Badminton

Badminton is a racquet sport in which players use racquets to hit a shuttlecock through a net to win points for their team. However, while the game may be played with bigger teams, the most usual versions are "singles" (with one player per side) and "doubles" (with two players per side) (with two players per side). Tennis is often played in a backyard or on a beach as a casual outdoor sport; official games are played on a rectangular indoor court, as shown in the video above. It is possible to earn points by hitting the shuttlecock with the racquet and landing it inside the half of the court occupied by the opposing team.

Before the shuttlecock crosses the net, each team has one opportunity to hit it with the shuttlecock. In badminton, play is called over while the shuttlecock hits the floor or if a fault is called by the umpire, service judge, or (in their absence) the opposing team.

The shuttlecock is a projectile made of feathers or plastic (in casual bouts) that flies in a different manner from the balls used in many other sports. The feathers, in particular, produce far greater drag, forcing the shuttlecock to descend much more quickly than it would otherwise. In addition, as compared to the balls used in other racquet sports, shuttlecocks have a high peak speed. The flight of the shuttlecock is what distinguishes the sport from the rest of the pack.

The game of battledore and shuttlecock evolved in British India from an older game of the same name. Although Denmark has long been the dominant force in European play, the game has recently gained popularity in Asia, with China dominating recent events. It has been a Summer Olympic sport since 1992, with four events: men's singles (men and women), mixed doubles (men and women), and mixed doubles (women and men). The sport was first included in the Summer Olympics in 1992, and it has been a Summer Olympic sport ever since. At the highest levels of competition, the sport demands exceptional physical fitness: players must possess aerobic stamina, agility, strength, speed, and accuracy. It is also a technical sport that demands excellent motor coordination as well as the creation of complex racquet motions.