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The Laws Of Badminton Part III
   The Service:
 
  • 9.1 In a correct service:

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  • 9.1.1 neither side shall cause undue delay to the delivery of the service once server and receiver have taken up their respective positions;

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  • 9.1.2 the server and receiver shall stand within diagonally opposite service courts without touching the boundary lines of these service courts;

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  • 9.1.3 some part of both feet of the server and receiver must remain in contact with the surface of the court in a stationary position from the start of the service (Law 9.4) until the service is delivered (Law 9.6);

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  • 9.1.4 the server’s racket shall initially hit the base of the shuttle;

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  • 9.1.5 the whole shuttle shall be below the server’s waist at the instant of being hit by the server’s racket;

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    DIAGRAM D

    Positions of the racket and of the server’s hand holding it at the instant of striking the shuttle

     

     

  • 9.1.6 the shaft of the server’s racket at the instant of hitting the shuttle shall be pointing in a downward direction to such an extent that the whole of the head of the racket is discernibly below the whole of the server’s hand holding the racket as in Diagram D;

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  • 9.1.7 the movement of the server’s racket must continue forwards after the start of the service (Law 9.4) until the service is delivered; and

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  • 9.1.8 the flight of the shuttle shall be upwards from the server’s racket to pass over the net so that, if not intercepted, it lands in the receiver’s service court (ie on or within the boundary lines).

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  • 9.2 If a service is not correct by virtue of any of Laws 9.1.1 to 9.1.8, it shall be a ‘fault’ (Law 13) by the offending side.

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  • 9.3 It is a ‘fault’ if the server, in attempting to serve, misses the shuttle.

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  • 9.4 Once the players have taken their positions, the first forward movement of the server’s racket head is the start of the service.

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  • 9.5 The server shall not serve before the receiver is ready but the receiver shall be considered to have been ready if a return of service is attempted.

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  • 9.6 Once the service is started (Law 9.4), it is delivered when the shuttle is hit by the server’s racket or, in attempting to serve, the server misses the shuttle.

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  • 9.7 In doubles, the partners may take up any positions which do not unsight the opposing server or receiver.
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      Singles:
    10.1 Serving and receiving courts

     

  • 10.1.1 The players shall serve from, and receive in, their respective right service courts when the server has not scored or has scored an even number of points in that game.

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  • 10.1.2 The players shall serve from, and receive in, their respective left service courts when the server has scored an odd number of points in that game.

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    10.2 The shuttle is hit alternately by the server and the receiver until a ‘fault’ is made or the shuttle ceases to be in play.

     

    10.3 Scoring and serving

     

  • 10.3.1 If the receiver makes a ‘fault’ or the shuttle ceases to be in play because it touches the surface of the court inside the receiver’s court, the server scores a point. The server then serves again from the alternate service court.

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  • 10.3.2 If the server makes a ‘fault’ or the shuttle ceases to be in play because it touches the surface of the court inside the server’s court, the server loses the right to continue serving and the receiver then becomes the server, with no point scored by either player.
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      Doubles:

    11.1 At the start of a game, and each time a side gains the right to serve, the service shall be delivered from the right service court.

     

    11.2 Only the receiver shall return the service: should the shuttle touch or be hit by the receiver’s partner, it shall be a ‘fault’ and the serving side scores a point.

     

    11.3 Order of play and position on court

     

  • 11.3.1 After the service is returned, the shuttle may be hit by either player of the serving side and then by either player of the receiving side, and so on, until the shuttle ceases to be in play.

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  • 11.3.2 After the service is returned, a player may hit the shuttle from any position on that player’s side of the net.

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    11.4 Scoring and serving

     

  • 11.4.1 If the receiving side makes a ‘fault’ or the shuttle ceases to be in play because it touches the surface of the court inside the receiving side’s court, the serving side scores a point and the server serves again.

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  • 11.4.2 If the serving side makes a ‘fault’ or the shuttle ceases to be in play because it touches the surface of the court inside the serving side’s court, the server loses the right to continue serving, with no point scored by either side.

    • 11.5 Serving and receiving courts

     

  • 11.5.1 The player who serves at the start of any game shall serve from, or receive in, the right service court when that player’s side has not scored or has scored an even number of points in that game, and the left service court when that player’s side has scored an odd number of points in that game.

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  • 11.5.2 The player who receives at the start of any game shall receive in, or serve from, the right service court when that player’s side has not scored or has scored an even number of points in that game, and the left service court when that player’s side has scored an odd number of points in that game.

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    11.5.3 The reverse pattern shall apply to the partners.

     

    11.6 Service in any turn of serving shall be delivered from alternate service courts, except as provided in Laws 12 and 14.

     

    11.7 In any game, the right to serve passes consecutively from the initial server to the initial receiver, then to that initial receiver’s partner, then to the opponent who is due to serve from the right service court (Law 11.5), then to that player’s partner, and so on.

     

    11.8 No player shall serve out of turn, receive out of turn, or receive two consecutive services in the same game, except as provided in Laws 12 and 14.

     

    11.9 Either player of the winning side may serve first in the next game, and either player of the losing side may receive.

     

      Service Court Errors:
  • 12.1 A service court error has been made when a player:

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  • 12.1.1 has served out of turn;

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  • 12.1.2 has served from the wrong service court; or

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  • 12.1.3 standing in the wrong service court, was prepared to receive the service and it has been delivered.

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  • 12.2 If a service court error is discovered after the next service has been delivered, the error shall not be corrected.

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  • 12.3 If a service court error is discovered before the next service is delivered:

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  • 12.3.1 if both sides committed an error, it shall be a ‘let;

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  • 12.3.2 if one side committed the error and won the rally, it shall be a ‘let’;

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  • 12.3.3 if one side committed the error and lost the rally, the error shall not be corrected.

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  • 12.4 If there is a ‘let’ because of a service court error, the rally is replayed with the error corrected.

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  • 12.5 If a service court error is not to be corrected, play in that game shall proceed without changing the players’ new service courts (nor, when relevant, the new order of serving).
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