LEARN Badminton

                                   Badminton                                  

Badminton, court or lawn game played with lightweight rackets and a shuttlecock. Historically, the shuttlecock (also known as a “bird” or “birdie”) was a small cork hemisphere with 16 goose feathers attached and weighing about 0.17 ounce (5 grams). These types of shuttles may still be used in modern play, but shuttles made from synthetic materials are also allowed by the Badminton World Federation. The game is named for Badminton, the country estate of the dukes of Beaufort in Gloucestershire, England, where it was first played about 1873. The roots of the sport can be traced to ancient Greece, China, and India, and it is closely related to the old children’s game battledore and shuttlecock. Badminton is derived directly from poona, which was played by British army officers stationed in India in the 1860s. The first unofficial all-England badminton championships for men were held in 1899, and the first badminton tournament for women was arranged the next year.

Susi Susanti (Indonesia) competing for the women's singles title in the 1993 All-England Championships; Susanti won the title for the third time.

badmintonAn introduction to the sport of badminton.© Behind the News

The Badminton World Federation (BWF; originally the International Badminton Federation), the world governing body of the sport, was formed in 1934. Badminton is also popular in Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and Denmark. The BWF’s first world championships were held in 1977. A number of regional, national, and zonal badminton tournaments are held in several countries. The best-known of these is the All-England Championships. Other well-known international tournaments include the Thomas Cup (donated 1939) for men’s team competition and the Uber Cup (donated 1956) for women’s team competition.

Badminton first appeared in the Olympic Games as a demonstration sport in 1972 and as an exhibition sport in 1988. At the 1992 Games it became a full-medal Olympic sport, with competition for men’s and women’s singles (one against one) and doubles (two against two). Mixed doubles was introduced at the 1996 Games.

Competitive badminton is usually played indoors because even light winds affect the course of the shuttlecock. (Recreational badminton, on the other hand, is a popular outdoor summertime activity.) The rectangular court is 44 feet (13.4 metres) long and 17 feet (5.2 metres) wide for singles, 20 feet (6.1 metres) wide for doubles. A net 5 feet (1.5 metres) high stretches across the width of the court at its centre. A clear space of 4 feet (1.3 metres) around the court is needed. Play consists entirely of volleying—hitting the shuttlecock back and forth across the net without letting it touch the floor or ground within the boundaries of the court.

badminton: Lin DanLin Dan of China en route to winning the men's singles title at the 2009 world badminton championships in Hyderabad, India.Indranil Mukherjee—AFP/Getty Images

In international play, athletes compete in best-of-three-games matches. A game is played to 21 points, provided that the winner has at least a 2-point advantage. If a 2-point advantage is never reached, the first player or team to score 30 points wins. Points were only awarded to the serving side until 2006, when the BWF adopted the “rally scoring” system, under which either side can score at any time.

All-England Singles Championships Winners

A list of the winners of the All-England singles championships is provided in the table.

