BADMINTON

1. What is the history of Badminton?

Badminton was invented in a British India version called Poona, British army
officers learned the game by around 1870 and they bought it back to England with
them. Badminton was named Badminton because the Duke of Beaufort introduced
this sport at his country estate located in Gloucestershire which is called “Badminton
House” in 1873.
Badminton could be traced back to more than 2000 years ago to the ancient game
called battledore (bat or paddle) and shuttlecock (also called “bird” or “birdie”),
similar games were played for centuries across Eurasia countries such as Greece,
Egypt, China, India, and Japan. From the 1600s, battledore and shuttlecock was just a
game involving 2 persons hitting a shuttlecock towards each other as many times as
possible before it hit the ground and it used to be an upper-class game in Europe,
including England.
Nowadays, you can still find a similar game in Japan which is called Hanetsuki,
it’s a very popular new year’s game involving a wooden paddle called hagoita and a
shuttle called hane.
According to “A Brief History of Badminton from 1870 to 1949” written by Betty
Uber, modern badminton was created by British military officers by around 1850s in
British India, at that time, a net was added to the game and because it was very
popular in the garrison town of Poona, the game was known as Poona.
During that period, when the weather is windy and wet, instead of a shuttlecock, a
woolen ball was preferred by the upper class and hence invented “Ball badminton”.
By around 1870s, Retired British army officers brought the game back to England
from India and it became a very popular sport. In 1873 the Duke of Beaufort
introduced the sport at his country estate, “Badminton House” in Gloucestershire,
since then this sport was called Badminton.
In 1875, a badminton club in Folkestone, England was started by retired officers
from British India.
In 1887, J. H. E. Hart of the Bath Badminton Club standardized the rules.
On 13 September 1893, the Badminton Association of England published the first
set of rules similar to the modern rules that were published in a house called
“Dunbar” at Six Waverley Grove, Portsmouth, England. By 1899, they started the
first badminton competition in the world, “All England Open Badminton
Championships”.
By 1934, the International Badminton Federation (IBF, now known as the
Badminton World Federation) was formed with England, Scotland, Wales, Canada,
Denmark, France, Ireland, New Zealand, and the Netherlands as the founding
members.
 By 1948, the International Badminton Federation launched the first tournament:
Thomas Cup (World Men’s Team Championships). Since then, more world-class
events have been launched such as:
o Uber Club (World Team Championships for Women)
o World Championships (BWF World Championships)
o Sudirman Cup (Mixed Team Badminton Championship takes place every 2
years)
o World Junior Championships (BWF World Junior Championships)
o World Grand Prix Finals (BWF World Badminton Grand Prix Finals, only the
top 8 players in the year-end world rankings were invited)
By 1972, Badminton became a demo sport at the Munich Olympics and became
an official Olympic Sport at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. At that time, only singles
and doubles were listed.
By 1996, Mixed Doubles was included in the Atlanta Olympic Games, til now,
Badminton is still the only sport with mixed doubles events in the Olympics.
These countries have won the gold medals at the Olympics since 1992 to 2020:
Indonesia, Denmark, China, South Korea, Japan, and Spain.

2. The facilities and equipment of badminton (with picture)

 Badminton Racket
A Badminton Racket is a piece of sports equipment that has a handled
frame with an open hoop with a network of strings stretched tightly. This is the
most important tool that a player will use in the game. It is used to strike a
shuttlecock in a Badminton match. A badminton racket is lighter than other sports
rackets; modern rackets are made of carbon fiber composite, which is stiff, has a
good strength to weight ratio, and gives good kinetic energy transfer. Prior to the
use of carbon fiber composite, Badminton Rackets were made of wood. While a
Badminton Racket’s size and shape are limited by standards, there is a wide
variety of racket designs, and different rackets have playing characteristics that
appeal to different players. Strings are stretched in a checker board pattern over
the opening of the badminton racket. This will act as the racket's hitting surface.
The cost of a badminton racket will vary widely. This will depend on whether the
racket is an expensive and more professional model or a basic back-yard set.
Badminton Rackets have an overall length of 26.18”-26.77” (665-680
mm), head width from 8.66”-9.06” (220-230 mm), and a handle diameter of 1”
(25.4 mm). The mass of a modern Badminton Racket is between 2.46-3.35 oz
(70-95 g).

