Complete Guide to Badminton with Much More Details
This complete guide to badminton will be helpful for the sportspersons who look for details and will also be a good read for common readers.
Do you know anything about ‘ battledore’?
The earlier name of the badminton racquet was battledore. And people called the early form of badminton as ‘battledore and shuttlecock.’ But it’s not a recent story and the history dates back to ancient Greece and Egypt.
In the 18th century, people in India played the game and called it ‘Poona’ after the name of the town ‘Pune’. The people in Pune played the game and because of its popularity, it got the name ‘Pune’. Furthermore, they formed the rules in 1873.
Progress in the 19th century
The British army officers stationed in India took the game back to England. When it gained its success at a party given by Duke of Beaufort in 1873 at his estate called “Badminton” in Gloucestershire, the name became a popular one.
And then, the Badminton Association of England published the rules and launched the sport officially at a house ‘Dunbar’ in Portsmouth on 13th September 1893.
Subsequently, England, Wales, Canada, Denmark, Scotland, Ireland, Netherlands, France, and New Zealand formed the International Badminton Federation in 1934. The name is Badminton World Federation, the BWF now.
However, Asian nations like China, India, Malaysia, and South Korea have gained supremacy over their European counterparts, and China remains the superpower in this sport.
You would like to read about SQUASH, played with similar racquet!
The Badminton Court
- The length of the court is 13.4 meters both for singles and doubles. And the net divides the court into two equal parts.
- The width is 6.1 meters for doubles and 5.1 meters for singles.
- Doubles long service line is 76cm from the baseline at both ends of the court.
- The short service line measures 1.98 meters from the net and the long service line measures 3.88 meters from it.
- The lines are easily visible and are in yellow or in white colors.
- The line-markings are 40 mm in width.
- The shuttle test markings measure 530 mm & 950 mm from the baseline and are at any of the right service parts of the court.
- The net post measures 1.55m in height from the ground and the location is on the double sidelines.
- The thickness of the mesh in the net is 15mm to 20mm.
- The net measures 760 mm in depth and 6.1 m in width.
- The top of the net is at 1.524m from the surface at the midpoint of the court.
Rules of Badminton
Either two players or four players play the game.
The players play the official matches indoors with the proper court dimensions.
The shuttlecock must hit within the measured area in the opponent’s court to score a point.
In case of the shuttlecock touching the net or falling outside the opponent’s area the opponent gets the point.
The game starts after the service and the players are free to move anywhere and can pick the shuttlecock from outside the playing area
The deliberate distraction of the opponent, getting the shuttlecock in the racquet or hitting twice and the continuous interference with the laws of the game lead to calling it ‘fault’ by the umpire.
The game has a referee who sits on a high chair and monitors the game. Moreover, the line judges watch the ‘landing in’ or ‘landing out’ of the shuttlecock.
The game has the first rest period of 90 seconds after the first game and also the second rest period of 5 minutes after the second game.
The match referee holds the power to forfeit the set or even the match from a player who defaults continuously.
Serving Rules of badminton
The shuttlecock should pass over the short service line of the opponent when the player
At the start, the players stand in diagonally opposite service courts and when the server hits the shuttlecock, it should land in the receiver’s service court.
The server must hit by keeping the racquet below the waistline and also with the racquet shaft pointing upwards.
The players should stand inside their service courts, and the shuttlecock should not bounce.
When the service side loses the rally, the opponent will get the turn to serve.
In singles, the server stands at the right service court when the score is even and at the left service court when the score is odd.
In doubles, the same player continues the service if he/she wins the rally but will change the service court to ensure serving the different opponent each time.
If the opponent wins, the player in the right service court starts to serve when the score is even. The player in the left service court does it when the score is odd.
The position of the player at the start of the previous rally determines the player’s service court and where the players stand at the end of the rally doesn’t count. It ensures service by the new player who didn’t serve last time when each time a side regains the service.
Scoring Rules of badminton
Each game consists of 21 points. The players score the point whenever they win a rally and who served doesn’t matter. Moreover, the best of the three games determines the match.
At 20-all, the player who first gets the two points lead wins. In the case of 29 – all, the match reaches the golden point, and the player who scores this point wins the match, and there is no need for two points lead.
To decide which side to serve first, they cast the shuttlecock, and the side towards which the shuttlecock is pointing gets the opportunity.
Players use a coin as a toss to decide the first server and also decide the side of the court to start the play.