All-England Championships—singles
*Won by a British player except as indicated.
year	men*	women*
1900	Sidney Smith	Ethel Thomson
1901	H.W. Davies	Ethel Thomson
1902	Ralph Watling	Murial Lucas
1903	Ralph Watling	Ethel Thomson
1904	Henry Marrett	Ethel Thomson
1905	Henry Marrett	Murial Lucas
1906	Norman Wood	Ethel Thomson
1907	Norman Wood	Murial Lucas
1908	Henry Marrett	Murial Lucas
1909	Frank Chesterton	Murial Lucas
1910	Frank Chesterton	Murial Lucas
1911	Guy Sautter	Margaret Larminie
1912	Frank Chesterton	Margaret Larminie Tragett
1913	Guy Sautter	Lavinia Radeglia
1914	Guy Sautter	Lavinia Radeglia
1915–19	not held
1920	Sir George Thomas	Kitty McKane
1921	Sir George Thomas	Kitty McKane
1922	Sir George Thomas	Kitty McKane
1923	Sir George Thomas	Lavinia Radeglia
1924	Gordon Mack (Ire.)	Kitty McKane
1925	Frank Devlin (Ire.)	Margaret Stocks
1926	Frank Devlin (Ire.)	Marjorie Barrett
1927	Frank Devlin (Ire.)	Marjorie Barrett
1928	Frank Devlin (Ire.)	Margaret Tragett
1929	Frank Devlin (Ire.)	Marjorie Barrett
1930	Donald Hume	Marjorie Barrett
1931	Frank Devlin (Ire.)	Marjorie Barrett
1932	Ralph Nichols	Leoni Kingsbury
1933	Raymond White	Alice Woodroffe
1934	Ralph Nichols	Leoni Kingsbury
1935	Raymond White	Betty Uber
1936	Ralph Nichols	Thelma Kingsbury
1937	Ralph Nichols	Thelma Kingsbury
1938	Ralph Nichols	Daphne Young
1939	Tage Madsen (Den.)	Dorothy Walton (Can.)
1940–46	not held
1947	Conny Jepsen (Swed.)	Marie Ussing (Den.)
1948	Jørn Skaarup (Den.)	Kirsten Thorndahl (Den.)
1949	Dave Freeman (U.S.)	Aase Schiøtt Jacobsen (Den.)
1950	Wong Peng Soon (Malay.)	Tonny Ahm (Den.)
1951	Wong Peng Soon (Malay.)	Aase Schiøtt Jacobsen (Den.)
1952	Wong Peng Soon (Malay.)	Tonny Ahm (Den.)
1953	Eddy Choong (Malay.)	Marie Ussing (Den.)
1954	Eddy Choong (Malay.)	Judy Devlin (U.S.)
1955	Wong Peng Soon (Malay.)	Margaret Varner (U.S.)
1956	Eddy Choong (Malay.)	Margaret Varner (U.S.)
1957	Eddy Choong (Malay.)	Judy Devlin (U.S.)
1958	Erland Kops (Den.)	Judy Devlin (U.S.)
1959	Tan Joe Hok (Indon.)	Heather Ward
1960	Erland Kops (Den.)	Judy Devlin (U.S.)
1961	Erland Kops (Den.)	Judy Devlin Hashman (U.S.)
1962	Erland Kops (Den.)	Judy Hashman (U.S.)
1963	Erland Kops (Den.)	Judy Hashman (U.S.)
1964	Knud Nielsen (Den.)	Judy Hashman (U.S.)
1965	Erland Kops (Den.)	Ursula Smith
1966	Tan Aik Huang (Malay.)	Judy Hashman (U.S.)
1967	Erland Kops (Den.)	Judy Hashman (U.S.)
1968	Rudy Hartono (Indon.)	Eva Twedberg (Swed.)
1969	Rudy Hartono (Indon.)	Yuki Hiroe (Japan)
1970	Rudy Hartono (Indon.)	Takenaka Etsuko (Japan)
1971	Rudy Hartono (Indon.)	Eva Twedberg (Swed.)
1972	Rudy Hartono (Indon.)	Nakayama Noriko (Japan)
1973	Rudy Hartono (Indon.)	Margaret Beck
1974	Rudy Hartono (Indon.)	Yuki Hiroe (Japan)
1975	Svend Pri (Den.)	Yuki Hiroe (Japan)
1976	Rudy Hartono (Indon.)	Gillian Gilks
1977	Flemming Delfs (Den.)	Yuki Hiroe (Japan)
1978	Liem Swie King (Indon.)	Gillian Gilks
1979	Liem Swie King (Indon.)	Lene Køppen (Den.)
1980	Prakash Padukone (India)	Lene Køppen (Den.)
1981	Liem Swie King (Indon.)	Hwang Sun-Ai (S.Kor.)
1982	Morten Frost (Den.)	Zhang Ailing (China)
1983	Luan Jin (China)	Zhang Ailing (China)
1984	Morten Frost (Den.)	Li Lingwei (China)
1985	Zhao Jianhua (China)	Han Aiping (China)
1986	Morten Frost (Den.)	Kim Yun-Ja (S.Kor.)
1987	Morten Frost (Den.)	Kirsten Larsen (Den.)
1988	Ib Frederiksen (Den.)	Gu Jiaming (China)
1989	Yang Yang (China)	Li Lingwei (China)
1990	Zhao Jianhua (China)	Susi Susanti (Indon.)
1991	Ardy Wiranata (Indon.)	Susi Susanti (Indon.)
1992	Liu Jun (China)	Tang Jiuhong (China)
1993	Heryanto Arbi (Indon.)	Susi Susanti (Indon.)
1994	Heryanto Arbi (Indon.)	Susi Susanti (Indon.)
1995	Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen (Den.)	Lim Xiao Qing (Swed.)
1996	Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen (Den.)	Bang Soo-Hyun (S.Kor.)
1997	Dong Jiong (China)	Ye Zhaoying (China)
1998	Sun Jun (China)	Ye Zhaoying (China)
1999	Peter Gade (Den.)	Ye Zhaoying (China)
2000	Xia Xuanze (China)	Gong Zhichao (China)
2001	Pulella Gopichand (India)	Gong Zhichao (China)
2002	Chen Hong (China)	Camilla Martin (Den.)
2003	Muhammad Hafiz (Malay.)	Zhou Mi (China)
2004	Lin Dan (China)	Gong Ruina (China)
2005	Chen Hong (China)	Xie Xingfang (China)
2006	Lin Dan (China)	Xie Xingfang (China)
2007	Lin Dan (China)	Xie Xingfang (China)
2008	Chen Jin (China)	Tine Rasmussen (Den.)
2009	Lin Dan (China)	Wang Yihan (China)
2010	Lee Chong Wei (Malay.)	Tine Rasmussen (Den.)
2011	Lee Chong Wei (Malay.)	Wang Shixian (China)
2012	Lin Dan (China)	Li Xuerui (China)
2013	Chen Long (China)	Tine Rasmussen Baun (Den.)
2014	Lee Chong Wei (Malay.)	Wang Shixian (China)
2015	Chen Long (China)	Carolina Marin (Spain)
2016	Lin Dan (China)	Okuhara Nozomi (Japan)
2017	Lee Chong Wei (Malay.)	Tai Tzu Ying (Taiwan)