 Shuttlecock
A Badminton Shuttlecock, also called a bird or a birdie, is a high-drag
projectile used in the sport of Badminton. The design of the shuttlecock will
create more drag. It will be propelled into the air because of the feathered shape.
 The open conical shape is formed by feathers, or a synthetic alternative, and
embedded into a rounded cork or rubber base. Synthetic Shuttlecocks are referred
to as plastics, and feathered Shuttlecocks are called feathers. There are 16 or so
overlapping feathers, and it is preferable to use feathers from right or left wings,
and to not mix feathers from different wings. This shape makes the Shuttlecock
aerodynamically stable, and regardless of the initial orientation, the Shuttlecock
will turn to fly cork first.
Badminton Shuttlecocks have a head diameter of .98”-1.1” (25-28 mm)
and increase to an overall feather diameter between 2.28”-2.68” (58-68 mm). The
overall length of a shuttlecock varies from 3.35”-3.75” (85-95 mm) and is
dependent on the lengths of the feathers and the height of the head. The mass of a
Badminton Shuttlecock is between .167-.194 oz (4.75-5.5 g).

 Net
The Badminton Net is the central gameplay element in a game of
Badminton, requiring players to return the shuttlecock from one side of the court
to the other during the match. A net divides badminton courts into two sides. This
is lower than volleyball nets. The length of the net will vary whether singles or
doubles are being played. Doubles will reach 22 feet and singles will reach 17
feet. Made taut by the use of weighted tension poles on the outside edges of the
badminton court, the badminton net is allowed to sag slightly in the center of the
span. Unlike other sport nets that require the poles to be installed permanently,
badminton nets are often mobile and can be moved and setup quickly when ready
for play. Variations of badminton nets come in polyethylene, nylon, and vinyl.
Badminton Nets span the entire 20’ (6.1 m) width of the court and are
placed over the doubles sidelines, even when singles games are played. The net
has a height of 5’1” (1.55 m) at the edges and sags slightly at the center resulting
in a height of 5’ (1.52 m). Badminton nets are split into a 1:1 ratio with a 30’ (76
cm) opening below the mesh and an equal surface above.

 Badminton Court
Badminton Courts are the rectangular surfaces used for the racket sport of
badminton. divided in half by a center badminton net, courts are usually marked
for both singles or doubles games with boundary widths varying between the two
match types. Badminton courts should be surfaced with safe flooring materials for
gameplay, that include wood, synthetic, and rubber flooring options. If it is an
indoor facility, there must be sufficient height for the birdie to float over the net
and not hit the ceiling. The height varies depending on the players' strength.
Badminton Courts have a length of 44’ (13.4 m), but double courts are 20’
(6.1 m) wide while single courts are reduced to 17’ (5.18 m); shrinking by 1.5’
(.46 m) on both sides. Service courts are split by a center line dividing the width
of the court and are set back from the net by a ‘short service line’ of 6.5’ (1.98 m).
Doubles games also require a ‘long service line’ that is placed 2.5’ (.76 m) in
 from the back boundary. Clearances of 2’ (.61 m) should be providing around the
entire badminton court.

3. What are the types of badminton shots?

 The Clear Shot
Also known as lobbing, the clear shot is the most important badminton
shot especially in a Singles Game. It is commonly used when you need to buy
more time for yourself to return to base before the next return. It is also strategic
to use when your opponent is near to the fore-court, forcing him to retract to the
back to retrieve the shuttle. If the clear sends the shuttle right to your opponent’s
baseline, it’s considered a good defensive clear.
In this stroke, contact the shuttlecock around the middle of your racket
head. The aim of the clear shot is to cause the shuttle to go up high in the air and
land at your opponent's backcourt.
The clear shot is one of the easiest badminton techniques; beginners
should aim to master the Defensive Clear Shot to play longer rallies against your
opponents.