The winner of the previous game starts the service in the subsequent game. The odd/even rules help to decide the side of the court, and if the score is odd, the server will start from the left court.
The same person serves again even after winning a rally, and the service does not alternate with the partners. It changes only when the opponent wins the rally.
Lets
‘Let’ comes into play during the unexpected interruption of the game.
The shuttlecock landing on a court or landing on an overhead rail are some situations that warrant the calling of ‘let.’ The receiver
Moreover, the umpires stop the rally during let and the play resumes with no alteration in the points.
Badminton Equipments
Racquets used in badminton
The top quality racquets measure light in weight and weigh between 70 and 95 gms excluding grips and strings.
Many materials like carbon fiber composite, steel, aluminum or wood are in use in making of racquets.
Carbon fiber exhibits good strength to weight ratio and is useful in the transfer of kinetic energy. Before, to keep it light aluminum was in use to make the racquets. Likewise, people also used wood once.
Nowadays some carbon allotropes like carbon nanotubes and fullerene are in use which ensures high durability.
How to choose a badminton racquet
The player’s ability and the level at which he/she currently plays are the prime factors to choose the badminton racquet and the racquets are available in various weights.
Moreover, the weight of the racquet, the balance point, string tension, and handgrip are the four things to consider in choosing the right badminton racquet.
1. Weight of the racket
The alphabet “U” denotes the weight of the racquet. A good badminton racquet weighs between 80g to 100g, and the small number represents the heavier one, as shown below.
- 4U: 80-84g
- 3U: 85-89g
- 2U: 90-94g
- 1U: 95-100g
The beginners generally use ‘3U’ which is light and is easy to control and the player gets quick stroking speeds and recovery. Also serving and changing the strokes quickly, are easy with lighter racquets and the lightweight reduces the chances of injury to wrists and shoulders.
However, players use heavier racquet for singles to get stability. In doubles, they prefer lighter racquets to get more speed and quick reactions.
2. Balance of the racquet
The weight of the racquet and where it is located more influences the game very much and depending on the balance, there are three types of racquets are available.
The player has to choose from any of the head heavy, headlights and even balance racquets.
Head-Heavy Balance Badminton Rackets
The players who play powerful games from the back of the court choose the head heavy balance racquet as it aids in the clears and smashes with the extra mass in the head of the racquet.
Head-Light Balance Badminton Rackets
The weight is more at the handle than at the head and it helps in easy swing and quick reactions. Moreover, this racquet is more suitable for club players who play doubles and for the players who play attacking doubles. It is also suitable for a singles player with the right techniques and swing speed.
Even Balance Badminton Rackets
It combines the advantages of both the racquets and provides enough power from the back and enough control at the front. It is useful for the players who are not sure about their position in the front or in the back and want to play anywhere. As it helps in many scenarios, it is also suitable for advanced players who play singles or doubles.
Strings
The choice of the string depends on the player and his/her ability to play the game.
There are two types of materials available for strings. When one is natural guts material. the other one is the synthetic material.
Natural guts give more power and control and are good to play with. But it is more expensive and less durable than synthetic material.
Gauge numbers are used to indicate the thickness of the strings and two standards: American gauge and International gauge are in use.
Thin strings generate more power and more spin and give more comfort. But the strings have less durability and more tension loss.
Thicker strings generate less power and less spin and the durability is high.
Sweet Spot
The ‘sweet spot’ on the racquet is the area that gives more power and speed. However, the area of the sweet spot depends on the string tension.
When the string tension increased, the sweet spot decreases and the high tension of the string is not suitable for the beginners as they often miss-hit the shuttle and miss the sweet spot.
Low tension of the string increases the sweet spot which gives more control for the beginners. As the mishits also damage the racquet, the low tension of the string is a good option for beginners and casual players.
The high tension of the string is suitable for seasoned players who could hit the shuttle at will using the right area of the racquet.
Playing with different shuttle affects the performance of the racquet.
Choosing the right string and tension has no fixed parameters and depends on the player and the style of play.
However, the range of tension widely in use is given below.
- Beginner: 18-20lbs
- Casual: 20-23lbs
- Regular Club: 24-25lbs
- Advanced: 26 lbs and above
By what the players opt for i.e. power, control or durability, many popular brands are available in the market.
Shuttlecock
The shuttlecock made of feathers is widely in use and synthetic shuttlecocks are also in use. Comparatively, the synthetic nylon material has a longer life than the feather type.
