Badminton and table tennis follow similar concepts. Both sports require you to hit a ball or shuttle back and forth over a net, attempting to hit a shot that your opponent cannot return. Though these sports share some similar rules, they require different equipment and playing surfaces.
Playing Area
According to USA Table Tennis, the standard table tennis table measures 9 feet long and 5 feet wide. The table’s surface should be flat and parallel to the floor at 30 inches high. The net divides the table in half and measures 6 inches high from the surface of the table. According to the Badminton World Federation’s Laws of Badminton, the standard badminton court measures 44 feet long, 20 feet wide for doubles and 17 feet wide for singles. The badminton net reaches 5 feet high at the center of the court and 5 feet, 1 inch at the posts.
Equipment
Table tennis balls, also known as pingpong balls, measure about 1½ inches in diameter and weight 0.1 oz. Table tennis players use wooden paddles with rubber siding to hit the ball. Badminton requires a shuttle, also known as a “birdie” or “shuttlecock,” and a racket for each player. Players can use natural feathered shuttles or synthetic nonfeathered shuttles. The Badminton World Federation’s Laws of Badminton dictate the shuttle’s feathered or synthetic tips should measure about 2½ to 2¾ inches in length and should form a circle with a diameter measuring 2¼ to 2 2/3 inches. The shuttle should weigh 0.16 to 0.19 oz. The badminton racket has a stringed hitting surface similar to that of a tennis, squash or badminton racket. The Badminton World Federation’s rules dictate the racket must not exceed 26¾ inches in length or 9 inches in width.
Serving
Badminton and table tennis matches start with a coin toss. The winner of the coin toss can choose whether to serve or receive first or to begin playing on one side or the other. Whichever choice the toss winner takes, her opponent gets to make the other choice. In badminton and table tennis, you get only one serve attempt. In table tennis, players alternate the serve after every two points. In badminton, one player serves until she loses a point. Then the opponent gains the right to serve. In table tennis, you must hit the ball out of the air from behind the end of the table. The ball must then bounce on your side of the court before passing the net to land on your opponent’s side of the court. In badminton, you must serve from the right service box when you have an even score or no points and from the left service box when you have an odd score. You must hit your serve crosscourt toward the service box diagonally opposite the one you’re serving from. You must hit the shuttle underhanded and below your waist.
Winning Points
Badminton and table tennis follow rally scoring, meaning you can win points on your serve and on your opponent’s serve. In badminton, you win a point if you hit a serve or shot that your opponent cannot return before the shuttle hits the ground in-bounds. In table tennis, you win a point if you hit a serve or shot that your opponent cannot return before the ball bounces twice. In both games, you win points if your opponent makes a service error or hits the ball or shuttle out of bounds.
Scoring
In table tennis, you must win 11 points with a two-point margin of victory to win a game. Depending on the tournament or event, you must win a different number of games to win. Table tennis matches are always played to the best of an odd number of games. In badminton, you must win the best of three games to win a match. To win a game, you must win 21 points with a two-point lead over your opponent. If the score reaches 29-29, the game ends as soon as one player reaches 30 points.
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