so that the shuttlecock travels very high and falls
almost vertically downwards at the back of the receivers service court. High serves are used
frequently in singles, but never in doubles (at a high standard of play).
The high serve can only be played with a forehead action. Unlike the other three serves, you
just wont get enough power from a backhand to play a good high serve.

FLICK SERVE

The flick serve is also played upwards, but much more shallowly than the high serve. The idea
is to deprive the opponent of time, forcing him to hit the shuttlecock when its behind his body.
Flick serves are used extensively in doubles, and occasionally in singles.

DRIVE SERVE
The drive serve is played flat and fast towards the back of the receivers service court, passing
low over the net. The idea is to provoke an immediate reaction, hoping that the receiver will
mishit the shuttlecock. Drive serves are a gamble: if your opponent is to slow, then you will win
the point immediately; but if he reacts quickly enough, then you are likely to lose.
Drive serves are almost never used by professional players, because their opponents are quick
enough to counter-attack the serve consistently. At low levels of play, drive serves are used
extensively by competitive players, because many opponents are unable to handle them.
In particular, driver serves are favoured by strong junior players (around the age of 13), who
enjoy getting cheap points. Drive serves are mainly used in doubles, because the receiver
stands farther forwards than in singles.

3. STROKE
A. FOREHAND (dominant side of the body)
Underhand forehand (played near the net)
Sidearm forehand (played near the sides of the net)
Overhead forehand (played near the long service lines/back court)

B. BACKHAND (non-dominant side of the body)

Underhand backhand (played near the net)
Sidearm backhand (played near the sides of the net)
Overhead backhand (played near the long service lines/backcourt
4. SHOTS
SHOT

STROKE

1. CLEAR

Overhead
Underhand

2. DROP

Overhead

FLIGHT
OF
SHUTTLECOCK
Will
reach
its
maximum height and
will fall vertically onto
the back alley.

From the back court

area, shuttlecock will
just go little above and
close to near the net

OBJECTIVE OF THE
SHOT
To force the
opponent
to
move away from
the base area or
out of position,
towards
the
back court or
back alley.
To force the
opponent
to
move away from
the base area or
out of position,
towards the front
court,
specifically near
the
net
or
corners of the
net.
To deceive your

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3. HAIRPIN/
NET
RETURN

Underhand

From the front court

area or above to the
net are, shuttlecock
will just go a little
above and close to or
near the net

4. SMASH

Overhead

Fast downward motion

most powerful

5. DRIVE

Sidearm

Parallel to the ground

and close to the net

opponent
To force the
opponent
to
move away from
the base area or
out
of
the
position, towards
the front court,
specifically near
the
net
or
corners of the
net.
To deceive your
opponent
To end a rally
Hit
the
floor
before
the
opponent
can
reach it
Force
the
opponent
to
make a weak
return

5. FOOTWORK

Good badminton footwork is simply having the ability to reach the shuttle early while on balance. You
can skip, shuffle, bounce, glide, chase step or lunge on court.
Although there are no fix movements on performing the badminton footwork, there are some basic
things to remember.
Bent your knees slightly with your feet shoulder width apart. Stay on the balls of your feet and hold your
racket up in front of your body. This is the ready position you shall assume in the centre of the mid-court
area.
For all shots that are played in the front court, take a small step first followed by a bigger step,
extending your racket leg to reach the shuttle. The bigger step performed is known as a lunge. The
timing of the shot will be improve if the landing of your racket leg is simultaneous with the shot.
For all shots that are played in the mid-court, extend your racket leg to reach shuttle that are hit towards
your racket side of your body. Extend your racket leg or non-racket leg to reach shuttle that are hit
towards your non-racket side of your body.
For all shots that are played in the backcourt, rotate your hips and shoulder and move back far enough
so that your body is behind the falling shuttle. This will increase the power and variety of your stroke. If
you cant get back fast enough, you will most likely be forced to hit a weak clear.