 The Drive Shot

The drive shot is a basic flat shot, directly hit over the net. It is a powerful,
quick counter-attacking shot that is easy to execute. If the shot is played correctly,
it will force your opponent to hit an upward return, giving you opportunities to
counter-attack. It is widely used in a Doubles Game as players would like to keep
the shuttle low.
The Drive Shot can be played both on the forehand or backhand. To
execute the shot, your racket should be held with the head facing straight ahead
locking your wrist as the shuttle comes in contact with your racket.
The aim is to deliver a flat and fast drive to get the shuttle behind your
opponent causing them to make a weak return. Although sometimes it can be
strategic to aim the shot at your opponent who will be unable to react or shift his
body in time as their natural reaction will be to duck the shot.

 The Drop Shot

The drop shot is best used when the shuttle is heading towards you in the
first half of your court. To perform this stroke, the player must hit the shuttlecock
downwards towards the opponent's fore-court, aiming for it to go just over the net.
There are two types of drop shots, Fast Drop Shot: where the shuttlecock travels
down steeply and lands further away from the net, Slow Drop Shot: the shuttle
does not travel down steeply but lands nearer to the net.
When executing a drop shot, you want to make it look like a drive, but
instead, you only use a little force to push the shuttle over the net. This shot is
strategic to use when the opponent is near to the backcourt, anticipating your
stroke to be a clear or drive.
 For more advanced play, if you are in the mid-court, you can try slicing
the shuttlecock so it will bounce nicely over the net. If the opponent is in the
backcourt, this shot will make the opponent dash forward.
The closer the shuttle drops to the net, the harder it is to return. However,
it also becomes riskier for you as it may not cross the net and cost you the rally.
The main objective of the drop shot is to force your opponent out of his
position or the variate the pace of the game.

 The Smash Shot

The badminton smash is considered the most powerful shot in badminton
and is usually played on the forehand. It is often difficult to return because of the
pace and the downward angle of the shot, think of it as a downwards drive. It is
best used when the shuttle is high in the air so that it can be angled downwards.
When the shuttle comes in from a high angle, it will allow you enough
time to arch and get in position to strike. At the highest point of contact, with a
flick of the wrist aim the shuttle downwards in a steep gradient.
You ideally want to aim for spots furthest from your opponent, but another
tactic is to aim it towards his upper torso, making it hard for him to defend.

4. The basic rules

a. Court
Notice that the badminton court has a line down the middle, extending
from the back to near the net; this is the centre line. At the front of the court, the
centre line is met by another line; this is the front service line. These two lines
form a T shape where they meet.
A singles service court is a box made from four lines:
o The centre line
o A singles side line (inside side line)
o The front service line
o The back line (the outside one, all the way at the back)
On your side of the net, you have two service courts: your right service
court, and your left service court. The same is true for your opponent.
The doubles service courts are slightly different. They are wider, because
they use the outside side line (remember: the doubles court is wider); and they are
shorter, because they use the inside back line.
Service courts are used for three things:
o The server must stand inside a service court.
o The receiver must stand inside the diagonally opposite service court.
o The serve must travel into the diagonally opposite service court.
For example, suppose the server is standing in his left service court. The
receiver will be standing in his left service court, which is also where the serve
has to go.
 If the serve is going to land outside the service court, then the receiver
should let it fall to the floor. If the receiver hits the serve, then the rally continues
even if the serve had been going out.
The server and receiver must stay inside their service boxes until the
server contacts the shuttle with his racket. After that, they can leave the boxes
immediately and move anywhere on court.

b. Serving
The basic rules of badminton state that players must serve diagonally
across the net to their opponent’s side. There is only one serve and it must also be
hit underarm and below the waist. Overarm serves are not allowed. Additionally,
if a player has an even number of points, they will serve from the right service
court. Conversely, an odd number of points indicates that the player must serve
from the left service court.
During serving, both players must stand within their service courts with
both feet touching the ground. However, neither player can touch the lines while
either one is serving. Each serve must be one fluid motion, meaning that the
server must not move the racket to distract the receiver. The server should also
make sure that the receiver is ready, while not taking too much time to continue
the game. In fact,” undue delay” can lead to point reductions for both players.
However, this is up to the umpire’s discretion.
There are also some other interesting rules for serving. For example, the
server must keep the shaft of the racket pointing downward when hitting the
shuttle. On top of that, the server’s racket must initially hit the base of the shuttle.
Also, if the server misses the shuttle completely, it is not counted and the player
may serve again.

