Badminton is a very competitive sport, and no player would like to lose points by making a fault. There are certain rules to follow to avoid losing points.
At times, you may make the fault without even knowing for what it is considered a fault. In this article, I have explained five common faults in the game of badminton that every player must be aware of.
- Contact Fault
- Over the Net Fault
- Service Fault
- Receiver Fault
- Double Hit
Contact Fault
During a rally, that starts once the service is delivered, there are two things you cannot touch during the rally. If touched, it is considered a fault, and the point goes in favor of your opponent.
Badminton Net: If you touch the net, or your racquet touches the net in the middle of the rally, it is considered a fault.
Shuttlecock: In a badminton game, you can hit the shuttlecock with your racquet only. The shuttlecock should not touch you or any part of your body during a rally, as it is considered a fault. Even if the shuttle touches your shirt, pant, etc, it will still be considered as a contact fault.
Over the Net Fault
You may be wondering can you get the badminton racquet to go over the net in the middle of a rally. Well, the answer is YES. However, you cannot allow your racquet to hit the shuttle before it passes over the net to your side of the court.
But once the shuttle crosses the net, if your racquet crosses over to your opponent’s side, it is fine and not considered a fault.
Service Fault
A service fault is the most common fault and many players often tend to make this mistake. It generally happens when you perform the low serve and flick serve.
Let me take you across the rules to avoid a service fault.
- You must hit the shuttle from below your waist (lowest rib). As per the latest BWF guidelines, the shuttle must be contacted at or below 1.5m from the surface of the court. Anything above that is considered a fault.
- Your badminton racquet head must be pointing in a downward direction when you hit the shuttle.
- Neither the server nor the receiver may lift their foot until the server has struck the shuttlecock. Dragging your feet while serving is also considered a fault.
- While serving you cannot have a double action. There cannot be a pause in the racquet swing while serving. It has to be continuous
- Any sort of unnecessary delay can also be called as a fault by the referee.
- Your service must travel above the net and land on diagonally on the opponent’s court. If it lands exactly opposite to the court you serve from, it is considered a fault.
Receiver Fault
As a receiver of the service, you must not move until the service has been made. You must not move your feet from where you are standing, otherwise, it will be considered a fault.
Also, you must not use any gestures or movements to distract the server. This can also cost you a point.
Double Hit
Hitting is shuttle twice is considered a fault. Once the shuttle comes to your side you have only one chance to hit the shuttle. You cannot hit it again until your opponent returns your shot.
For instance, in doubles, once the shuttle touches your racquet, it cannot be hit by your partner to continue the rally. If both the players touch the shuttle, it will be considered a double hit fault.
Final Thoughts
So here are 5 common badminton faults that you need to be aware of to be more careful in avoiding them. Practice hard to eliminate such errors in your game.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article.
Thanks for reading. Keep playing.