In choosing the shuttlecock, the shuttle speed is an important factor to consider. In deciding the shuttle speed many factors like temperature, altitude, and humidity play an important role.
The speed of the shuttle increases in hot weather. Likewise, it decreases in cold weather.
In higher altitudes speed of the shuttle increases and in lower altitude, it decreases.
Shuttlecocks with different shuttle speeds are available and are usually denoted by numbers which range from 75 to 79. Within the range, the number 75 denotes low speed and 79 denotes the highest speed.
Badminton Shoes
Badminton is a very dynamic game that demands a lot of lateral movements. So, shoes with thick soles are not suitable for badminton. However, shoes with thin soles lower the center of gravity and reduce the risk of injuries.
The mark of a good badminton shoe is aiding maximum in performance. And preventing players from injuries is also the function of quality shoes.
Traction and grip, cushioning and lightweight
The players have to decide the shoes in accordance with the court they play.
Badminton Attire
Badminton is a fast-paced game that needs a lot of power and quick movements. Likewise, the equipment, accessories, and dresses used should give comfort to the player to play his natural game.
Every dress reflects a sense of fashion and personality type. In choosing the dress, personal style and comfort are the prime factors that would boost the spirit of the player.
However, the sportswear should not hinder the free movements of the player like the movements of elbow, hands, underarms, hips,
Shirts :
Shirts made of light materials are the choice of most of the players as they feel sweaty with polyester materials during the play. The cotton shirts are very light and inexpensive.
Shorts :
The shorts should not fit tight on the body and hinders the movement. It can’t be big in size either and it should be the perfect fit which aids easy movements.
Skirts :
The combined wearing of skirts and shorts, which is called as ‘Skorts’ work well with female players. Most women players opt for it all over the world as it gives the desired look and comfort.
Socks :
Socks should support the player and should be thick enough to handle the foot while playing. Thin socks that provide the right support are preferable and socks with wetness protection and odor control are also available.
Sweatbands:
Sweat running from the wrists loosens the grip and which from the forehead hinders the vision of the eyes for a few seconds. Good quality sweatbands prevent the player from this discomfort.
Women’s Shirts:
Wearing the right women’s dress gives more comfort and movement than wearing shirts meant for men. Women’s dress is gender-specific and gives the desired comfort and ease in movements.
Badminton Techniques
Starting with the right techniques is the first step in the life of a professional player. Correcting the bad techniques learned is really difficult and learning the right ones from the beginning will pave the way to succeed as a player.
Footwork
The shuttlecock flies with great speed and to play it effectively with complete control, along with the right grip and hitting techniques, the right footwork is the indispensable thing.
Random footwork will result in failure. But the effective and organized footwork will give the right speed and space to counter every hit.
Staying in the base point as far as possible is the right technique to meet all the return shots. The player has to move to the center point, after every move away from the redpoint.
The most advised footwork to follow
- To move to the back of the court – take only 2 -3 steps.
- Move to the sides of the court – stretch only one step.
- To the front of the court – take only 2-3 steps.
Getting the steps right won’t work at the beginning. By practice, a player can perfect the techniques.
Keeping the next hand wide open while playing with the other one gives a good balance.
Gripping
You have to hold the racquet as you hold your friend’s hand during a handshake.
Hold your thumb as pressing on a wider surface of the racquet while the rest of your hand is in handshaking position.
There is no need to grip the racquet with full strength, but the wrist should be flexible to get accurate and powerful hits.
Thumb, index finger and the middle finger help to hold and control the racquet and the rest two fingers hold the grip comfortably. It helps in the flexible movement of the wrist which further helps in producing powerful hits.
There are two grips, the forehand grip, and the backhand grip.
Forehand Grip
In a forehand grip, you should hold the racket as do in handshaking, while keeping the face of the racket perpendicular to the floor. There should be “V’ shape gap between your thumb and the index finger while holding the racquet.
Holding the racquet loosely for greater flexibility and shortening your grip as per the shot you select are advised.
Backhand Grip
To get the backhand grip right, hold the racquet as in forehand grip and rotate it in the anticlockwise direction. Now the ‘V’ shape will move towards left.
Now hold the racquet by placing your thumb on the back bevel of the handle.
The term ‘Grip’ also refers to the material used in the handle area. Rubber grip and towel grip are the most used types.
By practice switching between the two grips become easy and the players find changing the grips is an effortless voluntary action.