c. Scoring
A badminton match consists of the best of three games of 21 points. Thus,
the first player to win two games is the winner. In a situation where both players
are tied with 20 points, the first player to gain a 2-point lead wins that game.
However, if both players are 29 all, the player that scores the 30th point is the
winner. The winner of the game also serves first in the next game.
A player gets a point if they can successfully hit the shuttlecock over the
net and land it on your opponent’s court. You also gain a point if your opponent
hits the shuttlecock into the net or outside of the court. Note that you can hit the
shuttle only once before it goes over the net. This same rule applies to both
singles and doubles.
The shuttlecock can also hit the net as long as it falls on your opponent’s
side of the court.
 d. Lets
Lets are badminton rules and regulations which are called by the umpire
when the play should be halt. The player can also call Let if there is no umpire.
The last serve won’t count, and the server will serve again when the Let is called.
When the shuttlecock is caught on the top of the net and remain suspended
there, or when it has passed over the net, gets caught in the net, and remain
suspended, the Let is called. This rule doesn’t apply to the service.
When both the server and receiver make fault at the same time during the
serving, the Let is also called. The shuttlecock might disintegrate during hard rally
shots, it sometimes goes over 400 km/h! If the base of the shuttle is separated
from the feathers, the Let should be called too.
Sometimes the umpire and the line judge aren’t able to determine whether
the shuttlecock is inside or outside the court, even during the service court error.

5. The badminton gripping technique (with picture)

https://badmintonfanatiker.com/badminton-grip/ (adi didi an pictures b)
Before you begin learning about the specific grips, you must know how to hold a
racket in the correct position. Holding a badminton racket is simply like a handshake.
Hold the racket as if you are shaking your friend’s hand. Now, let’s talk about the details:
Where should you place your thumb? What about the other fingers?

 Forehand Badminton Grip

This is the basic grip in badminton. It is used to hit forehand shots.
Start with holding the racquet using a ‘handshake grip’. Do not hold
tightly. You should be able to move and twist the racquet with flexible wrist
movement.
In this grip, your thumb does not have to necessarily press against the
wider surface of the grip. This is because the index finger is the one that controls
the racquet in this grip. Your index finger will help to push the racquet forward
while doing a forehand stroke. However, rest your thumb comfortably on the
wider surface so that you can change the grip easily.
Only when you are about to strike the shuttle, hold it tightly. This grip is
used in all forehand and overhead shots. A good guideline for the grip is to form a
‘V-shape‘ between the thumb and index finger, and the lowest section of the V
should align with the head of your racquet.
Make sure the index finger is curled around the handle and not straight
under any circumstances.
It is very essential to master this grip as it will be your first-hand support
in the game. Remember to always keep it easy and relaxed. Master the forehand
technique to move ahead with the backhand technique.
A forehand and backhand grip is almost the same, the only slight
difference being the placement of your fingers.
 Backhand Badminton Grip
It is used for making shots that are on the non-racquet side of the body. A
good backhand shot depends on how you hold your racquet. The true power of a
backhand shot comes from the push of your thumb.
A backhand grip required you to use your thumb. Therefore, you need to
rest your thumb a bit tight on the wider surface of the grip. This will make you hit
the shot easily across the court. Relax the index finger moving it closer to the
middle finger.
Remember, clench loosely on the handle and tighten only when you hit the
shot. This grip requires a lot of practice but is very essential for the overall
development of the game.
Backhands are usually a limitation for most of the players. Therefore, keep
practicing and convert this limitation into an advantage.

 Backhand Bevel Thumb Badminton Grip

Unlike the backhand grip, bevel grip is more for applying deceptive and
defensive shots. In this, place your thumb on the small edge of your grip, not on
the entire wide surface. It is used when you have control over the shots and you
want to smoothly return the shuttle.
It is combined with loose fingers. However, there should a gap between
the index and middle finger. The movement takes place with the help of the
thumb and index finger. It is used for low serves and closer to the net shots,
usually in doubles.

 Hammer Grip
This grip is used when you are executing a normal or a jump smash. It is
named hammer because you have to hold the grip like you are holding a hammer.
Start with a normal forehand grip and then rotate the grip swiftly into a
hammer grip and clench it tightly while hitting the smash.

