Badminton Court Dimensions

• A badminton court should be 6.1m wide by 13.4m long (20′ by 44′).
• A badminton court’s lines are typically 38mm thick (1.5”).
• The net should be 1.55m (5’1) high at the poles, but it should be lower in the middle – 1.52m (5′).

This diagram shows the proper dimensions for a badminton court:

Badminton Doubles Rules – what’s in and what’s out?

• During the main part of a badminton doubles rally, every part of the court is in.
• However, the serve must fall into the ‘short and fat’ area diagonally opposite the server.  The side tramlines are in, but the rear tramlines are out during the serve.
• This means that a singles player and a doubles player have similar amount of court to cover when receiving serve (the service area in singles is 24.4m², while in doubles it is 24.2m²).
• The short and wide doubles service area makes it harder to catch an opponent out with a flick serve, therefore allowing the service receiver to stand further forward and attack the short serves as aggressively as possible. Which makes doubles rallies fast and aggressive right from the first stroke – one reason why badminton doubles is so exciting, whether you’re watching or playing!

The Laws of Badminton

The official badminton rules (as of May 2006, when the gamed switched from 15 points to 21) are found here: http://www.worldbadminton.com/rules/

This page also links to a complete historical archive of the rules – so you can check the rules which were adopted in 1873 in the Punjab if you wish! (These rules look pretty familiar – very much like  the pre-2006 play to 15 points rules, but in the good old days if the shuttlecock hit the net you lost the point automatically whether it went over or not.

Questions

1. Who serves first in a badminton game?

At most clubs, it is normal practice to decide who serves first by hitting the shuttlecock up into the air. Whichever side the shuttlecock points to goes first.

However, the rules say that the decision is made by a coin toss and this is how the decision is made in professional matches.

2. What’s the maximum time you’re allowed between rallies?

There is no time limit but a badminton game is meant to be played continuously so it as the umpire’s discretion to hasten the players when necessary.

Delay in play

16.4.1 Under no circumstances shall play be delayed to enable a player to recover strength or wind or to receive advice.

16.4.2 The umpire shall be the sole judge of any delay in play.

16.1 Play shall be continuous from the first service until the match is concluded, except as allowed in Laws 16.2 and 16.3.

Intervals

16.2.1 not exceeding 60 seconds during each game when the leading score reaches 11 points; and

16.2.2 not exceeding 120 seconds between the first and second game, and between the second and third game shall be allowed in all matches. (For a televised match, the Referee may decide before the match that intervals as in Law 16.2 are mandatory and of fixed duration).

3. How do you tell if your opponent is ready to receive serve?

The convention is that a player is considered ready once their racket is up, they have stopped moving and they have made eye contact with the server.

4. What happens if the shuttlecock gets stuck on the net?

On the serve it’s a fault if the shuttlecock:

13.2.1 is caught on the net and remains suspended on its top;

13.2.2 after passing over the net, is caught in the net;

during other parts of a rally it’s a fault if:

13.3.3 fails to pass over the net;

and it’s a let if:

14.2.3.1 caught on the net and remains suspended on its top, or

14.2.3.2 after passing over the net is caught in the net;

5. Is a ‘scoop’ shot a foul in badminton?

is caught and held on the racket and then slung during the execution of a stroke;

6. Is it a foul if your racket crosses the net?

invades an opponent’s court over the net with racket or person except that the striker may follow the shuttle over the net with the racket in the course of a stroke after the initial point of contact with the shuttle is on the striker’s side of the net;

7. How should you test a shuttlecock for speed?

To test a shuttle, a player shall use a full underhand stroke which makes contact with the shuttle over the back boundary line. The shuttle shall be hit at an upward angle and in a direction parallel to the side lines.  Also see this video about testing the speed of the shuttle.

8. If I’m watching my team play, can I give them advice during a match?

16.5.1 Only when the shuttle is not in play (Law 15), shall a player be permitted to receive advice during a match.

9. If I miss the shuttlecock when I try to serve can I serve again?

Strictly speaking no.  If you attempt to serve and miss the shuttlecock, the rules say this is a foul.

9.1.9 in attempting to serve, the server shall not miss the shuttle.