Badminton 

is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players (singles) or two opposing pairs
(doubles), who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players
score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their
opponents' half of the court. A rally ends once the shuttlecock has struck the ground, and each side may
only strike the shuttlecock once before it passes over the net.

The shuttlecock (or shuttle) is a feathered projectile whose unique aerodynamic properties cause it to fly
differently from the balls used in most racquet sports; in particular, the feathers create much higher drag,
causing the shuttlecock to decelerate more rapidly than a ball. Shuttlecocks have a much higher top
speed, when compared to other racquet sports. Because shuttlecock flight is affected by wind,
competitive badminton is played indoors. Badminton is also played outdoors as a casual recreational
activity, often as a garden or beach game.

Since 1992, badminton has been an Olympic sport with five events: men's and women's singles, men's
and women's doubles, and mixed doubles, in which each pair consists of a man and a woman. At high
levels of play, the sport demands excellent fitness: players require aerobic stamina, agility, strength,
speed and precision. It is also a technical sport, requiring good motor coordination and the development
of sophisticated racquet movements.

History and development

The beginnings of Badminton can be traced to mid-18th century British India, where it was created
by British military officers stationed there.[2] Early photographs show Englishmen adding a net to the
traditional English game ofbattledore and shuttlecock. Being particularly popular in the British garrison
town Poona (now Pune), the game also came to be known as Poona.[2][3] Initially, balls of wool refereed
as ball badminton were preferred by the upper classes in windy or wet conditions, but ultimately the
shuttlecock stuck. This game was taken by retired officers back to England where it developed and rules
were set out.

As early as 1860, Isaac Spratt, a London toy dealer, published a booklet, Badminton Battledore - a new
game, but unfortunately no copy has survived.[4]
The new sport was definitively launched in 1873 at the Badminton House, Gloucestershire, owned by
the Duke of Beaufort. During that time, the game was referred to as "The Game of Badminton," and the
game's official name became Badminton.[5]

Until 1887, the sport was played in England under the rules that prevailed in British India. The Bath
Badminton Club standardized the rules and made the game applicable to English ideas. The basic
regulations were drawn up in 1887.[5] In 1893, the Badminton Association of England published the first
set of rules according to these regulations, similar to today's rules, and officially launched badminton in a
house called "Dunbar" at 6 Waverley Grove, Portsmouth, England on September 13 of that year.[6] They
also started the All England Open Badminton Championships, the first badminton competition in the
world, in 1899.

The International Badminton Federation (IBF) (now known as Badminton World Federation) was
established in 1934 with Canada, Denmark, England, France, the Netherlands, Ireland, New Zealand,
Scotland, and Wales as its founding members. India joined as an affiliate in 1936. The BWF now governs
international badminton and develops the sport globally.

While set out in England, competitive badminton in Europe has traditionally been dominated by Denmark.
Indonesia, South Korea, China and Malaysia are among the nations that have consistently produced
world-class players in the past few decades and dominated competitions on the international level, with
China being the most dominant in recent years.

Equipment
Racquets
Badminton racquets are light, with top quality racquets weighing between 75 and 95 grams (2.6 to 3.3
ounces) including the strings.[8][9] They are composed of many different materials ranging from carbon
fibre composite (graphite reinforced plastic) to solid steel, which may be augmented by a variety of
materials. Carbon fibre has an excellent strength to weight ratio, is stiff, and gives excellent kinetic
energy transfer. Before the adoption of carbon fibre composite, racquets were made of light metals such
as aluminum. Earlier still, racquets were made of wood. Cheap racquets are still often made of metals
such as steel, but wooden racquets are no longer manufactured for the ordinary market, because of their
excessive mass and cost. Nowadays, nanomaterials such as fullerene and carbon nanotubes are added
to rackets giving them greater durability.

There is a wide variety of racquet designs, although the laws limit the racquet size and shape. Different
racquets have playing characteristics that appeal to different players. The traditional oval head shape is
still available, but an isometric head shape is increasingly common in new racquets.
Shuttlecock
A shuttlecock (often abbreviated to shuttle) is a high-drag projectile, with an open conical shape: the cone
is formed from sixteen overlapping feathers embedded into a rounded cork base. The cork is covered with
thin leather or synthetic material.