 Net Tap Grip/Pan Hold Grip

This kind of gripping is needed in the frontcourt near the net when the
shuttle is returned very close to the net. At the very right moment, before the
shuttle starts to descend, you need to tap the shuttle to take advantage of such a
return.
You will require your thumb, index finger, and middle finger to do the tap.
Gently hold the racquet with your thumb and fingers creating space between the
racquet handle and your palm.
Do not allow your thumb to cover any of your fingers as this would
constraint the movement of the racquet. This grip would allow very little
movement or no movement at all.
6. Technique (others)
a. Strokes
A badminton stroke is the swing motion performed by a player before
taking a shot. The strokes executed are fundamental in performing a good shot.
There are four basic badminton strokes that every beginner is required to
learn. By knowing those strokes, beginners can develop good playing habits,
which they can then utilize in the future for the more advanced badminton shots
such as smashes, drives, and drops.

o Overhead Forehand Stroke

The overhead forehead badminton stroke is very common and is
used the most number of times while playing the game. For beginners,
learning how to perform this basic stroke first before moving to other
kinds of shots is important.
This stroke normally generates the most amount of power. The
power of an overhead forehand stroke is derived from the right technique
rather than the amount of strength you input into the swing. The bigger
your swing motion, the higher the momentum, therefore more power.
To prepare for an overhead forehand stroke, adopt a forehand grip
and an attacking stance. For aiming, turn your body sideways, move your
racket arm backward, widen your chest to feel more comfortable, and raise
your other arm as you take the racket towards the back.
Your other arm that is not holding the racket helps you to maintain
body balance, and this is very crucial in this sport. Without a good
balance, you cannot execute the right technique for this stroke.
When you are about to do your overhead forehand stroke, stretch
out your other arm that is not holding the racket in natural motion and
does not swing forward. After you have straightened your other arm you
can now swing your racket arm in the forward direction.
Perform a complete swing to produce maximum power, even after
you come into contact with the shuttlecock follow through with your
swing. Completing the swing helps to increase the accuracy of your shot.

o Overhead Backhand Stroke

The overhead backhand stroke in badminton is a weakness for
many people as they tend to get the technique for this particular stroke
wrong. It is important to note that the badminton backhand stroke is not
the same as that performed in tennis or squash. The technique for
performing a backhand in badminton is harder than that of tennis.
Just like the overhead forehand stroke, you need to make a full
backhand swing to achieve a strong backhand shot. You should have a
backhand grip and practice the right way of flicking your wrist. Avoid
 holding your racket too tightly or tensing your arm muscles. You need
your wrist to be flexible enough to perform a quick flick.
To prepare for your stroke, face the front of your court at your
original position, and then turn your body towards the back. As you turn
your body to the back, lift your racket upwards. Keep your racket-
equipped arm close to your body so that you can be able to perform a full
backhand swing.
Just as you are about to carry out your overhead backhand stroke,
your body needs to be facing towards the back of the court. Lift your
racket-equipped arm and make a smooth and quick swing until you strike
the shuttlecock. Complete your racket swing fully even after hitting the
shuttle as this helps with accuracy. There is no need to add extra power
because you can lose your balance very easily and fall.

o Underarm Forehand Stroke

The underarm forehand badminton stroke is done when an
opponent shoots a drop shot towards you. It is not hard to inject enough
power into underarm strokes. This type of stroke does not need a lot of
strength. A gentle swing coupled with the right technique will be enough
to generate a quality shot. A forehand grip is needed for the underarm
forehand stroke.
To prepare for the stroke, lunge forward towards your forehand
region. As you do this, lift your racket to the position where you are going
to hit the shuttlecock. Your dominant leg needs to be at the front to
support your weight, otherwise, you may fall.
Your swing needs to be executed in one smooth motion till the
racket swings upwards. Just before you hit the shuttlecock, flick your wrist
produce power, but remember to perform just a gentle flick. As the racket
comes into contact with the shuttlecock, bend slightly forward to maintain
body balance. Complete your swing fully even after hitting the shuttle for
better accuracy.

