Badminton is
a racket sport played using rackets to hit a shuttlecock across
a net. Although it may be played with larger teams, the most common forms
of the game are "singles" (with one player per side) and
"doubles" (with two players per side). Badminton is often played as a
casual outdoor activity in a yard or on a beach; formal games are played on a
rectangular indoor court. Points are scored by striking the shuttlecock with
the racket and landing it within the opposing side's half of the court.
Each
side may only strike the shuttlecock once before it passes over the net. Play
ends once the shuttlecock has struck the floor or if a fault has been called by
the umpire, service judge, or (in their absence) the opposing side.
The
shuttlecock is a feathered or (in informal matches) plastic projectile which
flies differently from the balls used in many other sports. In particular, the
feathers create much higher drag, causing the shuttlecock to decelerate
more rapidly. Shuttlecocks also have a high top speed compared to the balls in
other racket sports. The flight of the shuttlecock gives the sport its
distinctive nature.
The
game developed in British India from the earlier game of battledore
and shuttlecock. European play came to be dominated by Denmark but the
game has become very popular in Asia, with recent competitions dominated
by China. Since 1992, badminton has been a Summer Olympic sport with five
events: men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, and
mixed doubles. 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 racket movements.
