Tips on Making Contact on a Badminton Serve

Badminton is a server's game. Once the shuttlecock is in play, techniques for return are limited and tactics are often defensive rather than offensive. However, the choice of available serves offers a variety of techniques to vex opponents with subtle skill and finesse. The angle and direction of contact with the shuttle can be creatively altered to fit the dynamics of the particular game. Straight, wide or in-your-face varieties of these serves all have their place in game strategy.

  1. High Serve

    • The purpose of the high serve is to put the shuttlecock behind your opponent, forcing him to backpedal rapidly to affect a return. Hold the shuttle out in front of you by the feathers with its head pointing straight down. Bring the racket all the way back so it is nearly at shoulder level. Use a smooth, rhythmic forward stroke through a wide arc, bringing the racket as low as knee level. Time the shuttlecock release so it is falls below waist level as the swing arcs upward and the racket contacts the shuttlecock from directly beneath. The shuttlecock should contact the flat face of the racket. Continue to follow through after contact, allowing the racket to rise to shoulder level before terminating the swing.

    Low Serve

    • A proper underhand low serve will send the shuttlecock just above the net and drop it into the front of the court, causing your opponent to lunge forward to make a defensive return. Hold the shuttlecock by the feathers with the head facing down. Place the shuttlecock against the strings of the racket. Move the racket back and bring it forward with a gentle motion, pushing the shuttlecock out of your fingers. Do not release the shuttlecock before contacting it with the racket. Think "push," not "swat." Racket movement and contact should be smooth, with no abrupt acceleration or termination of the swing.

    Flick Serve

    • A flick serve mimics the approach of a low serve but sends the shuttlecock high to the back of the court. Follow the same setup as the standard low serve ,but just before the racket contacts the shuttlecock, flex your wrist and pronate your forearm to intensify the snap effect at contact with the shuttlecock, sharply increasing its trajectory and velocity.

    Drive Serve

    • A forehand underarm drive serve is considered an attacking serve. It follows a flat angle over the net with considerable court penetration and velocity. The drive serve is designed to force your opponent to make a poorly composed or hasty return. Place the racket slightly below your waist (a drive serve executed above the waist will draw a service fault). Hold the shuttlecock by the feathers and drop it slightly sideways to your body instead of straight down. Grip the racket tightly and use a swift, short swing combined with sharp rebound action on contact. Terminate the swing abruptly when contact is made with the shuttlecock. Do not follow through.