o Underarm Backhand Stroke

This stroke is fairly easy to execute than most of the other strokes.
It is normally used when an opponent shoots a drop shot to your backhand
region in front of the badminton court. Generating enough power while
performing an underarm backhand stroke is very easy, but you should try
as much as you can not to generate too much power. Too much power
might cause the shuttlecock you hit to land outside the bounds of the court.
In this stroke, you will be hitting the shuttlecock in front of your
body, so you should lunge toward your backhand region. The racket needs
to be in the ready position, and your dominant hand needs to be at the
front when you swing an underarm backhand stroke.
 Lift your racket at the pre-loading phase to accumulate power.
Swing upwards and make sure that you complete your swing even after
making contact with the shuttle. A gentle swing will work; you do not
need to exert a lot of strength into your swing because you can lose your
body balance. Before your racket hits the shuttlecock, you need to flick
your wrist so that you can generate the right power for your stroke.
b. Position of the shuttlecock and receiving player
The choice of stroke depends on how near the shuttlecock is to the
net, whether it is above net height, and where an opponent is currently
positioned: players have much better attacking options if they can reach
the shuttlecock well above net height, especially if it is also close to the
net. In the forecourt, a high shuttlecock will be met with a net kill, hitting
it steeply downwards and attempting to win the rally immediately. This is
why it is best to drop the shuttlecock just over the net in this situation. In
the midcourt, a high shuttlecock will usually be met with a powerful
smash, also hitting downwards and hoping for an outright winner or a
weak reply. Athletic jump smashes, where players jump upwards for a
steeper smash angle, are a common and spectacular element of elite men's
doubles play. In the rearcourt, players strive to hit the shuttlecock while it
is still above them, rather than allowing it to drop lower. This overhead
hitting allows them to play smashes, clears (hitting the shuttlecock high
and to the back of the opponents' court), and dropshots (hitting the
shuttlecock so that it falls softly downwards into the opponents' forecourt).
If the shuttlecock has dropped lower, then a smash is impossible and a
full-length, high clear is difficult.

c. Vertical position of the shuttlecock

d. Spin
e. Biomechanics
Because, badminton involves sharp eyesight, quick analysis of opponent's
shot, preparing your stance, adjusting your hand, changing the face of your
racket to the incoming shuttle and generating force as well when you plan
to smash it. All of these movements involve understanding basic
biomechanical principles without which there is every chance of
sustaining a badminton injury by slipping, falling or overuse.

You have to have some idea of "center of gravity" to understand

badminton biomechanical principles. Centre of gravity is a point in the
body, which is pivotal in balancing the entire body. At that point, your
body will be in perfect balance without any need to change posture or
rotate to keep it in balance.

The center of gravity is approximately located in the terminal portion of

the spinal cord called the sacrum; especially in its upper one-third portion.
The center of gravity in a female is at a comparatively lower level than a
male because they tend to have wider pelvis with more fat deposit around
their buttocks and thighs.

Similarly, height and age also affects the location of the center of gravity.
The center of gravity is important because, by lowering it, you can
increase your balance when playing badminton.

Similarly, line of gravity, base of support, mass of the individual and

friction between contact surfaces are the other factors helping you to
maintain balance. That is, the line of gravity should be approximately in or
near the base of support, the base of support should be as wide as
possible, the mass of the individual has to be optimum so as to achieve
stability and increased friction should be there between the contact
surfaces to maintain good balance while playing badminton.

So, any badminton player is supposed to keep his center of gravity as low

as possible to allow comfortable shot making, has to keep the base of
support as wide as possible to allow maximum balance while playing,
maintain his line of gravity approximately around the base of support to
optimally combine the benefits, have ideal body mass and wear good
friction soled sports shoes for fine balancing without flinching and to
prevent sports injuries from occurring.

Lastly, while playing badminton, concentrating on a fixed object rather

than moving objects helps in maintaining your balance better. It is because
 moving flashy objects affect the sense of your balance psychologically
while playing.

