Badminton is an exciting game that keeps both the body and mind active. The game requires dedication, concentration, and a profound understanding of the rules. Don’t give up because you keep losing to your opponent over fouls. Learning and understanding them is relatively easy to avoid them in games and win like a pro.
Different Badminton Fouls That You Need to Know
Badminton fouls are categorized as constant faults, double hits, receiver fouls, and service fouls. Contact between the net and the racket or the player is a foul. It would help if you allowed the shuttlecock to cross to your side of the net before hitting it back.
After hitting the shuttle once, your opponent should hit it before you make it hit again. During service, you should strike the shuttlecock below the waist, and the racket must swing in an upward direction or else it becomes foul.
Now you have an idea of fouls in badminton to help you perfect your game. The article provides valuable information and insights about the game that will empower you to become a professional player and discover the joy of mastering the game.
The article explains the fouls in detail for clarity and provides tips on becoming perfect in the game. If inspiration drives you, the best players in badminton globally will further inspire you to realize your potential in the game.
Categories of Fouls in Badminton
There are four types of fouls in badminton. They are:
- Fouls at the Net area
- Contact Faults
- Double Hits
- Service Fouls
Fouls at the Net Area
In badminton, the chances of committing a foul at the net are inevitable, especially when retrieving shots near the net. The broken rule is that players are not allowed to touch the net during a game. The body and the racket should not come into any contact with the net.
Both players are not allowed to hit the shuttlecock before it reaches their side of the net. If the players hit the shutter before it has passed over the net to their set, the move becomes foul. Additionally, placing the racket very the net to make a hit before the shuttle moves to your side is classified as a foul on the net area.
Contact Fouls
Your opponent hits the shuttlecock to your side, you make contact with the shutter, but you still manage to hit it back. Is this a fault? Yes, making body contact with the shuttle is foul play in badminton.
Every player should be first enough to dodge the shutter and avoid body contact. You can strictly make contact with the racket. Remember that even if your shirt, pants, or leg come into contact with the shuttle, the move becomes foul, and you miss one point to your opponent.
Double Hit
There are instances you hit back the shuttlecock, but it fails to pass to the other side. You are left struggling to make the second hit to save a score, which is a foul move. A double hit is against the rules in badminton.
A player is allowed to hit the shutter once and pass it to their opponents. During badminton doubles, one player in a partnership is permitted to retrieve the shuttlecock. If the two touch the shuttle with their rackets, it is considered a double it and a foul simultaneously.
Service Faults
Knowing the rules of service during badminton is important to avoid getting fouled by the service judge.
During a badminton serve, the shuttlecock should be struck from below the waist and ensure that the racket swings upward from below the waist. The racket’s head should be pointing downwards, and failure to observe the serve guidelines culminates into a foul.
Neither party should deliver the service without delay when the server and e receiver are ready for service.
Receiver Faults
When receiving service from your opponent, ensure that your feet stay where you are standing. Moving makes a move receivers foul. You are allowed to move after your opponent has struck the shuttle.
Why Pay Attention to the Badminton Fouls?
A foul play during a rally will award your opponent one point. Several foul moves affect scores significantly since opponents get more points during the match. Understanding the common fouls empowers anyone interested in the game to avoid unnecessarily losing points to the opponent.
Understanding the Rules
Badminton doubles have different strategies compared to singles, and thus, it’s rare to find players who specialize in both double and singles. Understanding the rules during doubles enables players to avoid the faults associated with doubles.
When playing, only one partner can hit and return the shuttle ok to the opponent’s side. Accidental contact of the shuttle with your racket is considered a hit, and if your partner goes for a hit, the move becomes a fault, and the opponent’s side is awarded one point.
If you are the receiver of a particular rally, only you can return the shuttle, and your partner is not allowed to step in and return the shuttle or you since you are partners. Racket clashes are allowed in double, but only one racket should come into contact with the shuttle.
During service, players maintain their respective service courts previously held at the beginning of a rally unless a score is made when the servicing sides are altered.
Badminton Singles Court
A badminton court is rectangular, and it’s divided into two halves by a badminton net. The courts are marked for both singles and doubles. The Badminton rule only allows the courts to be marked for singles only. A badminton court measures 20 feet by 44 feet.
Different markings are used to indicate doubles play, and singles play. From the edge of the outer boundary, a single line is marked 1 ½, which directs players during a singles game.
Badminton Service Limit
Service is an essential part of the game. Apart from observing all the requirements and rules for service, players must understand the badminton service limit. A match is a composition of the best of three games of twenty-one points. Whenever there is a service, a point is scored.
At 20 all, the side with a 2 point lead first is the winner, whereas at 29 all, the team scoring the 30th point is the winner of the game. When one side wins the game, it serves first during the next match.
At (0-0), during the start of the game, the server delivers a serve from the right surface court, and when their score is odd, the service is done from the left service court. If the serving party wins a rally, they are awarded a score and serve again from the alternate service court.
It is critical to note that the service rules and limits might change during doubles, and players should understand the requirements in the different games.
Service Rules in Badminton
Service in Badminton starts up the rally. It would help if you observed the rules mentioned above to avoid fouls during service. There are smaller box shapes inside the court which are the service courts. The service court has four lines, namely;
- The centerline
- A singles sideline
- The front service line
- The backline
Both sides of the net have the right service court and the left service court. When players from both sides are ready for service, the first forward movement of the server’s head starts the service. If the server misses the shuttle, it is still counted as delivered service.
When ready, the server should not take more than five seconds to provide service. Until service delivery, both feet of the server and receiver must remain in contact with the surface until the service is delivered. However, to ensure stability, players are allowed to shift their weights and turn their bodies, but you may not drag the foot along the floor.
Understanding the service rules is an excellent step towards winning badminton to avoid service and receiver fouls. It is essential to know that the server’s racket should initially hit the shuttle’s base during service.
Men and Women have made a name for themselves globally using this sport. There is no reason why you can be among them. Lee Chong Wei, Chen Long, Lin Dan, Carolina Marin, Jan O Jorgensen, among many others, are recognized globally for their expertise in the game. Stories of how they started and rose to recognition are inspiring. It is indeed a sport of heroes.
Understanding the rules and learning how to get perfect in the game each day is a path to success for you. If you are not seeking to become a professional badminton player, the game is ideal as a hobby.
It teaches the players to concentrate on their moves keeping the body and mind in synch. Remembers playing badminton is an ideal exercise for the body and the mind.
You may be interested in reading the post of the official roles in badminton as well.