In this illusration, A1 is the server (serving from the right or serving to the left) in a doubles game and B1 is the receiver. The line infront of A1 near the net is the short service line, the first line behind on the back is the long or back service line for doubles and the second or last line in the back is the long or back service line for singles, the first line on A1's right side is the singles sideline and the second line is the doubles side line. The line on A1's left side is the middle line. In serving, A1 should stay only on the darker shaded box. For a proper serve, A1 should make the birdie land only on the darker shaded box where B1 is. (Illustration from Wikimedia)
Service initiates the game in badminton. Learning how to serve properly and effectively is important in a game, as it may either cost you a point or win one. There are different kinds of service, and there are two types of games where service is applied. The different kinds of service are:
1. Low serve - done by sending the birdie just after the receiver's front service line (see the court illustration);
2. High serve - done by sending the birdie just before the receiver's long or back service line; and
3. Drive serve - done by driving the birdie straight toward the receiver.
The two types of games to which a service is applied are singles (one person vs. one person) and doubles (two persons vs. two persons) games.
Basic Rules of the Serve
a) According to the Word Badminton Federation rules, followed in all pro tour, the birdie must be below the waistline when serving. The waistline is determined to be the imaginary line below the lowest rib cage of the body. Serving with the birdie higher than this level can result in a wrong serve.
b) Serving is done by sending the birdie diagonally to the other court.
c) The birdie must land within the front service line and the long or back service line (the inside line on the back of the court for doubles; the outer line for singles). If you're serving on the left (which means you are on the right side of your court) the birdie must also land within the sideline (the outer line for doubles; the inner line for singles) on the left side of the court. The opposite is true if you're serving on the right. See the court illustration for better understanding.
How to do the Serve
(Note: the instructions are for right handers. If you're left hander, do the opposite)
Low Serve
1. Using the backhand
a) Stand just before the front service line facing the opposite court diagonally to the left (if serving from the right) or to the right (if serving from the left). Your left foot is slightly behind with the right foot leading . Your toes should be facing the receiver.
b) Hold your racquet using the backhand grip with the racquet head down approximately below your waist, such that your thumb will be facing you and the other fingers facing the receiver.
c) The racquet strings should be facing the receiver.
d) Left hand should be holding the birdie with either the thumb and index finger clipping the edge of the birdie's feathers or the thumb and index finger together with the middle finger wrap around the end of the feathers - all depending on your preference, in my case I prefer the first method. Hold the birdie only lightly. The tip of the birdie or the cork part should be pointing just in front of the racquet strings which will be the point of impact. Remember to keep the birdie below your waistline to avoid a foul serve.
e) Move the racquet slightly to the back or toward your body for the cocking action, drop the birdie, then swing the racquet forward just in time to hit the birdie. Make sure the birdie goes over the net and lands into the receiver's box just after the front service line. If the birdie gets snagged on the net or lands short of the front service line, then you have a fault or error in service.
There is a variation to this serve by flicking the birdie faster or stronger to send it behind the receiver making sure it lands just before the long or back service line (first line for doubles and second line for singles). This is called the flick serve. The motion for both low serve and flick serve are basically the same, differing only in the speed of the racquet as it contacts the birdie. All you need to do for the flick serve is move the racquet back a little farther toward your body and swing it to the birdie faster to send the birdie farther into the back instead of landing only in front of the receiver. The trick of the trade is that if the receiver is too close to the net you want to do the flick serve, and if too far back you want to serve low in front.
In doing a low serve, make sure the birdie crosses just above the net to avoid it from being swiped or dabbed by the receiver who will rush toward your serve. If you do a flick serve make sure the biride flies high enough to the back of the receiver to avoid it from being smashed back. Better yet flick it to the receiver's backhand side (left side if he is right hander or right side if he is left hander).
2. Using the forehand underhand swing
a) Stand in the same position as in the serve using the backhand, only this time move the right foot behind with the left foot leading. Extend your left hand in front of you and hold the birdie with your fingers (either the thumb-index finger clip or thumb-index and middle finger wrap discussed above) leveled just below your chest. The bottom of the birdie is pointing to the floor. Other players prefer to hold the birdie lower below the waistline.
b) Hold the racquet with your right hand using the forehand grip. Bring the racquet back for the cock, drop the birdie, then swing the racquet forward with the racquet head traveling from a downward to an upward swing just in time to hit the falling birdie. The birdie should travel just over and across the net and land on the receiver's box.
This type of low serve is trickier in that you need more control and accuracy to deliver the birdie over the other court with the right height. Poor movement may either make the birdie travel lower thereby getting snagged on the net or higher allowing the receiver to tap it down. It takes more practice to do this.
High Serve
The position and movement is similar to the low serve using the forehand underhand swing, only this time you need to move the racquet back a little farther to give you more cocking action and to swing it forward faster. You need to increase the racquet speed to impart a stronger force that will send the birdie high up behind the receiver. Also, unlike the low serve, your racquet head ends up above your left shoulder for the follow through to your swing. This is important to give you more power to the serve.
In doing this, take care not to overshoot the birdie so that it does not go beyond the appropriate long service line at the back court or you will get an error in service.
Take note of the common error beginners make in doing this service. The error they make is that the racquet face (where the strings are) is facing the ceiling flat when it makes contact with the birdie. This makes the birdie fly high above the server only, not passing to the other court, or even if does it flies high up in front of the receiver instead of behind him, thus allowing a smash back. To correct this, try moving backward and make sure the racquet face is diagonal forward instead of parallel to the ceiling or floor when it makes contact with the birdie; in other words the racquet face is angled up halfway. It is also not correct that the racquet face is 90 degrees or at a right angle to the floor or ceiling as this will make the birdie fly straight into the net instead of over it.
The Drive Serve
Same position as the high serve. But this time, hold the birdie to the right side of your body with the birdie's bottom facing away from the net. Bring the racquet back for the cocking action, release the birdie as you hit it with the racquet by swinging it forward. Note that unlike the high serve, you do not swing the racquet from a downward to and upward motion, but simply from back to front; racquet follows a more sideways motion. This will make the birdie travel a straighter path toward the receiver, hence the name drive serve. To be effective, the birdie should be fast which means you need to increase your racquet head speed.
One final note. In serving, do not hurry. Take your time so that your service can be planned well and executed properly. Who knows you could probably serve an ace and win you a point instantly.
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