About the Sport of Badminton
Badminton is a type of racket sport that is either played indoors by individuals (singles) or a team of two (doubles). Badminton was developed in British India from a children’s game called 'battledore and shuttlecock'. Badminton was called “Poona” in India in the 18th century. The British Army who were assigned there took the game back to the UK and introduced it to their colleagues. The Duke of Beaufort launched Badminton officially in 1873.
The equipment needed is a net, shuttlecock, and badminton racket. Players attempt to hit the shuttlecock over the net with the racket. A point is scored if it lands within the opposing side's half of the court. Games are played as singles (one player on each side of the net) or doubles (two players per team).
serving to start a badminton gameA badminton match consists of the best of three games. In the classic format, only the serving side can score, and a team needs 15 points to win.
In the new rally point format, whoever wins the rally scores a point, and a team needs to reach 21 points in order to win a game. Each badminton game start at 0-0, which is called “love-all.”
Similar Sports
- Ball Badminton — outdoor team sport played using a yellow ball made of wool. Popular in India.
- Air Badminton — an outdoor version of badminton using a heavier shuttle that flies better in the wind.
- Crossminton — played with no net adapted to make it suitable for playing outdoors, previously called Speed Badminton.
- Pitton — a net and racquet-based sport played with a hard pickleball paddle and a badminton shuttlecock.
- Peteca — a sport from Brazil played by hitting the shuttlecock with your hand over a high net.
- Para Badminton — versions of badminton for disabled athletes, either standing, in a wheelchair, or played while sitting.
- Racketlon — a combination sport, where players compete in the sports of table tennis, tennis, squash, and badminton.
- Pickleball — a non-contact racket sport that is similar to badminton, tennis, and table tennis
- Jianzi — a traditional Chinese national sport, where players aim to keep a shuttlecock-type object (called a Jianzi) in the air by striking it predominantly with the legs.
Related Pages
- List of Racket Sports
- Badminton at the Olympics
- Badminton at the Paralympics
- Badminton at the Commonwealth Games
- Complete list of sports
- The Encyclopedia of Sports
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