Definition
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players (singles) or two opposing pairs (doubles), who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court divided by a net.
Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their opponents' half of the court.
The shuttlecock (or shuttle) is a feathered (or, mainly in uncompetitive games, plastic) projectile whose unique aerodynamic properties cause it to fly differently from the balls used in most racquet sports; in particular, the feathers create much higher drag, causing the shuttlecock to decelerate more rapidly than a ball.
Since 1992, badminton has been an Olympic sport with five events: men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles, and mixed doubles, in which each pair consists of a man and a woman.
At high levels of play, especially in singles, the sport demands excellent fitness: players require aerobic stamina, agility, explosive strength, speed and precision.
It is also a technical sport, requiring good motor coordination and the development of sophisticated racquet movements.
Equipments
Rackets
Badminton rackets are lightweight, with top quality racquets weighing between 70 and 95 grams (2.4 to 3.3 ounces) not including grip or strings.
Strings
Badminton strings are thin, high performing strings in the range of about 0.62 to 0.73 mm thickness. Thicker strings are more durable, but many players prefer the feel of thinner strings.
Grip
The choice of grip allows a player to increase the thickness of their racquet handle and choose a comfortable surface to hold. A player may build up the handle with one or several grips before applying the final layer.
Shuttlecock
A shuttlecock (often abbreviated to shuttle; also called a birdie) is a high-drag projectile, with an open conical shape: the cone is formed from sixteen overlapping feathers embedded into a rounded cork base.
Shoes
Badminton shoes are lightweight with soles of rubber or similar high-grip, non-marking materials.
Compared to running shoes, badminton shoes have little lateral support.
Strokes
Forehand and backhand
Badminton offers a wide variety of basic strokes, and players require a high level of skill to perform all of them effectively. All strokes can be played either forehand or backhand.
Position of the shuttlecock and receiving player
The choice of stroke depends on how near the shuttlecock is to the net, whether it is above net height, and where an opponent is currently positioned: players have much better attacking options if they can reach the shuttlecock well above net height, especially if it is also close to the net.
Vertical position of the shuttlecock
When the shuttlecock is well below net height, players have no choice but to hit upwards. Lifts, where the shuttlecock is hit upwards to the back of the opponents' court, can be played from all parts of the court.
When the shuttlecock is near to net height, players can hit drives, which travel flat and rapidly over the net into the opponents' rear midcourt and rearcourt.
Rankings
Men's Singles (BWF)
1. Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia)
2. Chen Long (China)
3. Jan O Jorgensen (Denmark)
4. Kenichi Tago (Japan)
5. Tommy Sugiarto (Indonesia)
wWomen's Singles (BWF)
1. Li Xue Ri (China)
2. Wang Shi Xian (China)
3. Wang Yi Han (China)
4. Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand)
5. Sung Ji Hyun (Korea)
Men's Doubles (BWF)
1. Hendra Setiawan & Mohammad Ahsan (Indonesia)
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| Ahsan left, Setiawan Right |
2. Mathias Boe & Carsten Mogensen (Denmark)
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| Boe left, Mogensen right |
3. Hiroyuki Endo & Kenichi Hayakawa (Japan)
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| Endo left, Hayakawa right |
4. Kim Ki Jung & Kim Sa Rang (Korea)
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| Ki Jung left, Sa Rang right |
5. Lee Sheng Mu & Tsai Chia Hsin (Chinese Taipei)
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| Chia Hsin left, Sheng Mu right |
1. Wang Xiao Li & Yu Yang (China)
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| Xiao Li left, Yu Yang right |
2. Bao Yi Xin & Tang Jin Hua (China)
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| Jin Hua left, Yi Xin right |
3. Kamilla Rytter Juhl & Christinna Pedersen (Denmark)
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| Pedersen left, Rytter Juhl right |
4. Misaki Matsumoto & Ayaka Takahashi (Japan)
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| Takahasi left, Matsumoto right |
5. Reika Kakiiwa & Miyuki Maeda (Japan)
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| Kakiiwa left, Maeda right |
1. Zhang Nan & Zhang Yun Lei (China)
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| Yun Lei left, Zhang Nan right |
2. Tontowi Ahmad & Liliyana Natsir (Indonesia)
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| Ahmad left, Natsir right |
3. Xu Chen & Ma Jin (China)
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| Xu Chen left, Ma Jin right |
4. Joachim Fischer Nielsen & Christinna Pedersen (Denmark)
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| Pedersen left, Nielsen right |
5. Chris Adcock & Gabrielle Adcock (England)
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| Chris left, Gabrielle right |
http://www.bwfbadminton.org/page.aspx?id=14955
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badminton
