Badminton doubles service rules are often confusing for beginners and even regular players because one small mistake can cost you a point. In the first few rallies itself, many matches see service faults simply due to misunderstanding rotation, service courts, or who should serve next. This guide explains everything in simple language, step by step, so you can play confidently and correctly.

Why Understanding Doubles Service Rules Is Important

In doubles badminton, service rules are stricter than singles. One wrong serve means:

• Immediate loss of rally
• Break in momentum
• Confusion between partners
• Arguments during friendly or competitive matches

Whether you play at school, academy, club level, or local tournaments, knowing the rules helps you avoid faults and focus on winning rallies instead of debating rules.

Basic Overview of Badminton Doubles Service Rules

Before going deep, let’s understand the foundation.

In doubles:

• Each side has two players
• Only one player serves at a time
• A side continues serving as long as they keep winning points
• Service courts change based on score (even or odd)

Unlike the old scoring system, modern badminton uses rally point scoring, which applies to all official matches.

Official Scoring System Used in Doubles

According to the Badminton World Federation (BWF):

• Each game is played to 21 points
• Every rally gives one point, regardless of who served
• Match is usually best of three games
• At 20–20, the game continues until a 2-point lead
• Maximum score cap is 30 points

This scoring system directly affects service court position.

Service Court Basics in Doubles

The court is divided into:

• Right service court
• Left service court

Which court you serve from depends on your team’s score, not your opponent’s.

Even & Odd Rule

• Even score (0, 2, 4, 6…) → Serve from right court
• Odd score (1, 3, 5, 7…) → Serve from left court

This rule applies every time your team has the service.

Who Serves First in a Doubles Match?

Before the match starts:

• A toss is done
• Winner of the toss chooses:
  • To serve first
  • Or which side of the court to start from

The player who starts serving becomes the first server for that side.

Service Order in Badminton Doubles (Most Confusing Part)

This is where most players get confused.

Key Rule

At the start of the game, only one player from the serving side serves.

There is no “second serve” like in old scoring rules.

How Rotation Works

• If the serving side wins the rally, they:
  • Score a point
  • Continue serving
  • Change service court based on updated score
• If the serving side loses the rally, service passes to the opponents

Simple Table: Doubles Service Rules Explained

Situation	Who Serves	Service Court
Start of game	Player who won toss	Right court (score 0)
Score is even	Same server	Right court
Score is odd	Same server	Left court
Server’s side loses rally	Opponent serves	Based on their score
Opponent wins rally while receiving	They score + serve	Based on their score

This table alone clears most confusion for beginners.

Receiving Position Rules in Doubles

When receiving serve:

• Only the correct receiver can return the serve
• Partner must stand diagonally opposite
• If the wrong player receives it, it is a fault

After the serve is returned:

• Both players are free to move anywhere on the court

Serving Position Rules (Very Important)

At the moment of serving:

• Both feet of the server must be:
  • In contact with the court
  • Inside the correct service court
• Shuttle must be:
  • Hit below the server’s waist
  • Racket shaft pointing downwards
• Serve must be:
  • Diagonal
  • Land in the correct service court

Any violation results in a service fault.

What Is Considered a Fault in Doubles Service?

Common service faults include:

• Shuttle hit above waist level
• Racket shaft not pointing downward
• Feet touching boundary lines
• Wrong player serving
• Wrong service court
• Shuttle landing outside service court

Knowing these helps avoid giving away free points.

Difference Between Singles and Doubles Service Rules

Many players mix singles and doubles rules.

Rule Aspect	Singles	Doubles
Service court width	Narrow	Wide
Service court length	Long	Short
Rotation complexity	Simple	More complex
Partner involvement	No	Yes

This is why doubles service needs extra attention.

Short Service Line Rule in Doubles

In doubles:

• The back boundary for serve is shorter
• Shuttle must land before the doubles long service line

Many players used to singles overshoot the serve unintentionally.

Common Doubles Service Mistakes Players Make

From real court observations, the most frequent mistakes are:

• Forgetting score-based service court
• Wrong partner serving after point loss
• Standing outside service court while serving
• Using singles service length in doubles
• Both partners moving before serve is hit

Avoiding these instantly improves match performance.

How to Remember Doubles Service Rules Easily

Here’s a simple memory trick:

Score decides side, not the player

And:

• Win rally → same side serves
• Lose rally → service changes
• Even → right
• Odd → left

Repeating this during matches helps reduce confusion.

Practical Tip for Club & School Matches

Before every serve:

• Quickly say the score out loud
• Confirm:
  • Who is serving
  • From which side

This habit is followed even in professional matches.

Badminton Doubles Service Rules for Beginners

If you’re new to badminton:

• Focus only on:
  • Score (even/odd)
  • Correct service court
• Ignore advanced tactics initially
• Play slow practice games to build confidence

Rules become natural with repetition.

Rules in Official Tournaments vs Casual Play

In official tournaments:

• Service faults are strictly judged
• Umpires check:
  • Waist height
  • Racket angle
  • Foot position

In casual games:

• Rules may be relaxed
• But learning official rules is always better

What Happens If Players Serve in the Wrong Order?

If discovered during play:

• Rally continues
• Correction is made after the rally
• Score remains unchanged

This rule prevents unnecessary stoppages.

BWF Authority on Doubles Service Rules

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) is the governing body for badminton worldwide. All official doubles service rules are defined in:

• Laws of Badminton – BWF
• Used in Olympics, World Championships, and international tournaments

Following BWF rules ensures standard play everywhere.

Final Thoughts

Understanding badminton doubles service rules may feel difficult at first, but once you break them into simple steps—score, court, server—they become easy to follow. Most service mistakes happen not due to lack of skill, but lack of rule clarity.

If you play regularly, mastering these rules will:

• Reduce unnecessary faults
• Improve teamwork
• Increase confidence during matches

Take a few games to consciously apply these rules, and soon they’ll become second nature.

FAQ

1. What are badminton doubles service rules in simple words?

Badminton doubles service rules decide who serves, from which side, and where the shuttle must land. The server serves diagonally, the service court depends on the team’s score (even or odd), and only one player serves at a time.

2. How do I know which service court to use in doubles?

It depends on your team’s score:

• Even score (0, 2, 4…) → Right service court

• Odd score (1, 3, 5…) → Left service court

This rule applies every time your team serves.

3. Who serves first in a badminton doubles match?

The team that wins the toss decides whether to serve first or choose the side. The player who starts serving becomes the first server of that game.

4. Is there a second serve in badminton doubles?

No. In the current scoring system, there is only one serve per side. If the serving team loses the rally, the service immediately goes to the opponents.

5. Can the wrong player return the serve in doubles?

No. Only the correct receiver, standing diagonally opposite the server, can receive the serve. If the wrong player hits the shuttle, it is considered a fault.