In badminton, players stand on opposite sides of a net and try to win points by hitting the shuttlecock to the surface of their opponent's court. The net divides the rectangular court into two equal halves. The Badminton World Federation, the sport's governing body, provides rules for the badminton net that serve as a standard for competitive play.
Parts
The badminton net consists of dark mesh cord with an even thickness. White tape runs across the top of the net to make the net's full height stand out clearly to players and officials. The net stretches 20 feet across the court's width and between the doubles sidelines. Vertical posts fixed to the ground at the doubles sidelines support the net. There should be no space between the net's edges and the posts, and the net should remain secured at the doubles sidelines for both singles and doubles matches.
Height
The standard badminton net measures 5 feet high at the center and 5.1 feet high at the sides. A badminton net is higher than a tennis net, which measures 3 feet at the center and 3 feet 6 inches at the sides, but shorter than a volleyball net, which measures 7 feet 11 5/8 inches for men's competition and 7 feet 4 1/8 inches for women's competition.
Rules
Fault serves include serves that hit the net or get caught in the net. If you hit a shot that hits the net, passes under the net or goes through the net, you lose the point. If you touch the net or the net posts with your racket, clothing or any part of your body, you lose the point.
History
Badminton has its origins in ancient Greek games known as battledore and shuttlecock, according to the Badminton World Federation. In these early games, players hit a shuttlecock back and forth with paddles as many times as they could without letting it touch the ground. These early versions of badminton did not involve a net. Modern badminton has its roots in a game called poon, played in India in the 19th century and requiring a net. British officers who had been to India brought the game back to England in the 19th century, where it quickly became popular. The first open tournament in badminton was held at Guildford, England, in 1898, according to the Badminton World Federation.
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