Comparison of Badminton & Tennis Rules & Regulations

Badminton and tennis are very similar. Players are at opposite sides of a net and use rackets to get an object over the net, and in the boundaries but away from an opponent to win the points. Though compared often with many similarities, the sports are very different.

  1. Ball or Bird

    • In tennis, players hit a felt-covered rubber ball over the net. With badminton, players hit a shuttlecock, often called a bird, resembling a mini-basket with a ball attached.

    Scoring

    • Badminton plays two-of-three sets with the first to win 21 points winning each set. Tennis usually plays two-of-three sets but might be three-of-five, with a set being one by the player winning six games by a minimum of two. Each game is won by winning four points by at least a margin of two.

    Tennis Court Dimensions

    • Tennis courts are 72 feet long and 27 feet wide (36 for doubles). The service line is 21 feet deep from the net line (center of the court).

    Badminton Court Dimensions

    • Badminton courts are 20 feet wide by 44 feet long. The short service line is 6 feet, 6 inches from the center line (under the net).

    The Net

    • A tennis net is 42 inches at the net posts and 36 inches at the center. Badminton nets are 5 feet tall in the center.

    The Serve

    • Tennis allows a server two chances to put the ball in play by serving overhead (or at least before the ball bounces). In badminton, the racket must hit the base of the shuttlecock and be below wrist level in one attempt to be legal.