Strokes
The swinging action of the racquet is called a stroke and the perfect execution of the strokes distinguishes a pro from the novice.
Overhead forehand stroke, Overhead backhand stroke, Underarm forehand stroke, and Underarm backhand stroke are the basic strokes in badminton and all strokes are based on the techniques used in the execution of these basic strokes.
Overhead Badminton Forehand Stroke
The common, most often used stroke in badminton which generates more power is the overhead badminton stroke.
The power comes from the right technique not from the strength the player use. The tendency to exert more power results in the wrong technique and the wrong execution of the stroke.
Start with the attacking stance and with the forehand grip.
While aiming, you should stand sideways. Move your arm with the racquet backward and with it stretch your chest as wide as possible. Lift your other arm accordingly which helps in balancing the body.
When you are about to play the stroke, stretch the no racquet arm. Once the no racquet arm is straightened, swing the racquet forward. It should be a full swing to get more power.
Don’t stop the swing once you hit the shuttle and make a follow through with the swing.
Overhead Badminton Backhand Stroke
Many people play this stroke as they do in squash and tennis. But playing from the sideways is wrong as you receive shuttlecock over your head.
First, hold the racquet in a backhand position. Turn towards the back of the court and hold the racquet in the raised position and keep it close to your body. Don’t hold it tight as keeping it lightly gives flexibility to your wrist.
At the time of execution, your body would face the back of the court and the shot should be in one complete swing with follow through and without stopping at the time of hitting the shuttle.
Underarm forehand stroke
When you have to pick the shuttlecock before you and from a lower position, the underarm forehand stroke comes into play. Generating power is not a tough one as you would feel in backhand techniques.
Move forward to pick the shuttlecock and land your dominant leg before. Keep the forehand grip and do a gentle flick with your wrist.
To maintain the body balance, bend your body slightly and also allow the follow-through of the racquet.
Underarm backhand stroke
You have to play this shot when your opponent hits a drop shot at your backhand area.
Generating power is easy and the combination of gentle underarm swing and the gentle wrist flick is enough to execute the shot.
Serve
Knowing how to serve properly is important as improper service either results in fault or your opponent hitting a smash. There are two methods of badminton serve and are high badminton serve and low badminton serve.
High badminton serve
When you want to place the shuttle at the deep back end of the court, you have to serve the high badminton serve. It prevents the opponent from trying instant smash and the return would be a lob or a drop.
In this service, try to place the shuttlecock at your opponent’s backhand area which would weaken the return.
Low badminton serve
When you want the shuttle to be placed in the front of the court, you would use the low badminton serve.
The shuttle lands in front of your opponent and it should fly just above the net. Giving any further space would result in a heavy return smash and loss of point.
The well-executed low serve doesn’t give any chance to the opponent to make a smash and it can drop anywhere in front of the opponent.
Stance in badminton
How you stand when receiving certain hits from the opponent is known as stance and there are three types of badminton stances in practice.
They are attacking stance, defensive stance, and net stance.
Attacking Stance
In attacking stance,
The player turns his body to face the sides of the court by placing the leg and the hand with racquet behind and the next leg forward. The legs should be at the shoulder width gap while both arms in the raised position.
You have to adopt this pose to face the shuttle comes from high up level.
Defensive Stance
In defensive stance
The player faces the front of the court and keeps the racquet at the waist level. The racquet is placed in front of the player which points slightly upward. For better balance, the non-racquet arm is kept in a raised position.
Net Stance
In net stance
The player stands by placing his racquet foot forward and the non-racquet foot at the back. The racquet is at the front side at a level slightly above the waist. Furthermore, the other arm should be raised to give the body balance and the bodyweight should be in a slightly forward position to pounce forward at any instance.
Basic Badminton shots
Knowing the basic shots in badminton is the next logical step after knowing the basics of badminton and learning the basic shots and practicing the shots are enough to push you forward and win rallies at the start.
Lobbing or clear, drop shots, smash and netplay are the basic shots and every player should master each shot from the beginning.
Lobbing or Clear
In a singles game, the clear is the vital shot that comes in handy to the player and he/she uses it more than any other shot.
The high defensive clear should reach the opponent’s baseline and won’t give the opponent the convenient angle to play the smash shot.
If the shuttlecock doesn’t reach the proper height, the opponent could intercept it easily and the return could not be defended easily.