Thomas Cup Results

Results of the Thomas Cup are provided in the table.

Thomas Cup (men)
year	winner	runner-up
1948–49	Malaya
1951–52	Malaya
1954–55	Malaya
1957–58	Indonesia
1960–61	Indonesia
1963–64	Indonesia
1966–67	Malaysia (by default)
1969–70	Indonesia
1972–73	Indonesia
1975–76	Indonesia
1978–79	Indonesia
1981–82	China
1983–84	Indonesia
1985–86	China
1987–88	China
1989–90	China
1991–92	Malaysia
1993–94	Indonesia	Malaysia
1995–96	Indonesia	Denmark
1997–98	Indonesia	Malaysia
1999–2000	Indonesia	China
2001–02	Indonesia	Malaysia
2003–04	China	Denmark
2005–06	China	Denmark
2007–08	China	South Korea
2009–10	China	Indonesia
2011–12	China	South Korea
2013–14	Japan	Malaysia
2015–16	Denmark	Indonesia

Uber Cup Results

Results of the Uber Cup are provided in the table.

Uber Cup (women)
year	winner	runner-up
1956–57	United States
1959–60	United States
1962–63	United States
1965–66	Japan
1968–69	Japan
1971–72	Japan
1974–75	Indonesia
1977–78	Japan
1980–81	Japan
1983–84	China
1985–86	China
1987–88	China
1989–90	China
1991–92	China
1993–94	Indonesia	China
1995–96	Indonesia	China
1997–98	China	Indonesia
1999–2000	China	Denmark
2001–02	China	South Korea
2003–04	China	South Korea
2005–06	China	Netherlands
2007–08	China	Indonesia
2009–10	South Korea	China
2011–12	China	South Korea
2013–14	China	Japan
2015–16	China	South Korea

World Badminton Championships Winners

A list of the winners of the world badminton championships is provided in the table.

