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.

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
traditionalEnglish game of battledore 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.

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.

Strings
Badminton strings are thin, high performing strings in the range of about 0.62 to 0.73 mm thickness.
Thicker strings are more durable, but many players prefer the feel of thinner strings. String tension is
normally in the range of 80 to 160 N (18 to 36 lbf). Recreational players generally string at lower tensions
than professionals, typically between 18 and 25 lbf (110 N). Professionals string between about 25 and
36 lbf (160 N).

It is often argued that high string tensions improve control, whereas low string tensions increase power.
[10]
 The arguments for this generally rely on crude mechanical reasoning, such as claiming that a lower
tension string bed is more bouncy and therefore provides more power. This is in fact incorrect, for a
higher string tension can cause the shuttle to slide off the racquet and hence make it harder to hit a shot
accurately. An alternative view suggests that the optimum tension for power depends on the player:[8] the
faster and more accurately a player can swing their racquet, the higher the tension for maximum power.
Neither view has been subjected to a rigorous mechanical analysis, nor is there clear evidence in favour
of one or the other. The most effective way for a player to find a good string tension is to experiment.

Grip
The choice of grip allows a player to increase the thickness of his racquet handle and choose a
comfortable surface to hold. A player may build up the handle with one or several grips before applying
the final layer.

Players may choose between a variety of grip materials. The most common choices are PU synthetic
grips or towelling grips. Grip choice is a matter of personal preference. Players often find that sweat
becomes a problem; in this case, a drying agent may be applied to the grip or hands, sweatbands may be
used, the player may choose another grip material or change his grip more frequently.

There are two main types of grip: replacement grips and overgrips. Replacement grips are thicker, and
are often used to increase the size of the handle. Overgrips are thinner (less than 1 mm), and are often
used as the final layer. Many players, however, prefer to use replacement grips as the final layer.
Towelling grips are always replacement grips. Replacement grips have an adhesive backing, whereas
overgrips have only a small patch of adhesive at the start of the tape and must be applied under tension;
overgrips are more convenient for players who change grips frequently, because they may be removed
more rapidly without damaging the underlying material.

Shuttlecock
A shuttlecock (often abbreviated to shuttle and also commonly known as a bird or birdie ) is a high-
drag projectile, with an open conical shape: the cone is formed from sixteen
overlappingfeathers 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.

Shoes
Badminton shoes are lightweight with soles of rubber or similar high-grip, non-marking materials.
Compared to running shoes, badminton shoes have little lateral support. High levels of lateral support are
useful for activities where lateral motion is undesirable and unexpected. Badminton, however, requires
powerful lateral movements. A highly built-up lateral support will not be able to protect the foot in
badminton; instead, it will encourage catastrophic collapse at the point where the shoe's support fails, and
the player's ankles are not ready for the sudden loading, which can cause sprains. For this reason,
players should choose badminton shoes rather than general trainers or running shoes, because proper
badminton shoes will have a very thin sole, lower a person's centre of gravity, and therefore result in
fewer injuries. Players should also ensure that they learn safe and proper footwork, with the knee and foot
in alignment on all lunges. This is not only a safety concern, as proper footwork is critical in order to move
effectively around the court.

Playing court
The court is rectangular and divided into halves by a net. Courts are usually marked for both singles and
doubles play, although the laws permit a court to be marked for singles only. The doubles court is wider
than the singles court, but both are the same length. The exception, which often causes confusion to
newer players, is that the doubles court has a shorter serve-length dimension.

The full width of the court is 6.1 metres (20 ft), and in singles this width is reduced to 5.18 metres (17 ft).
The full length of the court is 13.4 metres (44 ft). The service courts are marked by a centre line dividing
the width of the court, by a short service line at a distance of 1.98 metres (6 ft 6 inch) from the net, and by
the outer side and back boundaries. In doubles, the service court is also marked by a long service line,
which is 0.76 metres (2 ft 6 inch) from the back boundary.

The net is 1.55 metres (5 ft 1 inch) high at the edges and 1.524 metres (5 ft) high in the centre. The net
posts are placed over the doubles sidelines, even when singles is played.

There is no mention in the Laws of Badminton of a minimum height for the ceiling above the court.
Nonetheless, a badminton court will not be suitable if the ceiling is likely to be hit on a high serve.