There are four types of shots in clear. They are
Overhead forehand clear
Overhead backhand clear
Underarm forehand clear
Underarm backhand clear
Drop shots
The drop shot is played from the rear court where the shuttlecock flies steeply and land in the opponent’s forecourt.
The fast drop shot and the slow drop shot are the two types of drop shots.
The good fast drop shot places the shuttle at the service line or slightly after it while the good slow drop shot places the shuttlecock before the service line.
The drop shot disrupts the opponent and leads to alter the footwork. Furthermore, it is also used deceptively when the opponent expects a smash or clear shot.
The fast and slow drop shots can be executed using overhead forehand drop shot and overhead backhand drop shot. Moreover, the slice drop shot is played by seasoned players.
Smash
Smash is the fast executed offensive shot which is hit from the rear of the court and in this shot, the shuttle flies down to the opponent’s court.
To sum up, meeting the shuttle at height, moving fast to pick the shuttle, full swing of the racquet, balance of the body and the right follow-through are the essential parts of the right smash shot.
NetPlay
Netplay is the badminton shot where you play along with the net with your opponent and it needs good practice as the execution needs good perfection.
The tumbling net shot, the net kill, and the net lift are the types of netplay.
In the tumbling net shot, you hit the shuttle very close to the net and force the opponent to go for a high lift. Moreover, the tumbling shot itself can be the
The net kill is a fast smash when the opponent gives a weak return.
The net lift is a defensive shot and it helps you to save your play when the opponent is strong along the net area. In this shot, you lift the shuttle and places it to the back of the opponent’s court.
How to play badminton
Badminton, when played professionally, demand high energy and great physical coordination
1) Aim and hit the center always
Hitting the center of the shuttle gives more power and control over the shot you play and regular practice will help the player to hit right at the center every time.
2) Fly the shuttle at the top of its arc
Hitting the shuttle at the top of its arc gives you more control over the position of the shuttle and allows you to hit killer overhead shots. However, to hit it right, you have to pick the shuttle at right heights and you shouldn’t wait for the shuttle to reach you.
3) Be at the middle of the court
Firstly, you should move swiftly after every shot to occupy the middle of the backcourt.
It gives you the advantage of being in the right position to hit the shots and to receive the returns from your opponents. It also makes it difficult for your opponent to make you run around the court.
4) Aim the backline always
Hitting the shuttle to the back end makes your opponent struggle a little to return it and he/she has to move backward and has to apply force. If there is space at the backcourt, hitting there is advisable but with a little caution. On the other hand, you would make a fault by crossing the boundary line.
5) Learn perfect short serve
Short serves have the deceiving potential to make your opponent delay his movements in the court. Practice making your short serve perfect so that it lands in the right place which also makes your opponent difficult to reach in time. But it should not land on your side of the court to lose points.
6) Learn the long serve
Hitting the long service and flying the shuttle to the back of the court would disturb the rhythm of your opponent. In singles, moreover, the right long serve helps to make the opponent move to all the places in his court and it will gain you the upper hand which helps in winning the match.
7) Get your footwork right
You have to practice with your footwork to make it right and to make it comes easy at the right moment. However, there are lots of exercises there, to make your legs stronger and to get the most required agility. Pick the right ones which are suitable for you and experience playing the game with the right techniques.
8) Analyze your opponent
There are a lot of playing techniques but every individual adopts his own style. Before the start of the play, you should analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your opponent. He might be good at smash but might be weak in backhand shots and his footwork might not be right in playing certain shots. The complete analysis helps in making the smarter shots.
9) Keep your opponent on the move
Vary your shot every time and make the prediction difficult for your opponent. Play the long serve followed by a netplay. Hit to the right followed by the hit to the left. Likewise keeping your opponent on the move gains you the upper hand and will help you to earn more points.
10) Aim the opponent’s backhand
The statistics of the game reveals that most of the players are weak in the backhand shots. So, try to exploit this for your advantage by repeatedly hitting shots to the backhand area of your opponent and probe his/her strength.
11) Use Netplay effectively
When you are near the net and if your opponent is at the backline, it is the right time to try the short shot near the net. Doing a light flick on either side is a good tactic when your opponent expects a short shot from you. Otherwise, the opponent would make you run to your backline.
12) Don’t hit it straight back
Don’t return your opponent with straight hits and especially in shots with quick momentum, changing the direction of your return will make your opponent off guard.
