Badminton: Basic Rules

Badminton is a racquet sport played with a shuttlecock over a net, aiming to score by sending it into the opponent's court in a way they cannot return. It can be played in singles (one player per side) or doubles (two players per side).

The court is rectangular, 13.4 meters long and 6.1 meters wide for doubles, with a net height of 1.55 meters at the center. The service starts the game, with points scored when the shuttlecock lands in the opponent's court or if they make a fault. Matches typically consist of three games, with the first to 21 points (or 15 in wheelchair badminton) winning. Players alternate ends after the first game and at 11 points in the third game.

Key skills include footwork, powerful smashes, drop shots, clears, and net shots, all used to outmaneuver the opponent and gain control of the game.