To achieve the benefits of biomechanical principles discussed above, a

badminton player has to take a crouching stance to lower his center of
gravity, with his legs apart to widen the base of his support, avoiding
lifting his arms unnecessarily above head level which raises the center of
gravity, thrive to maintain ideal body mass and wear good friction rubber
soled sports shoes to further stabilize himself during playing.
7. Strategy
a. Singles
In badminton singles, the basic strategy is to attempt to prolong or
delay the rally, then play the winning shot only when you get a clear
chance. The winning shot is usually referred to as the badminton smash,
where you hit the shuttle downwards and steeply towards your opponent’s
side.
Badminton is a game of speed and power. A Badminton Singles
game is more about speed instead of power. In order to outplay your
opponent, you’ll need to have the speed (to move around the court) in
order to play your game at a higher pace.
The player who is able to play at a higher pace/tempo will
eventually have the advantage to win badminton rallies.
b. Doubles
Make shots, the return of which will leave an opening for your partner
to play a winning shot. Never play a shot that leaves your partner open to
smashes. Always make an attacking shot. This implies that all shots
should be hit down. Most serves should be short and low. Attack short
serves when receiving.
1. Side-by side – each partner is responsible for half of the playing
court, net to baseline.
2. Up-and-back – one member plays the front portion of the court,
operating from the centerline and just behind the short service line.
The partner plays the rear portion of the court from the centerline
and just in front of the double rear service line.
3. Up/back rotation – combines the two doubles’ strategies, using the
side-by-side position for defense, and up and back formation for
attack
c. Mixed Doubles
During the rally, the man should try to hit downward shots or
horizontal shots, while the woman should play net kills and tight net shots.
Both players should be in a good position to push the shuttle low over the
net to the mid court area, just past the front player's area but in front of the
 back player. You should also play shots to the centre of the court in
between players to create confusion.
The man should also try to play straight shots whenever possible
while the woman should play across court when clearing or lifting. This is
because the shuttle travels longer if across court and the power of the
stroke will be reduced. So the woman will have an easier task when
blocking opposition's cross court smashes.
As I said previously, the woman should always assume a front
position in an attacking formation (Front-Back) unless forced to move to
the back.
When defending, the defensive formation (Side-Side) is used.
It is tactically sound for you and your partner to play shots that
forces your female opposition to move to the backcourt while her male
partner comes forward. Be flexible when deploying strategies in mixed
doubles for badminton. When one tactic is not working, try something
different. Play to your strengths; exploit your opponent's weaknesses.

8. Badminton Glossary
a. Alley – an extension of the width of the court on both sides to be used in doubles
play.
b. Backhand – any stroke made on the side of the body opposite the racket side.
c. Baseline – back boundary line.
d. Bird – the object that flies over the net, officially known as a shuttlecock.
e. Block – placing the racket in front of the bird and letting it rebound into the
opponent’s court.
f. Carry – momentarily holding the bird on the racket during the execution of a
stroke.
g. Clear – a high shot that falls close to the baseline.
h. Double hit – contacting the bird twice in succession on the same stroke.
i. Doubles – a game of four players, two on each team.
j. Drive – a hard stroke that just clears the net on a horizontal plane.
k. Drop – a shot made that barely clears the net with little speed.
l. Fault – any violation of the rules whose penalty is loss of serve or the point.
m. Forehand – any stroke made on the racket side of the body.
n. Hairpin (net) stroke – shot made from below and very close to the net with the
bird just clearing the net and dropping sharply downward.
o. Home position – the ideal spot for awaiting the opponent’s return.
p. Let – a play allowed to be replayed.
q. Match – best two out of three games.
r. Odd and even courts – in singles, the right half of the court is “even” and the left
half of the court is the “odd.” When the even player is serving from the right the
score is even, and odd when serving from the left.
s. Rally – rapid returns made by players.
t. Ready position – an alert body position enabling quick movement in any
direction.
u. Receiver – the player to whom the bird is served.
v. Server – the player who puts the bird in play.
w. Shuttlecock – the feathered/plastic object that is hit back and forth in badminton.
x. Singles – a game involving one player on each end of the court.
y. Sling – an untrue hit, usually because of the bird momentarily resting on the
racket.
z. Smash – a powerful overhand stroke that sends the bird downward over the net.
aa. Stroke – the action of striking the bird with the racket.
bb. Toss/spin – the method of deciding which side will serve first at the beginning of
the match