13) Dictate the opponent with your shots
Make the opponent to play the shots to the area convenient to you. For example, if you want to play near the net, throw short serves and net play and don’t allow the opponent to hit to the backline.
14) Use advanced techniques
Slice your net shots and drop shots, spin the shuttle and change the direction abruptly. Moreover, hitting smash shots make the opponent’s choice difficult and hitting the smash with a jump is not easy to pick and give the return.
Fitness in badminton
Fitness in badminton is a vital thing that not only helps to endure a long period of play but to improve oneself as a player with continuously improving fitness levels.
Speed and agility aid the player to come out as a successful badminton pro. Moreover, the player has to move, stretch, bend, run, jump, and reach the shuttle with great speed. and all these activities demand a very high level of fitness.
Fitness is good! Want to know more about The Lessons that Sports Teach You?
Badminton World Federation and other Organizations
The Badminton World Federation governs the sport of badminton and it is an international organization. International Olympic Committee also recognized it.
In 1934 Canada, England, Denmark, Ireland, France, Netherlands, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales as member countries formed International Badminton Federation.
Now there are 176 member countries. On 24 September 2006, it was renamed as Badminton World Federation at the Extraordinary General Meeting in Madrid and the head office is located in Kuala Lumpur.
Badminton Asia Confederation, Badminton Europe, Badminton Pan Am, Badminton Confederation of Africa and Badminton Oceania are the regional governing bodies with which BWF works in cooperation to develop the sport around the world.
Tournaments
The Olympic Games in cooperation with International Olympic Committee, World Championships, World Junior Championships, Para-Badminton World Championships, Thomas Cup, Uber Cup, Sudirman Cup, and World Senior Championships are the Grade-1 level tournaments.
Grade-2 tournaments take place in six levels with different world ranking points awarded. We popularly call it a BWF world tour.
They are BWF World Tour Finals, BWF World Tour Super 1000, BWF World Tour Super 750, BWF World Tour Super 500, BWF World Tour Super 300 and BWF Tour Super 100
Grade 3 tournaments take place in three levels with different world ranking points awarded. Professionals call it Continental Circuit.
They are
- International Challenge
- International Series
- Future Series
Badminton terminology
Attacking clear − An offensive shot that shoots the shuttlecock deep into the opponent’s court.
Backcourt − The one-third area of the court in the back before the boundary lines on either side of the net.
Backhand − The stroke in which shuttlecock returns to the left of a right-handed player and vice versa.
Base position − It’s the center of the court where a singles player tends to return after each shot during the play.
Baseline − It’s the boundary at the breadth of the court.
Carry − An illegal shot where the shuttle gets stuck for a while in the wires before getting released.
Drive − A fast shot where the shuttle flies straight over the net and close to it.
Drop shot − It’s a rapid drop of the shuttle close to the net in the opponent’s court.
Feint A pretension shot also called “balk”. It disturbs the rhythm of the opponent before or during the serve.
Flick − It’s a quick rotation of the wrist-and-forearm which changes the course of a soft shot into a fast one.
Forecourt − It’s the area between the net and the short service line and is the front
Game − When a player or team scores enough points to win a single contest, it’s a game.
Hairpin net shot − It’s a shot where the player lifts the shuttlecock from falling very close to the net. It drops sharply when the player sends back to the other side of the net. The trajectory of the
The half-court shot − A low shot to the midcourt and players use it in the doubles game.
High clear − A deep shot by a defending player to the opponent’s court.
Kill − A very strong and fast shot that gives no chance for the return.
Let − It’s a chance that allows the players to replay the rally.
Long Service Line − It’s
Match − It’s a series of a game at which a player becomes the winner at the end.
Midcourt − It’s the one third middle part of the court between the net and the back boundary line on either side of the net.
Net shot − It’s a shot high from the forecourt close to the net. It flings the shuttlecock over the net and drops it sharply.
Passing shot − The shot which passes the shuttlecock to the opposing player or team.
Push shot − It’s a slight wrist movement that gently shoots the shuttlecock.
Service court − It’s the area into which a service must be delivered.
Short service line − It’s the line at a distance of 1.98 meters from the net in service courts.
Singles sideline − It’s the side boundary of a singles court.
Smash − The hard-hit overhead shot which pushes the shuttlecock very fast into the opponent’s court.
Wood shot − A shot which bounces from the frame of a racket.
Short Serve − It’s the service where the shuttlecock barely clears the net and lands close to the service line. Players use it mostly in doubles.
