How Long Does a Badminton Match Last?

A casual player plays badminton without following any rules. He does not bother about scoring points and rounds of this game. But, do you know, how long does a badminton match last? The professional badminton players play this game in three rounds of 21 points.

In the following write-up, we will discuss badminton rules of scoring and how long does it last. There are specific rules of these professional games which should be followed to win the game. Many casual players are unaware of the lasting time of badminton matches. It is essential to have in-depth knowledge about the game you love to play.

A badminton match is of three rounds of 21 points. Let’s read how a match starts and proceeds with the positioning and score.

Know How the Badminton Match Takes Place Step by Step.

1. Coin Tossing

There are three rounds in the badminton game in which a player wins the game who has scored maximum points in two rounds. The tournament starts with coin tossing which decides the side that serves first. The one who wins the toss throws the shuttlecock up and passes it to another side.

2. Points in a Match

Whenever you win a rally, you will get the point. The first player with 21 points wins the game. In the club tournament of badminton, you have to choose players for the next game. Whereas, in a standard league, it is a match, i.e., the best of three games. A player only wins the game when it wins two games. Thus, a match lasts for two or three games.

When a player wins a rally, he will get the next serve. So, if your opponent served in the last rally, then the serve will pass to you. If you are serving in the match, then you will keep on serving.

3. Two Point-Lead

It is essential to win the badminton game by at least two points. If your score is 20–20, then 21 points are very less to win the game. You should earn two points consecutively. If your score reaches 30–29, then you won the game. The upper limit of the game is 30 points.

4. Say the Score of Server First

Before starting each rally, you should say the score of your opponent. It is easy to lose score track and saying it can prevent disputes between rallies. If a player with 10 points is serving his opponent with 15 points, then his score will be 10–15.

5. Choose Serving Side

There are two service courts: the right, and the left. When the server’s score is an even number, then he can serve from the right service court or vice versa. The right service court is called the even service court, whereas the left service court is called the odd service court.

If you are winning the rallies, then you will keep on serving from a different side every time. As zero is an even number, this game will always start from the players serving from the right service court.

6. Position of Receiver

The score of the server determines the position of the receiver. The receiver will stand diagonally opposite from the server in the service box. Both badminton players will either stand in the even service courts or the odd service courts.

7. Scoring in Doubles Tournament

In doubles, each pair wins the points. The even or odd rule is also the same in this event. If the score of the server is odd, then he will serve from the left court or vice versa. The receiver will position itself in the diagonally opposite service court.

When the serving side wins a rally, then the same person will serve again from another service court. Only one person keeps on serving until the opponents win a rally and get the serve.

8. Every player has a Service Court

In doubles scoring, each player has a service court every time. If your partner has one service court, then you have another one. If your partner is neither serving nor receiving, then he will not stay in any of the service boxes. He can stand anywhere on the court.

9. Serve and Win the Rally

If you are serving, then your side wins the rally. You have to serve again from the other side in the next rally. You and your partner must be in different service courts. The server’s partner can wherever he wants but needs to remember his service court for future rallies.

On the other hand, the receivers are not allowed to change their service courts. You can change the service courts by winning a point at the time of serving.

10. Receive and Win the Rally

If the receiving side wins a rally, then the serve will pass to them. From the previous rally, the service courts will not change. If their score is odd, then the player on the left service court will serve or vice versa.

11. Intervals

There is a 1-minute gap in between every game. In the third game, the badminton players can change their ends when the leading score becomes 11 points.

The Bottom Line

This write-up on ‘How long does a badminton match last?’ provides every detail of the badminton match. It starts from the beginning of the match to the winning of the player or a set. A professional badminton match lasts until one player, or a pair wins two games out of three.

The players get a rest time for 1 minute between every game. The scoring and positioning of players matter a lot in this game. A mistake leads to the deduction of points. It is necessary to know the rules of badminton so that you can win without making any mistakes.

You need to win at least two points up to 30 points in each match of the best of three series. To prevent the dragging of games, the score remains 29, and the next scored point will determine the winner.