Synthetic shuttles are often used by recreational players to reduce their costs as feathered shuttles break
easily. These nylon shuttles may be constructed with either natural cork or synthetic foam base, and a
plastic skirt.

Additionally, nylon shuttlecocks come in three varieties, each variety for a different range of temperatures.
These three varieties are known as green (slow speed which will give you an extra 40% hang time/shot
length), blue (middle speed), and red (fast speed). The colours, and therefore speeds, are indicated by
coloured strips fastened around the cork. In colder temperatures, a faster shuttle is used, and in hotter
climates, a slower one is chosen.

BADMINTON COURT

 The full width of a badminton court is 6.1 metres. However, in singles this is reduced to 5.18 metres.
 The full length of a badminton court is 13.4 metres.
 The service courts are marked by a centre line. It divides the width of the court, by a short service line at a
distance of 1.98 metres from the net, and by the outer side and back boundaries.
 The service court is marked by a long service line In doubles, which is 0.78 metres from the back boundary.
 The net is 1.55 metres high at the edges and 1.524 metres high in the centre.

Attacking clear- An offensive stroke hit deep into the opponent's court. 
Backcourt - Back third of the court, in the area of the back boundary lines. 
Backhand - The stroke used to return balls hit to the left of a right-handed player and to the right of
a left-handed player. 
Base position - The location in the centre of

the court to which a singles player tries to return after each shot; also called "centre position". 
Baseline - The back boundary line at each end of

the court, parallel to the net. 

Carry - An illegal stroke in which

the shuttle is not hit, but caught and held on the racket before being released; also called a "sling" or
"throw". 
Centre line - A line perpendicular to the net that separates

the left and right service courts. 

Clear - A shot hit deep into the opponent's court. 
Doubles - A game where a team of two players play against another team of two. 
Doubles sideline - The side boundary of a doubles court. 
Drive - A fast and low shot that makes a horizontal flight over the net. 
Drop shot - A shot hit softly and with finesse to fall rapidly and close to the net in the opponent's
court. 
Fault - A violation of the playing rules. 
Feint - Any deceptive movement that disconcerts an opponent before or during the serve; also called
a "balk". 
Flick - A quick wrist-and-forearm rotation used to surprise an opponent by changing an apparently
soft shot into a faster passing shot. 
Forecourt - The front third of

the court, between the net and the short service line. 
Forehand -

The stroke used to return a ball hit to the right of a right-handed player and to

the left of a left-handed player. 

Game - The part of a set completed when one player or side has scored enough points to win a single
contest. 
Hairpin net shot - A shot made from below and very close to the net and causing the shuttle to rise,
just clear the net, and then drop sharply down the other side so that the flight of the shuttlecock
resembles the shape of a hairpin. 
Halfcourt shot - A shot hit low and to midcourt, used effectively in doubles play against the up-and-
back formation. 
High clear - A defensive shot hit deep into the opponent's court. 
Kill - Fast downward shot that cannot be returned. 
Let - A minor violation of the rules allowing a rally to be replayed. 
Long Service Line - In singles: the back boundary line. In doubles a line 2-1/2 feet inside the back
boundary line. The serve may not go past this line. 
Match - A series of games to determine a winner. 
Midcourt - The middle third of

the court, halfway between the net and the back boundary line. 
Net shot - A shot hit from the forecourt that just clears the net and drops sharply. 
Passing shot - A shot which passes the opposing player or team. 
Push shot - A gentle shot played by pushing the shuttlecock with a little wrist motion. 
Rally - The exchange of shots that decides each point. 
Serve -

The stroke used to put the shuttlecock into play at the start of each rally; also called a "service". 
Service court - The area into which a service must be delivered. Different for singles and doubles. 
Set - To choose to extend a game beyond its normal ending score if the score is tied with one point to
go. 
Short service line - The front line of the service courts 1.98 metres from the net. Singles : A game
where one player plays against another player. 
Singles sideline - The side boundary of a singles court. 
Smash - A hard-hit overhead shot that forces

the shuttle sharply downwards into the opponent's court. 

Wood shot - A legal shot in which

the shuttle hits the frame of the racket.