Long Serve − It’s the service in which the shuttlecock reaches far and deep into the court.
Famous players in badminton
Lee Chong Wei
Lee is a world-famous badminton player from Malaysia.
He got the number one rank in the world as a singles player from August 2008 – June 2012.
The badminton supremo holds the record as the only Malaysian Player to retain the world ranking for more than a year.
In the Olympics, he won six silver medals and he is the sixth player from Malaysia to win the Olympic Medal.
He also played Basketball in his childhood and then got into badminton to become a pro.
Moreover, he is one of the best players from Malaysia in the last 10 years.
Chen Long
He is a world-level player from China and has a name Junior Little Dan or Little Dan.
In 2007 he won the junior championship.
To sum up his feats, he defeated the top-ranked player Lee Chong in the 2016 Olympics and emerged as a new champion in the singles.
He is a two-time world and all England champion
Lin Dan
He is a Chinese player born on Oct 24, 1983.
He won Olympic medals two times, world championship five times and all England championship six times.
At the age of 28, he achieved “Super Grand Slam” status by winning all the nine major titles in the Badminton world.
He also won the Olympic gold medal in 2008 and retained it in 2012.
His fans and media call him ‘Super Dan’.
Viktor Axelsen
Victor was born on 4 Jan 1994 in Odense in Denmark.
He started to play when he was six years old in Odense badminton club and began his career by winning boys singles title in 2009 German junior.
Victor Axelsen beat Kang Ji-Wook of Korea to become the 2010 World Junior Champion and he was the first-ever European player to hold the title.
Won the European crown in May 2016 by beating compatriot and defending champion Jan O. Jorgensen in the final.
Subsequently, in 2017 he became the BWF world champion by beating Lin Dan in straight sets.
Jan O Jorgensen
He was born on Dec 31, 1987 in Aalborg in Denmark.
Jan won the European Championship in 2014.
In the European Badminton Championships, during the year 2008 and in 2008 he won the bronze medal.
Jorgensen won the Danish Champion Title in 2012 and 2013 and he won it again in 2015. Furthermore, he got the runner up in the 2009 China Open Super Series.
He won
In 2014, he won Indonesia Open and became the first European male singles player to win it.
Carolina Marin
Carolina was born on 15 June 1993 and is a Spanish professional badminton player.
She is the present Olympic Champion, three-time World Champion, four-time European Champion and the former World No 1 in BWF rankings for the women’s singles.
Furthermore, she held the World No.1 title for a record number of 66 weeks.
Additionally, her fast, agile and deadly attacking plays are famous among the sports followers and her punch accuracy is good.
Carolina won World Champion in women’s singles three times, winning in 2014, 2015 and 2018 and she won the first Olympics gold medal in women’s singles in 2016.
She won the BWF World Championships for the third time in 2018. Moreover, she is the first-ever female badminton athlete to have achieved this feat.
Wang Yihan
She was born on 18th January 1988 in Shanghai.
The now-retired professional started to play badminton when she was nine years old.
Wang Yihan got the rank of number one player in the year 2009 and she won a silver medal in the 2012 Olympics.
In addition, Wang Yigan won the 2011 World Championship, 2006 World Cup in Asian Championships
She won the silver medal in the 2012 Olympics. Subsequently, she won the gold medals in the 2011 World Championships and 2006 World Cup. She also won the Asian Championships in the years 2011 and 2013.
Li Xuerui
She was born on 24 January 1991.
Li Xuerui has the record of winning fourteen super series titles.
Above all, she held the world rank No.1 for 124 weeks.
In the 2012 London Olympics, she won the gold medal in the singles event
and she also won the Asian Championships in 2010 and 2012.
Ratchanok Intanon
She is a Thai player who was born on 5 February 1995.
Intanon became a world champion at the very young age of 19.
She won Junior Championship for the years 2009, 2010, and 2011 in a row.
Subsequently, the Thai player became world no.1 in Women’s Singles and she is the first woman who achieved this feat.
Tai Tzu-Ying
Tai Tzu Ying was born on 20 June 1994.
She won the title of the Taiwanese Ranking Competition and she was only 16 years old when she achieved it.
Moreover, she is the youngest no.1 in Taiwanese Badminton History.
Tai Tzu Ying won five Super Series titles consecutively in 2016 and 2017 and this Taiwanese player is spontaneous and unpredictable.
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