World badminton championships
year	men's singles	women's singles
1977	Flemming Delfs (Den.)	Lene Køppen (Den.)
1980	Rudy Hartono (Indon.)	Verawaty Wiharjo (Indon.)
1983	Icuk Sugiarto (Indon.)	Li Lingwei (China)
1985	Han Jian (China)	Han Aiping (China)
1987	Yang Yang (China)	Han Aiping (China)
1989	Yang Yang (China)	Li Lingwei (China)
1991	Zhao Jianhua (China)	Tang Jiuhong (China)
1993	Joko Suprianto (Indon.)	Susi Susanti (Indon.)
1995	Heryanto Arbi (Indon.)	Ye Zhaoying (China)
1997	Peter Rasmussen (Den.)	Ye Zhaoying (China)
1999	Sun Jun (China)	Camilla Martin (Den.)
2001	Hendrawan (Indon.)	Gong Ruina (China)
2003	Xia Xuanze (China)	Zhang Ning (China)
2005	Taufik Hidayat (Indon.)	Xie Xingfang (China)
2006	Lin Dan (China)	Xie Xingfang (China)
2007	Lin Dan (China)	Zhu Lin (China)
2009	Lin Dan (China)	Lu Lan (China)
2010	Chen Jin (China)	Wang Lin (China)
2011	Lin Dan (China)	Wang Yihan (China)
2013	Lin Dan (China)	Ratchanok Intanon (Thai.)
2014	Chen Long (China)	Carolina Marin (Spain)
2015	Chen Long (China)	Carolina Marin (Spain)
year	men's doubles	women's doubles
1977	Tjun Tjun, Johan Wahjudi (Indon.)	Toganu Etsuko, Ueno Erniko (Japan)
1980	Ade Chandra, Christian Hadinata (Indon.)	Nora Perry, Jane Webster (U.K.)
1983	Steen Fladberg, Jesper Helledie (Den.)	Lin Ying, Wu Dixi (China)
1985	Park Joo-Bong, Kim Moon-Soo (S.Kor.)	Han Aiping, Li Lingwei (China)
1987	Li Yongbo, Tian Bingyi (China)	Lin Ying, Guan Weizhen (China)
1989	Li Yongbo, Tian Bingyi (China)	Lin Ying, Guan Weizhen (China)
1991	Park Joo-Bong, Kim Moon-Soo (S.Kor.)	Guan Weizhen, Nong Qunhua (China)
1993	Ricky Subagja, Rudy Gunawan (Indon.)	Nong Qunhua, Zhou Lei (China)
1995	Ricky Subagja, Rexy Mainaky (Indon.)	Gil Young-Ah, Jang Hye-Ock (S.Kor.)
1997	Budiarto Sigit, Candra Wijaya (Indon.)	Ge Fei, Gu Jun (China)
1999	Kim Dong-Moon, Ha Tae-Kwon (S.Kor.)	Ge Fei, Gu Jun (China)
2001	Tony Gunawan, Halim Haryanto (Indon.)	Gao Ling, Huang Sui (China)
2003	Lars Paaske, Jonas Rasmussen (Den.)	Gao Ling, Huang Sui (China)
2005	Howard Bach, Tony Gunawan (U.S.)	Yang Wei, Zhang Jiewen (China)
2006	Cai Yun, Fu Haifeng (China)	Gao Ling, Huang Sui (China)
2007	Markis Kido, Hendra Setiawan (Indon.)	Yang Wei, Zhang Jiewen (China)
2009	Cai Yun, Fu Haifeng (China)	Zhang Yawen, Zhao Tingting (China)
2010	Cai Yun, Fu Haifeng (China)	Du Jing, Yu Yang (China)
2011	Cai Yun, Fu Haifeng (China)	Wang Xiaoli, Yu Yang (China)
2013	Mohammad Ahsan, Hendra Setiawan (Indon.)	Wang Xiaoli, Yu Yang (China)
2014	Ko Sung-Hyun, Shin Baek-Choel (S.Kor.)	Tian Qing, Zhao Yunlei (China)
2015	Mohammad Ahsan, Hendra Setiawan (Indon.)	Tian Qing, Zhao Yunlei (China)
year	mixed doubles
1977	Steen Skovgaard, Lene Koppen (Den.)
1980	Christian Hadinata, Imelda Wiguno (Indon.)
1983	Thomas Kihlstöm, Nora Perry (Swed., Eng.)
1985	Park Joo-Bong, Yoo Sang-Hee (S.Kor.)
1987	Wang Pengren, Shi Fangjing (China)
1989	Park Joo-Bong, Chung Myung-Hee (S.Kor.)
1991	Park Joo-Bong, Chung Myung-Hee (S.Kor.)
1993	Thomas Lund, Catrine Bengtsson (Den., Swed.)
1995	Thomas Lund, Marlene Thomsen (Den.)
1997	Liu Yong, Ge Fei (China)
1999	Kim Dong-Moon, Ra Kyung-Min (S.Kor.)
2001	Zhang Jun, Gao Ling (China)
2003	Kim Dong-Moon, Ra Kyung-Min (S.Kor.)
2005	Nova Widianto, Lilyana Natsir (Indon.)
2006	Nathan Robertson, Gail Emms (Eng.)
2007	Nova Widianto, Lilyana Natsir (Indon.)
2009	Thomas Laybourn, Kamilla Rytter Juhl (Den.)
2010	Zheng Bo, Ma Jin (China)
2011	Zhang Nan, Zhao Yunlei (China)
2013	Tontowi Ahmad, Lilyana Natsir (Indon.)
2014	Zhang Nan, Zhao Yunlei (China)
2015	Zhang Nan, Zhao Yunlei (China)