BASIC RULES
TOSSING FOR SERVE

All the start of the match, a coin is tossed. The winners of the coin toss may choose whether to
serve or receive first, or they may choose which end of the court they use to occupy. Their
opponents make the remaining choice.
In less formal settings, the coin toss is replaced by hitting a shuttlecock into the air, whichever
side the corked end points will be the side that serves first.

SCORING
The rally point system is used in scoring the badminton game which means any fault committed by the
serving or receiving team gains a point.

A match consist of best of three games

The side that first scored 21 points shall win.
The side winning a rally shall add one point to its score.
If a score becomes 20-20, the side which scores 2 consecutive points shall win that game.
If the score becomes 29-29, the side which scores the 30th point shall vain that game
The side winning a game serves first in the next game.

CHANGE OF ENDS

Players shall change ends, at the end of the first game, prior to the beginning of the third game (if any),
and in the third came, or in a match of one game, win a side first scores 11 points.

SERVICE ROTATION FOR SINGLES AND DOUBLES

In singles game, the players shall serve from, an receive in their respective right service courts when
server has not scored or has scored an even number of points in that game.
The players shall serve from, and receive in their respective left service courts when the server has
scored an odd number of points in that game.
After the server is returned, the shuttle shall be hit alternately by the server and the receiver, from any
position on that players side of the net, until the shuttle ceases to be in play.
If the receiver makes a fault or if the shuttle ceases to be in play because it touches the surface of the
court inside the receivers court, the server shall score a point. The server then shall serve again from
the alternate service court.
If the server makes a fault or the shuttle ceases to be in play because it touches the surface of the
court, the receiver shall score a point. The server shall lose the right to continue serving and the
receiver then shall become the server.
When the server serves, the shuttlecock must pass over the short service line on the opponents court
or it will count as a fault.
For the first rally of any doubles game, the serving pair may decide who serves and the receiving pair
may decide who receives.
In doubles, if the serving side wins a rally, the same player continues to serve but he changes service
courts so that he serves to each opponent in turn.
If the opponents win a rally and their new score is even. The player in the right service courts serves; if
odd, the player in the left service court serves.
The players service courts are determined by their positions at the start of the previous rally, not by
where they were standing at the end of the rally.
The server and the receiver must remain with their service courts, without touching the boundary lines,
until the server strikes the shuttlecock.
The other two players may stand wherever they wish, so long as they do not insight the opposing
server or receiver.

FAULTS

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A team that violates the rules is charged with a fault. If the serving team faults, points for the receiving team.
The following are considered faults:

Service is illegal (Not correct).

If the server, in an attempt to serve, misses the shuttle
If on a serve, the shuttle is caught in or on the net, either before or after passing over the net.
If in play the shuttle lands outside the boundaries of the courts, passes through or under the net, feels
to pass the net, touches the roof, ceiling, or outside walls touches a player or dress of a player, touches
any object or person outside immediate surroundings of the court, is caught and held on the racket
during the execution of a stroke.
If the initial point of the contact of a shuttle, is not on the strikers side of the net.
If the shuttle Is in play, a player touches the net or its support with racket or body, except on-follow
through.
If, during a game, a player deliberately destructs an opponent by an action, such as shouting or making
gesture.
If a player is guilty of flagrant or repeated misconduct violations, such as deliberately causing a
suspension of play, interfering with the speed of the shuttle, or behaving in an offensive manner.

LETS
When let occurs, players who served serves again, and it does not affect the scores of both sides.
The following are considered lets:

A shuttle or player from an adjacent court encroaches, thus, interfering with play or concentration.
A shuttle, after passing over the net, becomes caught in or on the net except during service.
A shuttle hits an obstruction that hangs over the court as is lower than the recommended 24-foot
ceiling height.
During service, the receiver and server both fault at the same time.
The server serves before the receiver is ready
A line judge is unsighted and the umpire is unable to make decisions